Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Shellfish’ Category

Spicy Prawn Rice

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 April 2024| Leave a Comment »

This is almost like a biryani but with gentle Iranian spices and it makes a great centre piece. You can serve with yoghurt if you like and we missed a side of greens or salad.

Wine Suggestion: This suits a rich and broad white like Domaine Manciat-Poncet’s Pouilly-Vinzelles. With a lovely mix of stonefruit flavours and grapefruit this has a zip as well as the breadth that compliments the prawns as opposed to fighting or overwhelming them.

Spicy prawn rice – serves 6

  • 500g basmati rice
  • 6 fat cloves of garlic
  • 7cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 heaped tsp ground fenugreek leaves
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 600g large peeled prawns
  • 60g butter

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a big handful of crumbled sea salt. Boil the rice for 6-8 minutes or until the grains are bright white and slightly elongated. They should be just starting to soften.

Drain the rice and rinse under cold water for a couple of minutes, until cool.

Line the bottom of the rice pot with some nonstick baking paper and set aside.

Put a large frying pan over a medium heat. Drizzle in a generous amount of olive oil (or vegetable oil) and fry the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the grated ginger, ground ginger, cumin, fenugreek and chilli flakes, and stir. Add the prawns and cook for under a minute, or until just starting to turn pink, then remove the pan from the heat and season generously with salt and pepper.

Put the paper-lined pot back over the heat and pour in a generous drizzle of olive oil and the butter. Sprinkle in some sea salt, then scatter in enough rice to cover the base of the pan.

Layer the prawn mixture and rice into the pan, finishing with a thin layer of rice. Use the long handle of a wooden spoon to poke about 5 holes into the rice, right down to the base of the pan.

Wrap the lid of the pan in a tea towel, then cover the pan and cook over the lowest temperature for about 40 mintues.

Check the rice is cooked, then remove it from the pan. If you’re brave you can place a platter over the pan and flip the rice out onto it. Scrape out any crispy tahdig (the crispy rice on the base) from the bottom of the pan and serve on top of the rice.

(Original recipe from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchelle Beazley, 2014.)

Read Full Post »

Mussels with Leeks, Bacon & Cider

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on 11 February 2024| Leave a Comment »

Mussels are our favourite Friday night treat and they taste amazing with this creamy leek and cider sauce. You will need a top quality baguette on the side.

Wine suggestion: we’re just loving Domaine de la Chauviniere’s Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie at the moment and think that Jeremie Huchet just has his vineyards in such balance that he delivers delicious wines year after year. Minerally, salty, fresh and with a rounded appley fruit that just works (or of course you could just buy some extra cider).

Mussels with leeks, bacon & cider – serves 2 to 3

  • 200g smoked streaky bacon
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • 400g leeks, finely chopped
  • 1kg mussels, cleaned
  • a large glass of dry cider
  • 150ml double cream
  • a handful of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • baguette, to serve

Warm a little olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon until the fat renders, then add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook gently for a few minutes. Add the leeks and season well with salt, then let the leeks cook until they are very soft and tender but not taking on any colour. Add a splash of water if they start to catch.

Turn the heat up and add the cider to the leeks to create plenty of steam. Add the mussels and cover with a lid. After two minutes, shake the pan well or give the mussels a toss with a spoon, then cook for another minute or two – they are ready as soon as all the shells are open (chuck any that don’t open).

Pour in the cream, add the parsley and season with lots of black pepper and a little more salt, though taste first. Give everything a final toss, then serve in big bowls with baguette and a glass of cold white wine or cider.

(Original recipe from The Farm Table by Julius Roberts, Ebury Press, 2023.)

Read Full Post »

Tagliatelle with Mussels & Crème Fraîche

Posted in Food, Pasta, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 27 September 2023| Leave a Comment »

This is made with packets of mussels in garlic butter sauce which you can easily pick up in the supermarket on your way home – no need to make it in time for the fish shop and no fiddly prep. You might want a bit of crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Wine Suggestion: We couldn’t go past a good Muscadet and with ever greater choices out there we’d recommend you explore beyond some of the classic cuvées being offered. Jérémie Huchet’s Clos les Montys is an unique terroir with some very old vines. Not within the Sévre et Maine appelation this could easily be overlooked, but you get something special in the glass: aromas of lemon, jasmine, and pears with hints of a fresh herb. Juicy, well-balanced and elegant, it finishes very long and refreshing.

