This has to be one of my absolute favourite dinners. It’s basically fish and chips, but with a great twist using crispy rosti potato cakes instead of the more laborious chip. I shallow fry my goujons rather than using a deep fat fryer, with oil I keep in a bottle specifically for this purpose. When you’re done and the oil is cold, just fill the bottle up to use again next time.
SERVES 4
Sunflower or rapeseed oil, for frying
500g skinless fish fillets, such as haddock, cod or hake, cut into goujon-sized pieces
3–4 tbsp plain flour, plus 75g for the batter
200ml cold beer
Lemon wedges, to serve
FOR THE ROSTI POTATO CAKES
600g waxy potatoes, peeled
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
FOR THE PEA MASH
1 tbsp butter
200g frozen peas
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Good handful of mint leaves
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4.
To make the rosti potato cakes, grate the potato into a clean dry tea towel. Gather the towel around the potato and form a small ball. Squeeze it over the sink to remove the starchy liquid. Heat the oil in a 20cm-diameter non-stick ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Season and press the grated potato into the pan so that it coats the base. Dot little lumps of butter over the top and cook in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the pea mash, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat until it is foaming. Add the peas and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the oil and mint leaves and then mash with a potato masher until the peas are roughly smooth. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper to taste and keep warm. For the goujons, fill a high-sided frying pan with 2.5–5cm of oil and place it over a high heat. It needs to be very hot when you start to fry. Coat the fish in the 3–4 tablespoons of flour, shake off the excess and set aside.
Place the 75g flour in a large mixing bowl, make a well in the middle, pour in a little beer and mix through. Add the beer and mix until you have a smooth batter. Season with ground black pepper and then drop a little of the batter into the hot oil; if it floats and puffs up, it’s hot enough.
Working beside the pan, dip the fish goujons in the batter one at a time and then into the hot oil. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan as this will reduce the heat. Cook them for about 4 minutes until golden brown, turning halfway through the cooking time. Remove the goujons using a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
Season generously with sea salt and ground black pepper. Serve with lemon wedges and a good helping of mushy mint peas and a quarter of the rosti.
SOLE MEUNIÈRE
Fish is often forgotten as the ultimate fast food. It is an incredibly quick cooking ingredient and I would normally wax lyrically about just how healthy it is too, but not in this recipe. No, this recipe is all about the nutty golden brown butter that forms the sauce alongside the tang of lemon juice and the salty hit from the capers. It’s a bit of an all-in recipe and if you’re going to make it, serve it with some steamed veggies for a delicious dinner.
SERVES 4
4 sole or plaice fillets, skin on
5 tbsp plain flour
Sea salt and ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
100g butter
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
A little flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to garnish (optional)
Remove any prominent bones from the fish fillets using tweezers. Season the flour with salt and pepper on a large plate and press the fillets into the mix to coat on either side. Shake off any excess and set aside on a clean plate.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, which is big enough to accommodate the fish fillets over a high heat. Add the fish fillets, skin-side down, and cook for 2 minutes and then turn over and cook for a further minute until golden. Using a fish slice, remove the fillets from the pan and set aside on a warmed plate.
Place the pan back over a high heat and melt the butter until it is foaming, then add the lemon juice and capers and continue to cook until the butter turns a nutty golden brown. Pour the butter, lemon and caper mix over the fish and serve straight away garnished with the parsley, if using.
FLAVOUR BOMB SALAD
If you ever needed proof that something incredibly delicious can be made in a very short amount of time, then this salad is just that! Packed with punchy heat from the chorizo and salty squidginess from the halloumi, this little dish is full of wonderful things to keep you interested, even if you have very little time to make dinner. Speed up this recipe by buying sunblushed tomatoes intstead of roasting them yourself.
SERVES 4
300g cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
100g chorizo sausage, cut into chunky discs
200g halloumi cheese, cut into 1cm thick slices
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt and ground black pepper
1 Baby Gem lettuce, leaves separated
200g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ red onion, peeled and finely sliced
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Toss the tomatoes in a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and place in a roasting tin. Roast in the oven for about 35 minutes until they have shrunk and become caramelised.
Meanwhile, dry fry the chorizo in a frying pan over a high heat until the discs are sizzling and coloured. Remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Save the oil the chorizo has produced in the pan.
Place the frying pan back over the heat. Add a drop of olive oil if required and then fry the halloumi slices on both sides until they have a nice golden colour.
To make a dressing for the salad, pour the lemon juice into a bowl, then add the cider vinegar and garlic, season with sea salt and ground black pepper and whisk to combine.
In a large bowl, toss together the Baby Gem lettuce leaves with the dressing, chickpeas, chorizo and red onion and transfer to serving plates. Top with the halloumi slices and roasted cherry tomatoes and serve straight away.
SPICY SEAFOOD PAELLA
What I love most about this recipe is that a big steaming pan of food is served straight to the table and people just dig in. It also makes a great leftover lunchbox if you’re lucky enough to have any left.
