Mixed Fish with Crunchy Topping

Fish is a favourite but it can be expensive, not so when I recently visited Iceland and snapped up all three of these bags for just £10

The Iceland web site describes their approach to sustainable fishing which looks pretty good, they aim for "responsible sourcing from sea to shelf"

I was also intrigued by a recent article saying how Iceland has launched a new mixed bag sustainable selection of white fish including whiting, megrim sole and grey gurnard which can sometimes get thrown back into the sea by fishers. Called 'What the Fish' you can read about it here https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/iceland-what-the-fish-bycatch-sustainability/

Unfortunately the £8 mixed bag was no where to be found in my local branch but the selection I bought worked fine.

Using half the fish pie mix and a little cooked seafood I was able to put together a tasty dinner of fish in white sauce with seafood and peas topped with breadcrumbs and cheese

First of all defrost the fish and assemble the other ingredients

Then make a white sauce with butter, flour and milk. Season well with salt and pepper. For added flavour I often add part of those handy chicken stock pods.

Assemble the dish by mixing the raw fish (not the seafood) and frozen peas into the hot white sauce in an oven proof dish. Then add the prawns, mussels and calamari. Top with fresh breadcrumbs and cheese (I used a mix of left over ready grated Gruyere and Parmesan)

Salmon, hake, smoked haddock & peas in white sauce

Add cooked seafood

Top with breadcrumbs and cheese

Bake in a hot oven (200 degrees) for about 25 minutes until brown on top.

Seafood Soup

My kitchen has been out of action for a while; so cooking has been more basic. Happily the new and much improved facility is now up and running so the recipe experimentation can resume.

My version of a quick seafood soup uses as a base a bag of frozen mixed seafood any variety will do but I find uncooked better than pre cooked.

A recipe for fish soup has appeared before in Ann's Food Diary https://annsfooddiary.blogspot.com/2017/08/creamy-fish-soup.html however last weeks version was even more tasty.

Preparing all the ingredients in advance and particularly taking a picture of them is definitely showy (sorry) but makes for a rapid cook of precisely the right amounts.

I started by gently frying the onion, red pepper and courgette in mix of olive and dill oil. This Cotswold Gold brand is a current favourite http://cotswoldgold.co.uk  Add the garlic and cook for about a minute before adding spices cumin, paprika, black pepper (a teaspoon of each) a pinch of saffron and a tablespoon of tomato puree stir, cook for two minutes.

Once the vegetables are soft and the spices combined its time for the seafood. I cut the squid rings into thirds and added these to the pan along with the prawns and scallops mixing well to incorporate with the seasonings.

Next pour in the stock. My mix was 200ml part tomato juice part chicken stock. Fish stock works well as does a splash of wine or brandy. Bring this to a gentle simmer for a couple of minutes then add the mussels (these are already cooked)

Finally stir in some double cream (or milk) and make sure its hot but not boiling

Top with grated cheese and serve with a crusty roll

The Horns of Boningale Shropshire

Located a few miles west of Wolverhampton just into Shropshire The Horns modestly describes itself as a rustic pub serving gastropub meals. The food is imaginative, delicious and great value http://hornsboningale-albrighton.co.uk

On our most recent visit I ordered confit duck spring roll and dipping sauce followed by pancetta wrapped pork tenderloin & crispy pork belly with a tasty addition of black pudding fritter and Madeira sauce.

Confit Duck Spring Roll

Pork Two Ways

Other choices on this varied menu were equally good and the “pub classic” of cloudy lemonade battered haddock with hand cut chips outstanding.

The dining area located by the bar is spacious and airy whilst also having a cosy and inviting feel. There are plenty of round tables which are great for groups big or small. The staff are attentive and friendly.

The Horns also has plenty of original offers such as two for one on a Monday night and on a Tuesday the chance to toss a coin to potentially win a future visit voucher worth fifty percent of your meal cost.

We took advantage of early bird booking (before 6.30pm) so our delicious two course meal for three people including wine and coffee had twenty percent off giving a total bill of just over £60.

I have a number of favourite eating places on my regular visits to this area and The Horns is certainly up there with the best.

Sea Festival Fish Tacos

The first weekend in September saw the annual Bexhill Festival of the Sea two days of "food and fishing fun for all the family" https://www.bexhillseafestival.co.uk and what a perfect cloudless Sunday it was for a visit.

With a relaxed still on holiday feeling visitors wandered through the food, drink and craft stalls sampling produce along the way.

Fish was clearly a strong festival theme and a fish taco was a first for me. It was a delicious. Crispy cod in tempura batter served straight from the pan, on a corn tortilla topped with guacamole, salsa and shredded cabbage. The addition of harissa sauce, sour cream and a squeeze of lime made for a perfect and unusual brunch.

Fish taco brunch

Brighton based Olly's Fish Shack was the innovative street food stall offering this range of tasty fish dishes with a spicy twist. You can read about them here https://www.getawriggleon.com/guides/brighton/ollys-fish-shack

Street food at its best

Sizzling cod

Fish taco demonstration by Olly Dawson

Bexhill was looking stunning in the sunshine, lively with people visiting the festival and also enjoying the sea front, pavilion https://www.dlwp.com and wide variety of eateries in this smart bustling seaside town.

Sea festival site and water fountains

Colonnade cafes and kiosks

Iconic De La Warr Pavilion

Ravioli in Rome

Making my own pasta has never been particularly high on my list of priorities with such a huge versatile range readily and cheaply available to buy.  My visit to Rome earlier this summer and cookery class with the lovely young and skilled chef Caterina Olivieri has led me to reconsider.