Tagliatelle with mussels & crème fraîche – serves 4 (easily halved)

  • 300g dried tagliatelle
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 150ml dry white wine
  • 200ml crème fraîche
  • 2 x 450g packs mussels in garlic sauce (we used Carr & Sons from Dunnes)
  • a good handful of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped tarragon

Heat the olive oil in a deep frying pan, then add the onion and cook gently for about 10 minutes until softened and starting to colour. Pour in the wine, turn up the heat and bubble until it has almost evaporated.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salty water to the boil and cook the pasta according to the timings on the pack.

Add the crème fraîche to the onions and bring to the boil, then tip in the mussels and cook for about 5 minutes until piping hot and open (chuck any that don’t open away). Drain the pasta and return to the pan and tip in the mussel mixture. Stir in the herbs and serve with some crusty bread if you like.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

Read Full Post »

Prawn Linguine

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , on 19 September 2023| 1 Comment »

This is not your average prawn linguine and you do need to make a shellfish stock BUT we did this on a Tuesday night after work so you can too!! The photo really doesn’t do justice to how deep and complex the flavours are.

Wine Suggestion: A southern Italian white like Michele Biancardi’s Solo Fiano from Puglia where it has perfume and stone fruits bursting from the glass. A rich and round palate counter-balanced with a fresh, textural acidity completes the wine; like warm sunshine in a glass tempered by fresh breezes off the Adriatic Sea.

Prawn linguine – serves 2

  • 350g whole prawns, you need to peel and devein them yourself and keep the shells and the heads
  • 160g linguine
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
  • ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 tbsp roughly chopped parsley

FOR THE PRAWN STOCK:

  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 2 tinned anchovies
  • 1 bay leaf
  • shells and heads from the peeled prawns (see above)
  • 125ml white wine
  • 375ml chicken stock

You need to start with the stock. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat and cook the garlic, shallot, anchovies and bay leaf for a few minutes, mashing the anchovies up as you go. Add the prawn heads and shells and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes.

Add the wine and turn the heat up high and simmer for a couple of minutes or until almost evaporated. Add the stock and ½ tsp salt, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 25 minutes. Crush the prawn heads with a potato masher a couple of times as the stock simmers. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing down hard on the shells to extract all the flavour. Throw away the solids and hang on to the delicious stock.

Toss the now peeled prawns with salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the prawns for about 1 minute on each side, or until opaque, then transfer to a plate.

Heat another tbsp of oil in the same frying pan and cook the garlic and chilli flakes for 15 seconds or until the garlic is just golden. Add the prawn stock and turn the heat up high. Simmer rapidly, stirring to scrape any tasty bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid has reduced to about 125ml. Turn off the heat and leave aside while you cook the pasta.

Bring a large pot of salty water to the boil and cook the linguine for 1 minute less than the timing suggested on the pack. When the pasta is almost cooked put the shellfish stock back over a high heat. Transfer the pasta directly from the pot of water to the stock with some tongs, it will bring some pasta cooking liquid with it. Add the cherry tomatoes and toss for a couple of minutes with two wooden spoons until the sauce coats the pasta and no longer sits in a puddle at the bottom of the pan. If it starts to clag add a little more pasta water.

Toss the prawns and parsley through the pasta and divide between two bowls.

(Original recipe from Recipetin Eats Dinner by Nagi Maehashi, Pan Macmillan, 2022.)

Read Full Post »

Prawn and Tomato Stew with Coriander Pesto

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 August 2023| Leave a Comment »

A dish from Falastin, it’s packed with flavour and we recommend adding the optional black olives and feta cheese. A green salad and some crusty bread is also a good choice. The tomato sauce and coriander sauce can both be made in advance, just char your cherry tomatoes and fry the prawns at the end.

Wine Suggestion: Despite this being a seafood dish we think a Southern French red is the way to go with this. Tonight something quite special: Roc des Anges Unic which is a super expressive Grenache with a thrilling tension and energy.

