Incredible Fish Pie

There is nothing better than a piece of fish pie with some peppery rocket salad on the side and a glass of cold white wine on a rainy evening. It will serve you and three more.  

1kg floury potatoes
50g butter
Splash of milk
500ml fish stock
100ml good quality white wine, you can drink the rest
Small bunch of parsley, separated into leaves and stalks
350g white fish fillets and / or salmon
350g smoked white fish
200g small peeled prawns
50g plain flour
200ml double cream
Handful of breadcrumbs (optional) 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Peel the potatoes and cut into evenly sized chunks. Put in a large pan, cover with cold water, add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain, and allow to sit in the colander for a few minutes, then mash until smooth, and beat in the butter and a splash of milk. Season well and set aside.

Put the fish stock, wine and parsley stalks into a large pan, and bring to a simmer. Add the fish, and simmer for five minutes, then lift out, remove the skins if any, and cut into large chunks. Discard the parsley stalks.

Melt the butter in a medium pan over a lowish heat, and then stir in the flour. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes, being careful not to let it brown. Gradually stir in the stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes.

Take the sauce off the heat, stir in the double cream, parsley leaves and season. Add the fish and prawns and toss to coat.
Put the seafood and sauce into a baking dish and top with the mashed potato. Bake for 20 minutes, then sprinkle over the breadcrumbs if you decide to use them and bake for a further 15, until the top is golden.

Prawn and Samphire Risotto

Samphire is only available from May to August and is naturally very salty as it grows by the sea. Combined with prawns or other sea food, it brings a soft sea flavour to your table. Crack open a bottle of fine white wine and enjoy this simple, easy, special risotto.

600gm large cooked prawns
80gm washed and trimmed Samphire 
50gm butter 
3 shallots finely chopped 
l litre fish stock 
50ml white wine 
2 garlic cloves crushed 
250gm of Arborio rice 
30gm freshly grated parmesan cheese  
50ml single cream or plain yoghurt

Add a bit of the butter to a pan and heat gently then add the shallots, garlic and cook very gently for about ten minutes. 
Add the rice and stir until all the grains are coated then add half the stock and close the lid. Stir gently and cook for about 15 minutes, then pour in the wine and stir again until it has all been absorbed. Add a rest of the stock and prawns and continue stirring until all the liquids have been absorbed, usually another 10-15 minutes. Add the samphire in the end and cook it in the mix for about 2 minutes. At the very end and when the heat is very low or even completely switched off add the cream/ yoghurt. Serve immediately with parmesan on top.

Salmon Teriyaki With Honey, Lime and Corriander

My best friend cooked this the other day and it was so good I cooked it twice in the same week. Now we will try to quit salmon for a while. I even dreamt of the fish the other night.
It sounds like a complicated recipe but it is not. Takes only 20 minutes to cook and serves 4.

4 pieces of salmon fillet (one per person)
2 limes
fresh coriander
500g pasta (I used gluten free fusilli but noodles or plain rice are perfect too)
200g green beans or 150g asparagus

for the sauce
4 tablespoons soya sauce
1 tablespoon runny honey

In a wide frying pan heat a little bit of olive oil and put the salmon fillets in. Close the lid and let it cook in it's own juices for 5 minutes. If the olive oil starts going mad, lower the heat. Cook the pasta or noodles in a different pot at the same time according to package instructions.
Make the sause while the pot and the pan do their job. Keep stirring the sauce till you finally pour it over the salmon, which should be starting to turn white by now. At the same time put the green beans /asparagus on the sides to cook by the salmon. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the fish looks ready.
Put equal amount of pasta on every plate, one piece of salmon on top of each and pour the sauce on with some of the greens on the side. The juice of half a lime per person is ideal. Let everyone mix their own plate and enjoy with some fresh coriander on top.

Spaghetti Without Parmesan Is Possible

After a two-week holiday abroad, eating cheese every single day, both my boyfriend and I decide not to buy or use any cheese for a week. Ok, we lasted only four days but during that short period of time we discovered this light, wonderful, spaghetti recipe. It can be eaten without the use of parmesan, pecorino or manchego, something that up to now seemed impossible to do. Serves 4.

Ingredients
    •    400g dried spaghetti (we used Dove Farm gluten free)
    •    6 tbsp olive oil
    •    3 garlic cloves, crushed
    •    2 medium-hot red chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped (if you don't fancy spicy food you can skip this part)
    •    150g vine-ripened tomatoes, skinned and chopped (or tomato paste)
    •    Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon, plus 2 tbsp lemon juice
    •    300-400g cooked and peeled tiger prawns, thawed if frozen
    •    150g rocket leaves


1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to pack instructions.
2. Shortly before the spaghetti is ready, put the oil and garlic into a large deep frying pan or shallow saucepan over a medium-high heat. As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, add the chillies and fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and fry for a further minute. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, prawns and some seasoning and cook for 1.5-2 minutes, until the prawns are heated through.
3. Drain the spaghetti and add to the pan of prawns with the rocket and toss together well. Divide between 4 warmed pasta bowls and serve.

