Cooking For Friends Part 6

8 ounces skinless white fish fillets, such as hake, whiting, or pollack 8 ounces peeled shrimp, deveined and roughly chopped 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (to make this yourself, see Chapter 3) cup coconut milk finely grated zest of 1 lime small handful of cilantro, minced 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon palm or light brown sugar 2 ounces fine green beans, very finely sliced into rounds (about cup) 1 scallion, finely sliced into rounds 23 tablespoons all-purpose flour peanut or sunflower oil for frying Sweet chili sauce: 1/3 cup sugar cup sugar 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, roughly chopped small handful of cilantro leaves 3 long, fresh, red chili peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped juice of 1 large lime 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

First, make the chili sauce. Place the sugar in a small, heavy-based saucepan with 34 tablespoons of water. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a boil and boil until the syrup has caramelized to a light golden color, 58 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the garlic, ginger, cilantro leaves, chili peppers, and lime juice in a food processor and blitz to a coa.r.s.e paste. When the sugar syrup has reached a light golden caramel color, carefully add the wet paste (stand back, because the caramel will sputter and spit). Stir in the fish and soy sauces. Return to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve any caramel that has hardened, then immediately take the pan off the heat. Let cool completely before spooning into individual dipping bowls.

To make the fishcakes, cut the fish into rough chunks, discarding any bones you come across, then put in a food processor with the shrimp. Add the curry paste, coconut milk, lime zest, cilantro, fish sauce, sugar, and a little salt and pepper. Pulse to a rough and sticky paste-don't over-process the fish-then transfer to a bowl and stir in the chopped green beans and scallion.

Put the flour into a shallow dish. Divide the fish mixture into 12 or 16 pieces. With wet hands, roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a round patty and coat lightly with flour. Heat 1 inch of oil in a wide frying pan and fry the fishcakes in batches until golden brown, 11 minutes on each side. As the fishcakes are cooked, drain on paper towels. Serve the fishcakes warm, with the sweet chili sauce for dipping.Clams with bacon This first course is a regular feature on my pub menus. Serve with crusty bread on the side to soak up the savory juices.

SERVES 4 4 AS A FIRST COURSE AS A FIRST COURSE.

4 pounds littleneck clams 2 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces slab bacon, cut into thick 1-inch chunks few sprigs of fresh thyme splash of dry white wine squeeze of lemon juice (optional)

Wash the clams and discard any that do not shut tightly when gently tapped.

Place a large, heavy-based pan (with lid) over medium heat. Add the oil, bacon, and thyme and fry until the bacon is golden brown around the edges, 45 minutes. Pour off excess fat, if you like. Increase the heat, pour in a splash of white wine, and immediately tip in the clams. Give the pan a shake, then cover. Let the clams steam until they have opened, 34 minutes. (Discard any clams that remain closed.)

Grind some black pepper over the clams and add a squeeze of lemon juice, if you like. You probably won't need to add salt, because the clams and bacon are already salty. Divide the clams, bacon, and pan juices among warm bowls and serve at once.

Sea ba.s.s with olives, tomatoes, and fennel This is a delicious and healthy way of cooking whole sea ba.s.s. It takes me back to my younger days, when I worked aboard a luxury yacht as a private chef. I made elegant and sophisticated dishes for the guests, but staff meals had to be quick, easy, and satisfying. Dishes like this one made me very popular among the crew. Serve with new potatoes on the side.

SERVES 4 4.

2 whole, small sea ba.s.s, about 1 pound each, scaled and gutted 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to rub over the fish 1 large or 2 medium fennel bulbs, thinly sliced splash of dry white wine 10 plum or Roma tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped cup sliced black olives handful of fresh basil or dillweed, roughly chopped

Clean the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Score the fish several times on each side, then rub all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat the oil in a stovetop-to-oven ca.s.serole that is wide enough to hold the fish side by side. Add the fennel and a little seasoning. Saute the fennel until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Pour in a generous splash of wine, then stir in the tomatoes and olives. Scatter half of the basil over the sauce, then rest the sea ba.s.s on top.

Transfer the ca.s.serole to the oven and bake until the fish is just cooked through, 1520 minutes: It should be opaque at the thickest part of the flesh. Serve the fish and sauce straight from the ca.s.serole.

Broiled herring with harissa Harissa is traditionally made with soaked dried chili peppers, garlic, various ground spices, mint, and olive oil. I prefer to make mine with fresh chilies, sweet roasted red bell peppers, and a splash of vinegar to give the sauce a fresh zing-a perfect contrast to rich, oily fish such as herring. Any extra harissa will keep well in the refrigerator, covered with a thin layer of olive oil.

SERVES 4 4.

Broiled herring: 4 whole herring, scaled and gutted olive oil 1 lemon, thinly sliced squeeze of lemon juice plain yogurt for serving Harissa: 3 large, fresh, red chili peppers 1 roasted red bell pepper in brine, drained 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped pinch of saffron strands 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground c.u.min 1 teaspoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil pinch of sugar (optional)

Lightly score the herring on both sides, then season all over with salt and pepper. Oil a baking sheet and arrange the lemon slices on it in one layer. Place the fish on top of the lemon slices. Drizzle a little olive oil and lemon juice over the fish. Sprinkle with a little more seasoning. Refrigerate while you prepare the sauce.