Prawn and tomato stew with coriander pesto – serves 4

  • 250g cherry tomatoes
  • 60ml olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
  • 1½ cumin seeds, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
  • 8 cardamom pods, lightly bashed in a pestle and mortar
  • 20g dill, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp tomato purée
  • 6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • 600g peeled raw king prawns
  • a handful of black kalamata olives (optional)
  • 100g feta cheese, crumbled into chunky pieces (optional)

FOR THE CORIANDER PESTO:

  • 30g coriander, roughly chopped
  • 1 green chilli, finely chopped
  • 50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
  • 1 lemon, finely grate the zest to get 1½ tsp, then cut into wedges to serve
  • 80ml olive oil

Toss the cherry tomatoes with 1 tsp of oil. Heat a large sauté pan over a high heat, then add the cherry tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until charred and blistered. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Wipe the pan out, then add 2 tbsp of olive oil and place over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, spices, dill and tomato purée, then cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the plum tomatoes and 300ml of water, 1½ tsp salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until thickened and the tomatoes have broken down.

Meanwhile, make the coriander pesto. Put the coriander, pine nuts and chilli into a food processor and pulse a few times, just until the pine nuts are roughly crumbled. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the olive oil, lemon zest, ¼ tsp of salt and some black pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.

Dry the prawns well then mix in bowl with ¼ tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of oil and plenty of black pepper.

Put 2 tsp of oil into a large frying pan and place on a high heat. When the pan is hot, add the prawns in batches and fry for a minute on each side, until cooked and browned.

Stir the cooked prawns and the charred tomatoes into the tomato sauce and cook over a medium heat for another 3 minutes, to heat through. Transfer the prawns and tomatoes to a serving dish, drizzle over some of the coriander pesto and sprinkle over the olives and crumbled feta.

(Original recipe from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wrigley, Ebury Press, 2020.)

Read Full Post »

Harissa Mussels

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 14 July 2023| Leave a Comment »

There’s no better holiday dish than a big bowl of mussels. Serve with crusty bread to mop up all the juice.

Wine Suggestion: A fruity, fresh and vibrant white is what we wanted here so we opened the Katxina Txakoli from the Basque country. We know it might be harder to find something made from Hondarribi Zuri but this grape is a great accompaniment to the local tapas, shellfish and pimenton.

Harissa Mussels – serves 2 to 4

  • olive oil, for frying
  • 50g salted butter
  • 1 large onion, halved and sliced
  • 6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 heaped tsp rose harissa
  • 1 kg mussels, scrubbed and beards removed
  • 300ml white wine
  • 1 heaped tsp clear honey
  • ½  tbsp sea salt flakes
  • about 15g dill, fronds finely chopped

Heat a large saucepan over a high heat.

Add enough olive oil to cover the base of the pan, then add the butter and onion and cook until just starting to colour. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, keep stirring so it doesn’t burn.

Add the mussels to the pan and stir in the harissa to coat the mussels. Add the wine, honey and salt and mix well. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the mussels to cook until all the shells have opened – about 4 minutes.

Remove the lid, stir the mussels and mix in the chopped dill.

Serve in a large warm bowl.

(Original recipe from Sirocco by Sabrina Ghayour, Mitchell Beazley, 2016.)

Read Full Post »

Mussels with Fennel & Tarragon

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Irish Food, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 7 February 2023| Leave a Comment »

Mussels are cheap and plentiful and they’re one of the few food items that haven’t increased in price. We should all be eating this fabulous local resource. This recipe is just delicious.

Wine Suggestion: We served this with one of those under-the radar wines the La Clef du Recit Menetou Salon. While Anthony Girard from this domain makes a fab Sancerre, we are continually delighted by his other appelations: Menetou Salon which we think has more body, and is a tad more Chablis like, despite it being Loire Sauvignon Blanc; and his Quincy which is elegant and perfumed.

Mussels with fennel & tarragon – serves 2

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 long shallots, finely sliced
  • 1 small fennel bulb (or half a big one), finely sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 1kg mussels, cleaned and debearded
  • 75ml double cream
  • a handful of tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
  • crusty bread, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the shallots, fennel and a good pinch of salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, until starting to caramelise. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Tip the mussels into the pot and stir well, then pour in the white wine and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then clamp on the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking occasionally, until the shells have opened. Stir in the cream, then scatter over the tarragon.

Serve in warm bowls with crusty bread.

(Original recipe by Adam Bush in Olive Magazine, January 2022.)

Read Full Post »

Mussels and Orzo with Coconut & Saffron

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 5 November 2022| Leave a Comment »

The mussels are cooked in a fairly light sauce but packed with flavour. Serve with some crusty bread if you like.