SERVES 4–6
12 prawns, shell on
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Good pinch of paprika, plus 1 tsp
A good grinding of black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
150g chorizo sausage, cut into chunky discs
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
200g Arborio or paella rice
A few thyme sprigs
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
125ml white wine
1 × 400g tin of cherry tomatoes
400ml fish stock
1 large squid, cut into rings
150g frozen peas
Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to garnish
Lemon wedges, to serve
Put the prawns in a bowl and then add the garlic, paprika, black pepper and olive oil. Stir to coat the prawns and then set aside to marinate.
Meanwhile, dry fry the chorizo in a frying pan over a high heat until the discs are sizzling and coloured. Remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Save the oil the chorizo has produced in the pan.
Cook the onion in the chorizo oil for about 6 minutes until softened, then add the rice, thyme, turmeric, cayenne and the remaining 1 teaspoon of paprika. Cook for 3 minutes, then pour in the wine and cook for 1 minute before adding the tomatoes and stock. Simmer for about 15 minutes, without stirring, then add the prawns (with the marinade) together with the squid, peas and chorizo. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Before serving, sprinkle over the parsley and tuck lemon wedges in around the sides. Serve straight to the table.
PASTA ALLA NORMA
As sweet as it might sound, this dish is not named after the old lady who used to serve me lunch at school. It’s a classic Italian recipe from Sicily supposedly named after the opera La Norma by Vincenzo Bellini. Like most pasta dishes, it’s wonderfully simple to prepare and makes for a tasty weeknight supper. Use any pasta you like and try to get ricotta salata, a creamy cheese that makes a world of difference to the dish. If you can’t find ricotta salata, you could use mozzarella.
SERVES 4
1 large aubergine, cut into 3cm cubes
6 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 × 400g tins of plum tomatoes
Good handful of basil leaves
400g linguine
75g ricotta salata cheese, finely grated
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Toss the aubergine in a mixing bowl with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Transfer to a roasting tin and place in the oven to cook for 25 minutes.
While the aubergine is cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the chilli flakes and garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and use the back of a fork to mash them down. Mix through half the basil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Allow to simmer for 6 minutes.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water following the packet’s instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta leaving a little water behind and place back into the pot along with the sauce and cooked aubergine. Mix through using a tongs. Serve straight away in warmed bowls garnished with the remaining basil and the ricotta salata.
FAST & HEALTHY
Turkey Noodle Lettuce Cups with Ginger Dipping Sauce Pad Thai Asian Shiitake Mushroom & Chicken Steam-Baked Bags Tomato Basil Tray Roast Fish Fillets with Gremolata Harissa Fish with Carrot & Mint Salad Za’Atar Pork Fillet with Jewelled Herby Pomegranate Couscous Lime & Coconut Chicken Margarita Chicken with Smoky Avocado Corn Salsa Griddled Beef & Mint Salad with Toasted Rice & Peanuts Blackened Salmon with Green Goddess Avocado Salad Butterflied Rosemary Chicken with Romesco Sauce & Simple Steamed Greens
TURKEY NOODLE LETTUCE CUPS WITH GINGER DIPPING SAUCE
I love the wonderful pure tastes and textures in this recipe. It’s a light and healthy supper that can be made in a matter of minutes.
MAKES 15 CUPS
100g rice vermicelli noodles
1 tbsp sunflower oil
500g turkey mince
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp honey
Good handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
Good handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 head of iceberg lettuce, leaves separated
75g roasted cashew nuts, roughly chopped
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
2 tsp sesame oil
1 small thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
Soak the noodles in warm water until they are tender, then drain and set aside.
Mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce together in a bowl.
Heat the oil in a wok or a large high-sided frying pan over a high heat. Stir-fry the mince, breaking it up while you work, for about 3 minutes until it begins to get colour. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute. Then stir in the soy sauce, mirin and honey. Turn off the heat and mix through the mint and coriander, saving a little aside for garnish.
Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter and add a little portion of the noodles to each cup. Divide the cooked turkey on top and then sprinkle with the nuts and remaining coriander and mint. Roll up the lettuce leaves and dunk in the dipping sauce.
PAD THAI
Rice noodles are a fantastic storecupboard ingredient and I regularly stock up at Asian markets where you can also buy jumbo-sized bottles of Asian staples like fish sauce, soy sauce, and so much more. This dish is possibly one of the most famous Thai dishes and appears on menus throughout the world. Rightfully so, it’s a speedy dish full of deep layers of sweet and aromatic flavours.
SERVES 4
250g flat rice noodles
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Good handful of coriander leaves and stalks
1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp sunflower oil
20 raw tiger prawns, de-shelled, heads and black vein removed
6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
100g bean sprouts
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)
1 tbsp light soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
Lime wedges, to garnish
Good handful of salted peanuts, roughly chopped, to garnish
Soak the noodles in warm water until soft, then drain them and set aside. In a pestle and mortar, make a paste from the garlic, coriander stalks, red chilli and lime zest.
