by Simone Conti
Smoked Haddock Chowder – Serves 4
I got this recipe from my days working at Wheelers in Chancery Lane, one of the oldest fish restaurants in London. When I arrived in England back in 1997, I didn’t have any idea what smoked haddock was, so the first time I cooked this recipe I was a bit suspicious of these bright yellow fish fillets. But by trying it just once, I fell in love with it! This delicious white fish really is amazing when smoked. Especially with the chowder, you can enjoy the tasty smoky flavour combined with delicious vegetables and a bit of cream, to add texture and creaminess.
Ingredients:
450g smoked haddock fillets
50g butter
1 large onion, skinned and sliced
30ml plain flour
225g potatoes, cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) cubes
175g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
150ml single cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Preparation
- Put the haddock in a saucepan
containing 1.1 litres (2pints) water and simmer for 10 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving the liquid. Flake the flesh coarsely, discarding the skins and any bones. - Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the
onion and fry until soft. Stir in the flour. Gradually add the strained fish stock we reserved before and bring to the boil, stirring. Add the potatoes and carrots. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. - Stir in the cream and the flaked fish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through but do not boil. Garnish with chopped
parsley. Enjoy it !!
Recommended Wine – Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Pan-Fried Salmon and Chorizo with tomato and basil – Serves 4
This dish contains 2 of my favourite food combinations ever. Salmon combined with chorizo seems strange but I think it’s an amazing contrast of flavours. The sweetness of the salmon and saltiness of the chorizo are just amazing when combined. Plus we have a great punch of freshness from the tomatoes and basil with a hint of lemon juice to bring acidity into the dish.
This is a really easy recipe to make and I suggest you serve it with nice creamy mash potatoes on the side.
Ingredients:
50ml olive oil
350g chorizo, cut into 12 slices
800g salmon fillet, bones removed, cut into 8 pieces and lightly seasoned
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 basil leaves
Preparation
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and sauté chorizo slices on both sides until coloured. Remove to a warm place.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the salmon pieces, skin-side down. Cook over a moderate high heat for 1 minute then turn and cook about 30 seconds- ideally the salmon should be quite rare but adjust it to your taste if you prefer it on the medium side just keep it on 2 minutes more for each side.
- Take the salmon out and take the pan off the heat, then add the remaining olive oil and lemon juice and stir to loosen the crunchy bits.
- To serve, divide salmon pieces between four plates, sit the chorizo on top of each piece of salmon, then place tomato halves and basil leaves on top.
- Drizzle with the pan juices
and enjoy it !!!
Recommended Wine: Riesling (Austria)
Double Chocolate Mousse Cake – Serves 4
For those cold, rainy October days we really need something to warm us up and give some comfort. What better than chocolate or even double chocolate? In this simple recipe we have a lovely chocolate cake that we are going to cover with a divine chocolate ganache. It doesn’t contain any flour so is suitable for people who are gluten free. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family and I did.
Ingredients:
300g dark chocolate
150g unsalted butter
6 eggs
100g caster sugar
Ganache Ingredients
220g chocolate
180ml double cream, chilled
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 180c (mark 4). Line the base and sides of a 20cm (8inch) springform cake tin with baking paper.
Melt chocolate and butter in a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water. - Separate the eggs, and beat egg whites until stiff with 60g of the sugar. Beat the yolks with the remaining sugar, then mix this thoroughly into chocolate mixture.
- Gently fold a third of the whites into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the remainder. Pour into prepared tin and bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes. The cake must be wobbly – if not, it’ll be overcooked and set too hard so start checking after about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cover tin tightly with foil, the steam keeps the heat in and softens the crust. Once cold, chill for a least 4 hours before removing from tin.
- Now let’s move on to prepare chocolate ganache. Melt chocolate in a metal bowl over simmering water. Take off the heat and stir in the cream. Spread over cake with a spatula to give an even coating. Once the ganache is cooled down, with the help of a sharp knife and a jug of hot water, cut the cake into slices and serve.
Recommended Wine – Sauterne (France)