Wine Suggestion: This dish demands a white with good bones, though you need to keep it fresh and savoury as well for the taste of the sea the mussels bring. We chose to good effect Quinta Soalheiro’s Alvarinho Reserva which comes from some of their oldest vineyards in the north of Portugal. Aromatically intense with a complex structure, it nonetheless also maintains a salty freshness from the grape making it a great match for mussels.

Mussels and orzo with coconut & saffron – serves 4

  • 1kg mussels, scrubbed and debearded
  • 80g orzo pasta
  • 30g unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ a small onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped into 1cm pieces
  • 1 Scotch bonnet chilli
  • 1¼ tsp fine salt
  • 150g yellow cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
  • ½ tsp tomato purée
  • ¾ tsp saffron threads
  • 400g tin coconut milk
  • up to 2 tsp chilli paste, we used paté bomba con peponcini piccanti (optional)
  • 1 lemon

FOR THE HERB OIL:

  • 5g chives, finely chopped
  • 5g coriander, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • a pinch of fine salt

Put the orzo into a medium-sized ball and cover with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse.

Heat the butter and oil in a large, shallow sauté pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, pepper, the whole Scotch bonnet and the salt. Cook gently for about 8 minutes, or until soft but not coloured.

Add the tomatoes, tomato purée and saffron and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then stir in the coconut milk and simmer for 3 minutes.

Add the orzo, then spread the mussels out on top. Cover with a lid, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 5 minutes or until the mussels have all opened.

Discard the whole chilli, you can give it a squeeze into the sauce first if you like heat. Taste the sauce and add some chilli paste if you like.

Squeeze plenty of lemon juice over the mussels, then mix all the ingredients for the herb oil together and spoon over the top.

(Original recipe from Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage, Ebury Press, 2022.)

Read Full Post »

Mussel, Bacon & Leek Soup

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 July 2022| Leave a Comment »

This is all you need with some fresh bread and butter. The simple things are the best.

Wine Suggestion: For a wine to work with this dish you need to balance a crisp, acidity to cut through the cream, body to match the depth of flavour and a minerally-savouriness to compliment the briny backbone of flavour from the mussels. If you look to a good Chablis producer or a top Muscadet then you’ll find your solution. We chose Jérémie Huchet’s lieu dit Les Montys le Parc from a very special vineyard in Muscadet that has that extra depth to match this rich, full flavoured dish.

Mussel, bacon and leek soup – serves 2

  • 750g mussels
  • 2 bay leaves
  • a small handful of parsley, leaves picked and chopped and stalks reserved
  • a knob of butter
  • 75g streaky bacon, cut into small pieces
  • ¼ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
  • 1 garlic clove, finely sliced
  • 1 leek, finely sliced
  • 250ml fish stock (or veg stock)
  • 75ml double cream
  • a small handful of chives, finely snipped

Wash the mussels in cold water and remove any beards. Give any open mussels a hard tap and discard them if they don’t close.

Put 75ml of water into a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Add the parsley stalks and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, clamp on the lid, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mussels have opened. Give the pan a good shake now and and then as they cook.

Tip the mussels into a colandar set over a bowl to catch all of the cooking juices, you will need the these later so don’t throw them away.

Wipe out the pan and return to the heat. Add a knob of butter, then gently fry the bacon until begining to crisp. Add the coriander seeds, garlic, and leek and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the leeks are nice and soft.

Add the mussel cooking liquid (watch out for the gritty bit at the bottom which you can discard) and the stock, then simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pick the meat out of the mussels but leave about 12 in their shells to garnish.

Add the cream to the soup and bring back to a simmer. Add the mussel meat, chives and parsley and check the seasoning. Serve in warm bowls, garnished with the mussels in their shells and with bread and butter on the side.

(Original recipe from Outside by Gill Meller, Quadrille, 2022)

Read Full Post »

Prawn Spaghetti with Tomato, Chilli & Basil

Posted in Food, Italian, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 26 March 2022| Leave a Comment »

A nice treat for two and ready in minutes.

Wine Suggestion: Something red from Italy’s Adriatic coast, but nothing too big or complex as this is a fun, casual dish! For us Umani Ronchi’s Rosso Conero Serrano, a Montepulciano – Sangiovese blend that has a medium body, fresh and bright cherry fruits and a gentle, earthy tannins was the ticket.