Heat the oil in a wok or a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When the oil is just at smoking point, add the paste and fry for about 1 minute until it becomes aromatic. Then add the prawns, half of the spring onions and bean sprouts and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Add the drained noodles and mix through and then stir in the lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the beaten eggs and mix through the noodles until just cooked.
Tumble the noodles out onto warmed serving plates and serve garnished with the coriander leaves, lime wedges, peanuts, and the remaining spring onions and bean sprouts.
ASIAN SHIITAKE MUSHROOM & CHICKEN STEAM-BAKED BAGS
There is something wonderfully wholesome about this rather special chicken supper. Served with a little steamed rice, this dinner will have you in tune with your inner zen in little or no time. Shiitake mushrooms are packed with all sorts of wonderful things and have been used in Chinese medicine for centuries – all the more reason to include them here.
SERVES 4
1 large thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
2 tsp sesame oil
4 chicken breasts, sliced in half lengthways horizontally
4 large bok choy, sliced in half
150g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
½ Chinese cabbage, roughly sliced
100g sugar snap peas
6 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
Good handful of coriander leaves, to garnish
6 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Line a large roasting tin with baking parchment.
In a bowl, mix together the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, mirin and sesame oil. Add the chicken and allow it to sit in the marinade while you prepare the rest of the dish.
Layer the prepared roasting tin with the bok choy, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese cabbage and sugar snap peas, making sure you leave space on each edge of the baking parchment for sealing. Place the chicken breast halves on top of the vegetables and then pour over the remaining marinade. Scatter over the spring onions.
Place another layer of baking parchment over the top. Fold all four sides in and seal with metal paper clips. Cook the whole tray in the oven on the middle shelf for 15–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the tray to the table garnished with a scattering of fresh coriander and some toasted sesame seeds.
TOMATO BASIL TRAY ROAST FISH FILLETS WITH GREMOLATA
Salty slices of prosciutto may not sound like the first companion of choice for meaty white fish fillets, but they add a salty bite and encourage the sweetness of the fish. I love the simplicity of a dish like this, which cooks quickly in the oven for 15 minutes and then is perked up at the end by a zingy gremolata of lemon zest, garlic and parsley.
SERVES 4
300g cherry tomatoes on the vine
Good handful of basil leaves
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and ground black pepper
4 large white fish fillets, such as whiting or haddock
150g thinly sliced prosciutto
1 lemon, zest grated and the fruit cut in half
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6. Place the tomatoes in a large roasting tin together with most of the basil leaves. Drizzle over a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Toss together so the tomatoes are coated.
Wrap the fish fillets loosely with slices of prosciutto. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper, then lay the fillets among the tomatoes and pop in the oven for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata by combining the lemon zest, garlic and parsley in a bowl and set aside.
When the fish is cooked, squeeze lemon juice over the roasting tin and then sprinkle each fillet with the gremolata and add a few fresh basil leaves. Serve straight away.
HARISSA FISH WITH CARROT & MINT SALAD
Proper healthy fast food for me must be packed with flavour and texture. Some rather healthy ingredients can easily be pumped up with the addition of heat and spice. Harissa is a north African spicy paste that can be made at home easily enough, but for a speedy supper, a jar from the local shops does nicely. The salad is incredibly simple to prepare, just grate the carrot and mix the dressing.
SERVES 2
2 tbsp harissa paste
2 small haddock fillets, skin removed
½ lemon
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to serve
FOR THE SALAD
1 tsp harissa paste
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
Small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
To prepare the fish, spread the harissa paste on the flesh side of the fish fillets and set aside.
For the salad, whisk together the harissa paste, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a salad bowl and then toss in the carrots, spring onions and mint until combined.
Place a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and drizzle with a little oil if needed. Add the fish fillets, skin-side down, and fry for 2 minutes, then turn over and fry for a further 2 minutes or until cooked through. When you turn the fish, squeeze lemon juice over the top. Season the fish fillets and serve alongside the carrot salad and tuck in!
ZA’ATAR PORK FILLET WITH JEWELLED HERBY POMEGRANATE COUSCOUS
Za’atar is my latest discovery in the kitchen and I just can’t get enough of it. It’s a blend of fresh yet earthy Middle Eastern spices that can be sprinkled over meat and fish and is wonderful scattered over flatbreads drizzled with a little oil. For the couscous you can use any type you like, but if you can get your hands on Israeli couscous it’s much bigger and has a meatier bite than the regular smaller grain.
SERVES 4
2 pork fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp natural yoghurt, to serve
FOR THE COUSCOUS
250g Israeli couscous
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large handfuls of mint, coriander, flat-leaf parsley and oregano leaves, roughly chopped
1 × 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Seeds and juice of 1 pomegranate
1 lemon, zest grated and the fruit cut in half
Sea salt and ground black pepper