Vietnamese Prawn Pho

This is an altered version of the beef Vietnamese noodle soup, also known as Bun Bo Hue.
I was in a nostalgic mood this week and since it used to be my daily lunch when I was working somewhere around Kingsland Road a few years ago, I decided to cook it at home.
We were organising a very tight budget film festival back then, we were all very tired and the spiciness was always the best kick to keep the team going. We had actually renamed it 'Raise The Dead' soup. I miss those guys so much!
Here is the seafood version of it.

3 cloves of garlic, thinly chopped
1 stick of lemongrass / 2 teaspoons of lemongrass paste
4 birdseye red chillis chopped
2cm piece of ginger squashed slightly
6 spring onions trimmed and sliced diagonally
600 ml fish or vegetable stock
3 tablespoons fish sauce (optional) 
400g cooked king prawns (other seafood like squid, mussels and scallops can be used of course)
250-300g rice noodles
200g bean sprouts
lime cut in wedges
hand full of coriander leaves ( I used parsley instead)

You can play a bit and add other ingredients like babycorn, green beans, soya beans, cabbage etc.
Pour the stock into a medium size pan, add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger and two of the chillis and briskly boil for about 15 minutes to create the basic broth. Taste it and if neccessary add the other two chillis. Turn down the heat, cover the pan and leave to simmer for a further 15 minutes. This will allow the flavours to really develop. 
Add the prawns to the soup, and add three of the spring onions, the fish sauce and the herb of your choice. Reserve a little of the herb for garnishing. Put the lid back on the pan.

In a pan of boiling water, cook the bean sprouts for 1-2 minutes, or until they are just tender. Drain them and add them to the soup. Place the rice noodles in the boiling water and cook for as long as the packaging instructions indicate.
Divide the cooked noodles between bowls. Pour the soup over the noodles. Garnish with a little of the coriander or parsley leaves, a few slices of red chilli and spring onion. Serve with a wedge of lime. Mint can also be used, I just do not like it.

Roasted Broccoflower With Prawns

Broccoflower is a piece of art. You will not want to eat it, it's that beautiful, but at some point in it's life it has to happen.


• 1 broccoflower cut into florets
• Salt and cracked black pepper
• 250ml olive oil
• 1/4 cup currants
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 24 large green king prawns, peeled
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• Lime wedges, to serve

Preheat oven to 200C.
Place broccoflower florets on a roasting tray and season well. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until cooked.
Mix currants and vinegar in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then drain.
In a small frypan over low heat, dry fry cumin, coriander and paprika until fragrant. Add garlic, chilli flakes and 120ml oil and cook until garlic is golden. Remove from heat and season.
Heat remaining oil in a large frypan and stir-fry prawns until almost cooked. Add spice mixture and cook until just heated through. Stir in currants and herbs and remove from heat.
Top cauliflower with prawns and serve warm or at room temperature with lime wedges.
Serves 6 and they will all ask for more.

Easter Sunday Prawns

Cooked this yesterday and it was just perfect after all the meaty barbecues of this week.
Tip: do not go easy on the lemon juice.

300g wild mushrooms
100 g butter
1 red pepper finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice
650 g prawns, peeled
chopped parsley
chili flakes

Chop the mushrooms after giving them a good rinse or brush.
Melt the butter in a shallow casserole. Add the mushrooms, red pepper, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cook for a few minutes.
Add the prawns (if they are precooked) to the casserole and cook for 3 minutes, stirring several times. Then add the chili flakes.
If you go for raw prawns cook them separately & thoroughly then add to the mix when they feel ready.
Mix in the parsley and add more seasoning if necessary. Serve with warm quinoa.

Easy Paella Ahoy!

Why did I always think that paella is a bitch to cook?
It is not hard at all my friends. I just skipped the chorizo to please my vegetarian boyfriend and followed those simple instructions:
Ingredients
±olive oil
± 1 big onion sliced and chopped
± 1 tsp turmeric
± 350g long grain rice
± 1 l hot veg stock
± 200 frozen peas
± 1 big red pepper
± 400g seafood mix
± 1 lemon cut in wedges

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, then soften the onion for a few minutes. Stir in the turmeric which will give it a nice yellow colour and rice until coated by the oils, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, add the red pepper then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tip in the peas and stir in the seafood then cook for another a final 10 minutes cooking or until rice is cooked. Check for seasoning and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Would Pinchy Want It That Way?

Oh yes, I had something like the perfect day last Monday. To begin with I had the day off and was feeling physically well after a very long time. I met an old friend who was in London for business in the morning, then had a very long walk, then went to the cinema and then found myself at this restaurant alone, menu in hand, just because of the poster on the wall: JUNE! LOBSTER MONTH. I am such an easy target sometimes.
I did call my partner to join me, who is a vegetarian, 99% of the year . He did come but did not try the lobster. I did. And it was delicious. But I must admit that it looked very cute and I found myself feeling a bit like Homer Simpson. And in reality it was not as delicious as the lobster I had in Crete 5 years ago, or the one my friend caught in 2003. It was a lobster that was designed to end up in my plate and that was a very sad thing to realize.
But I have no regrets. It was part of the almost perfect day Monday.

Happy In Whitstable

Just an hour and a bit away from London, Whitstable in Kent is pretty and the fish market is fairly cheap and interesting.
There is also a farmers market with the best pear juice on earth and the biggest Calamata olives in England!