Split the chili peppers in half lengthwise and sc.r.a.pe off the seeds. Roughly chop the flesh and put it into a small food processor or blender. Core, deseed, and roughly chop the roasted red bell pepper. Add to the chilies. Put the rest of the harissa ingredients, except the sugar, into the food processor with a little seasoning to taste. Blitz until smooth, stopping the machine once or twice to sc.r.a.pe down the sides of the processor bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of sugar as necessary, to balance out the flavor.

When ready to cook, preheat the broiler. Place the herring under the broiler, 45 inches from the heat source, and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to warm plates and serve immediately, with the harissa and some plain yogurt on the side.

Red mullet with tomatoes, olives, and anchovies This is a beautifully simple dish with Mediterranean flavors. Ask your fish merchant to "b.u.t.terfly" the fish so that each fish is boned and opened out flat, its two fillets still held together by its skin-unless, of course, you want to attempt this yourself.

SERVES 4 4.

4 large red mullet, or similar fish such as spotted goatfish, about 10 ounces each, scaled, gutted, and b.u.t.terflied cup olive oil 1 heaped cup cherry tomatoes, halved cup sliced black olives 3 anchovies in olive oil squeeze of lemon juice handful of fresh basil, leaves roughly chopped

Clean the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Heat a large frying pan with the oil until hot. Season the fish and fry for 1 minutes, skin-side down. Turn over and cook the other side for 11 minutes. Remove to a plate and keep warm.

Tip the cherry tomatoes into the pan and add the olives and anchovies. Toss over high heat for a couple of minutes, adding a squeeze of lemon juice, cooking until the tomatoes have softened slightly. Toss in the basil and immediately divide among warm serving plates. Place the fish on top, skin-side up, and serve at once.

Fisherman's stew The variety of seafood here adds to the complexity of the stew. You could keep to just two types-a firm white fish with some clams, perhaps-but the crabmeat enriches and thickens the sauce at the end and is well worth including. Lots of good crusty bread is a must, and the stew is also delicious ladled over pasta or with boiled new potatoes.

SERVES 4 4.

1 pound littleneck clams 1 pound mussels cup dry white wine or Noilly Prat 1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, sprig each of fresh parsley and thyme, and 2 blades of mace tied together) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 large leeks, finely sliced 1 medium fennel bulb, finely sliced 3 cups fish stock (see Chapter 9) pinch of saffron strands cup heavy cream 8 ounces large raw shrimp 14 ounces plaice or flounder fillet, skin on, cut in bite-size chunks 1 cup packed crabmeat small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Wash the clams and mussels; discard any that do not shut tightly when gently tapped. Put the wine and bouquet garni in a large, heavy-based pot (with a tight-fitting lid) and bring to a boil. As soon as the wine starts to boil, tip in the clams and mussels. Give the mixture a stir, then cover and steam until the clams and mussels have opened, 23 minutes.

Tip the sh.e.l.lfish into a colander set over a large bowl to collect the liquid. Discard the bouquet garni.

Return the pot to the heat and add the olive oil, leeks, and fennel. Saute for 45 minutes, then pour in the liquid from the clams and mussels. Add the fish stock and saffron and bring to a simmer. Let cook until reduced by a third, then pour in the cream.

Meanwhile, extract most of the clams and mussels from their sh.e.l.ls, discarding any that have not opened. Reserve a few of each in their sh.e.l.ls to use for garnish.

About 5 minutes before you are ready to serve, bring the broth back to a simmer. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, then add the chunks of fish and crabmeat. Poach just until the fish turns opaque, about 1 minute. Return the clams and mussels to the pot to warm through. Remove the pot from the heat. Ladle the stew into warmed bowls and garnish with a little chopped parsley.

Poached halibut with creamy white wine and tarragon sauce Halibut has a delicate flavor, and is perfectly matched with this creamy white wine and tarragon sauce. The sauce can be made in advance, but I wouldn't bother to precook the fish-after all, it doesn't take long to poach, and you'll need a few minutes to reheat the sauce and prepare any side dishes. To complete the meal, serve with root vegetables and some wilted spinach.

SERVES 4 4.

Poached halibut: 1 bay leaf few sprigs of fresh thyme teaspoon black peppercorns lemon, sliced into rounds large pinch of rock salt 4 skinless, boneless halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each White wine and tarragon sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 large shallots, minced cup dry white wine 1 cups fish stock (see Chapter 9) 1 cup heavy cream lemon juice to taste handful of fresh tarragon, leaves chopped

First, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the shallots and some seasoning. Sweat the shallots until soft without coloring, 56 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it boil until the pan is quite dry.

Add the fish stock, bring to a boil, and reduce by half. Finally, pour in the cream, bring back to a boil, and cook until reduced to a thick but still pourable consistency. Strain through a sieve into a clean pan. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice and keep warm. Stir in the tarragon leaves just before serving.

To poach the halibut, put all the aromatics into a large saucepan and half fill the pan with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Season the fish with salt and pepper, then lower into the liquid. Gently poach until the fish is opaque and just firm, 810 minutes.

Carefully remove the halibut fillets with a slotted spatula and dab dry with paper towels. Place on warmed plates and spoon the white wine and tarragon sauce over the fish.Deviled mackerel with tomato and fennel salad and horseradish potatoes In my opinion, we don't eat enough mackerel, which is a shame as it is full of healthy fats. The "deviled" b.u.t.ter in this recipe gives the fish a sweet, smoky, and slightly spicy edge. You could also use it with mackerel fillets, which will obviously need less time to cook than whole fish. Tomato and fennel salad and horseradish potatoes are fantastic accompaniments.