Prawn spaghetti with tomato, chilli & basil – serves 2

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 150g baby plum tomatoes
  • 150ml white wine
  • 200g spaghetti
  • a handful of basil leaves
  • 225g raw peeled prawns
  • a generous knob of butter

Warm the oil in a large frying pan, then add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for a few minutes until starting to soften, then add the white wine and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions in lots of very salty water, then drain but reserve a cup of the cooking water.

Add the basil and prawns to the tomatoes, season well, and cook until the prawns turn pink. Stir in the butter and spaghetti and a splash of pasta cooking water if you need to loosen the sauce a bit. Toss it all together and serve.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, March 2020.)

Read Full Post »

Prawn, Spinach & Coconut Curry

Posted in Asian, Food, Gluten-free, Indian, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 24 March 2022| 2 Comments »

This will improve your veg intake for the day and puts frozen prawns to good use. A perfect curry for mid-week. Serve with naan breads or rice and lime wedges.

Prawn, spinach & coconut curry – serves 2-3

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 200g raw prawns, defrosted if frozen
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1-2 chillies, deseeded
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 2 tbsp curry paste, we like Patak’s Madras
  • 400ml tin of coconut milk
  • 80g Tenderstem broccoli, cooked until tender
  • 100g baby spinach
  • lime wedges, to serve

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chillies and fry for another 2 minutes, then addd the sliced pepper and cook for 3 minutes until softened.

Push the veg to one side and fry the curry paste for a couple of minutes to heat through, then add the coconut milk and mix well to combine. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until thickened, then add the prawns, broccoli and spinach. Stir well and simmer until the prawns are just cooked and the spinach wilted.

Serve with rice or naan breads and lime wedges for squeezing over.

Read Full Post »

Mussels with Cockagee Keeved Cider

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 19 March 2022| Leave a Comment »

You can obviously use any dry cider for this but we highly recommend the Cockagee Keeved Cider from the Cider Mill in Slane. If you can get sorrel you can use this instead of spinach. Serve with plenty of crusty bread and a glass of cold cider.

Mussels with Cider – serves 4

  • 1.75kg mussels, cleaned
  • 20g butter
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
  • 4-5 scallions, chopped
  • a few thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 100ml dry cider
  • 120ml double cream
  • a good handful of sorrel, coarsely chopped or 200g baby spinach

Melt the butter in a large pan with a lid. Add the garlic, scallions, thyme and bay leaves, then cook until softened.

Add the mussels and cider, turn up the heat, cover and leave to steam for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan now and then.

Add the cream and the chopped sorrel or baby spinach and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve in warm bowls with lots of crusty bread.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein at Home, BBC Books, 2021.)

Read Full Post »

Norwegian Fish Chowder

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 17 February 2022| Leave a Comment »

A lovely fiskesuppe with delicate flavours and delicious chunks of seafood. You can use whatever mix of fish and shellfish you like, clams would be nice. Serve with lots of steamed potatoes.

Wine Suggestion: Fish, cream, brandy … demands a richer white with a touch of oak and Quinta Soalheiro’s Alvarinho Reserva fitted the bill. Textured and buttery, but at the same time bone dry and vibrantly fresh and full of citrus fruit and salty crisp peaches. A wine so fresh and pure, and yet round and embracing.

Norwegian Fish Chowder – serves 4

  • 100g cooked shell-on prawns
  • 1 litre fish stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • a handful of flat-leaf parsley, plus a handful of parsley leaves, chopped, to serve
  • 12 peppercorns
  • 2 carrots, roughly diced
  • 2 celery sticks, roughly diced
  • 1 leek, thinly sliced
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 50ml brandy
  • 300ml double cream
  • 100g skinless salmon fillet, cubed into 2cm pieces
  • 150g haddock fillet, cubed into 2cm pieces
  • 20 mussels, cleaned
  • steamed potatoes (to serve)

Shell the prawns and put the shells in a large saucepan with the fish stock, bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, carrot, celery and leek. Bring to the boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. Pour in the wine and brandy and boil for another 5 minutes, then strain into a clean pan.

Add the double cream and bring back to a simmer. Add the salmon, haddock and mussels and cook for 3-4 minutes, adding the cooked prawns for just a minute to warm through at the end. Season and scatter over the chopped parsley. Serve in warm bowls and add potatoes.