A roomy apartment located north west of Vatican City was the venue for our Ravioli and Meatballs class through https://www.eatandwalkitaly.it Booked in England before on the basis of 5 star trip advisor ratings this was three hours of hands on learning, delicious food and wine and most of all fun.

Caterina who had a decade in her families restaurant trade has a real passion for passing on her skills she is ably assisted by Matteo also a chef but here acting as our interpreter. They are rightly proud of their relatively new (18 months) and growing venture.

Caterina and Martel

The course runs daily either over lunchtime or in our case late afternoon concluding with an early dinner feasting on our offerings. Heather and I joined Shannon and Kelly visiting Italy from the USA.  A simple and delicious meatball dish was our first experience. Slowly simmering in garlicky tomato sauce while we tackled the pasta.

Meatballs 

The finished dish

The pasta making class was precise and easy to follow with Caterina leading us through the steps of weighing, mixing and kneading well for 10 minutes until she could tell by touch that the required consistency was achieved. Then rolling to paper thin, adding a ricotta and herb filling, cutting carefully and cooking rapidly for just a few minutes.

It was the simple sauce of butter, sage and a ladle of the pasta water that really enhanced the flavour of the dish

Ricotta ravioli with parmesan and sage

This experience is really great value, for around £44 you get an authentic hands on Italian cookery class enhanced by the enthusiasm and hospitality of Caterina and Martel. A delicious meal of meatballs, ravioli, bread, salad and a dessert and a choice of local wine.

The class also gives a welcome break from the Rome sightseeing (which is wonderful) and of course the chance to meet new and interesting people.

Ann, Heather, Shannon and Kelly

Vietnamese Street Food

Hot evenings call for crisp cool meals and the food from Vietnam fits the bill perfectly. It is the use of lime, chilli, salty fish sauce and a little sugar that gives that classic fresh sour, hot, salty sweet combination.

I first wrote about the food of Vietnam almost exactly four years ago http://annsfooddiary.blogspot.com/2014/07/ when a visit to a South London cafe brought back happy memories of holidays and new food experiences

Last week I returned to the modern and welcoming atmosphere of the kitchen at https://kentcookeryschool.co.uk where chefs James and on this occasion particularly Bella shared their knowledge and skills with seven of us. The three hour evening session includes  hands on cooking culminating in a delicious feast with plenty to take home for later

Vietnamese platter for one

• Pork and Lemongrass Patties
• Mung Bean Fritters
• Goi Cuan (Fresh Spring Rolls)

Garlic, lemon grass and ginger are the main seasonings for these tasty minced pork patties complimented by a chilli and garlic infused dipping sauce

Pork Patties

Nuoc Cham (dipping sauce)

Just look at the vibrancy of the vegetable and herb filling for the Goi Can to which we added shredded pork and juicy just cooked prawns.

Mint, coriander, spring onions, cucumber and pepper

Perhaps the simplest and certainly the cheapest dish were the fritters. These combined yellow split peas (soaked overnight) blitzed in a food processor with spices and herbs flour and bicarb. Spoonfuls added to a deep fat fryer turned in minutes to crunchy on the outside soft and spicy within. This led to the usual, slightly rueful discussion that none of us own a fryer (I am sure a little oil in a wok would work turning the fritters frequently)

It was a fun evening, we all learnt new techniques and a gained a renewed enthusiasm for adding spice to the weekly menu.

Kent Cookery School has something for everyone, follow them on facebook to take advantage of the latest courses and great last minute discounts.

The Sondes Tea House

This seemingly endless summer sunshine gives the perfect excuse for outdoor eating and a secluded beautiful garden in the heart of the east Kent countryside was the setting for a delicious lunch.

The Sondes Tea House close to Selling station was once a village pub, its specialty tea menu runs to five pages but to say this place is only a tea house doesn't tell the full story. The room which manages to be cosy and airy at the same time is creatively decorated with tempting reclaimed collectables and antiques many of which are for sale. The tea display is a work of art.

and just look at the cakes

For the three of us lunch was the priority and what a spread. The menu is entirely vegetarian and stunningly presented. We all opted for a main with mixed salad or rather salads as you can see our mains of egg hog, mushroom and cashew flip and spinach and goats cheese tart was each served more salads than we could count.

Here is the main display

  and the lunches

To complete the occasion we each selected a different tea. The Sondes sells a wide range and also has an adjacent General Store crammed full of tempting goodies. Here is my Rhubarb Tisane 

Carluccios

What better way to conclude a morning of shopping in the attractive medieval market town of Shrewsbury than with a visit to a bright, modern, Italian cafe-deli.

Situated on The Square in the historic centre Carluccios is a great option managing somehow to be cosy and inviting on a chilly January day and offering a sunny holiday atmosphere in mid summer.

A little known great value option at this favourite Italian chain of restaurants https://www.carluccios.com is their half portions of any pasta or risotto dish. At around £6 a person these generously sized dishes feel like a real lunch time treat while not leaving you too full for more shopping later.

So here you have Seafood Linguine prawns, mussels and clams in a tomato and crab sauce with just the right amount of chilli along with Spaghetti Carbonara with salty smoky dried cured pork and lots of black pepper and yes these really are "half size"

Founded almost twenty years ago by the late Antonio Carluccio The restaurants which now number eighty all around the UK have retained their authentic and contemporary atmosphere. Their charm is versatility, great for breakfasts, casual or celebratory lunches and more intimate dinners. The menu is a crowd pleaser whatever your age.