(Original recipe by Signe Johansen in Olive Magazine, January 2014.)

Read Full Post »

Prawn Salad with Bloody Mary Dressing

Posted in Food, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 11 November 2021| Leave a Comment »

Try this idea by Tom Kerridge as an alternative to prawn cocktail. It’s delicious!

Wine Suggestion: Muscadet, or Alvarinho/Albariño. Plenty of choices out there, tonight a Pazo de Señorans Albariño but many more could have equally filled the slot. Keep it fun.

Prawn salad with bloody mary dressing – serves 4

  • 2 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle more to serve
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
  • a few pinchs of cayenne pepper
  • 20 large tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
  • lemon wedges, to serve

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 5 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 5 good splashes of hot sauce, we used Frank’s
  • 1 tbsp creamed horseradish
  • 1 tbsp vodka
  • a large pinch of celery salt

FOR THE SALAD:

  • 2 ripe avocados, cut into chunky dice
  • 3 celery sticks, peeled and sliced into chunks, keep any leaves to garnish
  • ½ iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • 2 ripe plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

Mix the dressing ingredients together, season with salt, and set aside. Keep it in the fridge if you make it in advance.

Mix the oil and garlic in a bowl with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper, then add the prawns and marinate in the fridge, covered, for 10 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

Prep the salad before you cook the prawns and scatter over a large platter.

Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat, when hot lay on the prawns and cook for no more than a couple of minutes on each side, they need to turn pink and be just cooked through.

Scatter the prawns over the salad, drizzle generously with the dressing, sprinkle over the celery leaves and another pinch of cayenne, then drizzle with a little more oil. Serve with the lemon wedges.

(Original recipe by Tom Kerridge in BBC Good Food Magazine, October 2021.)

Read Full Post »

Fideuada del Señorito

Posted in Fish, Food, Pasta, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 21 October 2021| Leave a Comment »

Spanish seafood pasta, made like a paella and with a dollop of alioli … what could be more reminiscent of dinner by the sea on holidays; this dish smells like Spain. Lightly does it when cooking the seafood.

Wine Suggestion: A lighltly chilled Garnacha Negra (Grenache Noir) from Terra Alta springs to mind – they really have a wonderful affinity for this grape there, alongside the Garnacha Blanca too. Edetaria’s basic “via Terra” has all the joy, freshness and perfume to compliment the flavours of the food while adding an extra warm spice and red fruits to lift it further. 30 minutes in the fridge was enough to make it taste and feel like sunshine in Spain, even if the weather outside isn’t quite like that at the moment.

Seafood pasta – serves 6 (easily halved)

  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 400g monkfish fillet
  • 4 baby squid, cleaned and bodies cut into rings
  • 12 raw peeled king prawns
  • 12 queen scallops (or you can cut bigger ones in half)
  • 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika
  • a good pinch of saffron threads
  • 1.25 litres of fish or chicken stock
  • 500g fideua pasta (or you can use vermicelli or spaghettini)
  • 3 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
  • lemons quarters, to garnish
  • garlic mayonnaise or alioli, to serve

Heat 4 tbsp of the oil in a large paella pan (40-45cm). Add the monkfish, sprinkle with salt, and cook for a few minutes, turning. Add the squid and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Add the prawns and scallops and turn until the prawns are pink and scallops just seared, just a minute or two. Transfer the cooked seafood to a platter and pour off and reserve any cooking liquid.

Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan, stir in the garlic and stir briefly, then stir in the tomatoes. Add the paprika, saffron and some salt, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the liquid has almost evaporated.

Meanwhile, bring the stock and cooking liquid to the boil. Add the pasta to the sauce in the paella pan and cook, stirring, until well coated. Pour in the boiling and cook until the pasta is al dente. Place the seafood on top a few minutes before the end.

Serve sprinkled with parsley and with lemon and alioli or galric mayonnaise on the side.

(Original recipe from Claudia Roden, The Food of Spain, Michael Joseph, 2012.)

Read Full Post »

Mussels with ‘Ndjua & Fennel

Posted in Food, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , on 16 September 2021| Leave a Comment »

We’re always up for mussels, and this made good use of some leftover ‘nduja, plus we always love fennel. A nice treat for two.

Wine Suggestion: try not to fight the warm spices of the ‘nduja with a wine higher in acidity, rather look for a naturally softer grape like Grenache Blanc. From southern Catalonia in the region of Terra Alta they grow more Garnacha Blanca than anywhere else in the world: Edetaria’s “via Terra” white utulises this to great effect by harvesting in two tranches; the first to give freshness, and the second fruit and aromatics. Elegantly beautiful, with a vibrancy based not on searing acidity but a great balance. You can almost taste the ancient seabed it’s grown on and the breezes that keep the vines cool; a gem.

Mussels with ‘nduja and fennel – serves 2

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
  • 50g ‘nduja
  • 150ml white wine
  • 1kg mussels, scrubbed
  • a handful of coriander, chopped
  • toasted sourdough, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the fennel for 10 minutes or until caramelised and soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute before adding the fennel seeds and ‘nduja. Break the ‘nduja up with a wooden spoon.

Pour in the white wine and bring to the boil, then add the mussels and stir. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes, shaking occasionally, until the mussels have opened (chuck any that stay closed).

Stir really well, then add the coriander and stir again, then serve with the toasted sourdough.

(Original recipe by Adam Bush in Olive Magazine, September 2019.)

Read Full Post »

Scallops with Green Peppercorns & Garlic

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 31 August 2021| Leave a Comment »

This really is just the most delicious treat; the perfect beginning of a meal for 2. You will need bread!

Wine Suggestion: an excellent match for a well made Chardonnay with deftly handled oak. Without spending huge amounts Rustenberg’s Stellenbosch Chardonnay is a go to wine for us. With wild ferment in barrels this is complex, nutty, rich and smooth. Power and restraint in equal proportions.

Scallops with green peppercorns and garlic – serves 2

  • 6 scallops, you can remove the corals if you like but we recommend eating them
  • a knob of butter
  • 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp green peppercorns (you buy them in jars with brine)
  • 2 sprigs of thyme
  • 2-3 tbsp double cream

Heat the grill as high as it will go.

Put the scallops onto a small tray or dish that can go under the grill. We used a small oven-proof frying pan.

Dot the butter over and around the scallops, along with the garlic, peppercorns and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the dish under the hot grill, fairly close to the element. Grill for 2-3 minutes, then flip over, add the cream, give the tray a shake, then return to the grill for another 2 minutes or untl the scallops are cooked and the sauce bubbling.

Eat with lots of good bread to mop up the sauce.

(Original recipe from Gather by Gill Meller, Quadrille, 2017.)

Read Full Post »

Moules à la Créme

Posted in Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 13 August 2021| Leave a Comment »

Mussels are a Friday night staple in our house, they’re such good value and sustainable too. We find a creamy, garlicky sauce hard to resist. You will need some fries or crusty bread to go alongside.

Wine Suggestion: It’s a while since we had Muscadet but mussels cried out for some, so Domaine de la Chauviniere’s signature Muscadet sür lie Sèvre et Maine was duly opened and thoroughly enjoyed. This wine is so reliable, plus not too expensive so you won’t mind using some in the dish too much.

Moules à la Crème – serves 4

  • 20g butter
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
  • 2 shallots, very finely chopped
  • 2-3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1kg mussels, scrubbed
  • 350ml white wine
  • 75ml double cream
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • a large handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan, then add the garlic, shallots, thyme and bay leaf and cook gently for 5-8 minutes or until softened and starting to brown.

Add the mussels and wine, then cover and cook for a couple of minutes or until the mussels have opened. Strain the mussels over a bowl to catch the cooking liquid.

Return the liquid and bay leaf to the pan, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add the cream, lemon and plenty of black pepper, then return the mussels and shallots to the pan and add the parsley. Put the lid back on and bring up to the boil for another minute. Serve in warm bowls with fries or crusty bread.

(Original recipe from Restore by Gizzi Erskine, HQ, 2020.)

Read Full Post »

Grilled Watermelon and Prawns with Feta & Chilli

Posted in Barbecue, Food, Gluten-free, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 2 July 2021| 2 Comments »

Barbecued watermelon is a revelation for us as it really intensifies the flavour. This combination with prawns, feta and chilli is total winner! Serve as a starter at your next barbecue. Another fab idea from Chasing Smoke.

Wine Suggestion: This dish has a real affinity with a juicy, youthful Grenache, be it a Rosé or a lightly chilled red like tonight’s Rubus by Jesus Romero. Made at 1000m above sea-level in the rural, far south of Aragon, Spain this is all cherry, blackberry and spice; seriously gluggable.

Grilled watermelon and prawns with feta & chilli – serves 4

  • 12 whole prawns in the shells (buy 16 if they’re small)
  • 2 thick slices from a large watermelon
  • 1 red chilli, sliced into rings (if you cut of the stalk and rub the chilli between your hands the seeds will fall out)
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 250g feta
  • a small bunch of mint, leave half the leaves whole and chop the rest
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, plus a bit extra for brushing
  • 1 tsp roughly crushed black pepper

Take a small pointy knife and cut and cut down the back of each prawn, when you see the digestive string gently pull it out with the tip of the knife. Leave the prawns in a bowl in the fridge until ready to cook.

Cut the watermelon into 8 large wedges, leaving the skin on.

Mix the chilli slices with the vinegar and salt and set aside.

Light your barbecue and get it up to a high heat.

Brush the watermelon with some olive oil, then put on the hottest part of the barbecue for 1-2 minutes on each side or until charred. Remove to a platter, then grill the prawns for a 2-3 minutes on each side, depending how big they are.

Add the prawns to the watermelon, crumble over the feta, then scatter with the mint leaves.

Stir the olive oil, black pepper and chopped mint into the marinating chilli and drizzle over the platter.

(Original recipe from Chasing Smoke: Cooking Over Fire Aroudn the Levant by Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, Pavilion, 2021.)

Read Full Post »

Prawns, Soda Bread & Lemon Mayo

Posted in Food, Prawns, Shellfish, tagged , , , , , on 31 May 2021| Leave a Comment »

It’s a very long time since we’ve had a pub lunch but if we could have one we’d probably order something like this!

Wine Suggestion: A classic combination like this cries out for a Muscadet. Domaine de la Chauviniere’s is super-fresh and almost saline, dry but soft and approachable with hints of grapefruits and melon with a green edge. It has a good body without any weight, so effortless next to this dish.

Prawns, soda bread and lemon mayonnaise – serves 4

FOR THE SODA BREAD:

  • 1 handful of oats
  • 375g plain flour
  • 10g salt
  • 7g bicarbonate of soda
  • 300ml buttermilk

FOR THE LEMON MAYONNAISE:

  • 2 egg yolks
  • a pinch of salt
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 400ml sunflower oil

FOR THE PRAWNS:

  • 4 litres of iced water
  • 7 tbsp salt
  • 1kg shell-on prawns
  • bay leaves (optional), scrunched a bit
  • lots of ice

Preheat the oven to 180C/160 fan/Gas 4.

Start by making the soda bread. Dust a baking tray with a few oats.

Sift the plain flour into a large bowl with the salt and bicarbonate of soda. Make a well in the centre and gradually pour in the buttermilk, gently turning the mixture over in the bowl with a large metal spoon. You need it all to come together in a sticky mass that you can form into dough but try not to mix it too much.

Lightly flour a work surface and tip the dough onto it. Shape into a round and slash a deep cross in the top. Put the loaf on the baking tray and sprinkle the top with a few more oats.

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until crisp all over and it should sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Cool on a wire rack while you make the mayonnaise.

Use a whisk to combine the egg yolks, a pinch of salt and the mustard in a bowl and season with a little pepper. Start adding the oil, just a few drops at a time, whisking into the egg mixture. Very slowly increase the amount of oil that you add each time, whisking thoroughly after each addition. When the mayonnaise has started to hold it’s shape you can add the oil in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly.

When all of the oil has been added, you should have a thick, wobbly mayonnaise. Add lemon zest and juice to taste and season again salt and plenty of black pepper.

Pour the iced water into a bowl and season with 4 tbsp of salt.

Bring 4 litres of water to the boil in a large saucepan, then add 3 tbsp of salt. Add the prawns to the boiling water and bring back to the boil. Cook for about 2 minutes or until bright pink and just cooked.

Drain and tip the prawns immediately into the iced water. Leave for 10 minutes, until very nicely chilled. You may need to add more ice if it melts. Drain the prawns and serve with the bread and lemon mayonnaise.

(Original recipe from Home Cookery Year by Claire Thompson, Quadrille, 2020.)

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »