Potted Shellfish

So sometimes life just sends you that little bit of joy, that moment when  you put something in your mouth and all that ensues is utter silence, wide eyed, silence, that comes from something so outstandingly delicious, you can’t say anything because all you want to do is savour every wonderful mouthful. This is definitely one of those recipes. You just want to keep eating it. It’s not relevant that you can keep it in the fridge for a few days, because it won’t possibly last that long. It’s too good. It would be even more irresistible on homemade white bread…… Yummy.

Potted Shellfish

180g butter

Zest of 1 lemon

1tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp dried chilli flakes

½ tsp nutmeg

200g prawns

100g crayfish

100g smoked salmon

Sea salt and white pepper

1. Gently melt 60g of the butter over a very low heat. The butter will separate into a golden part and a milky part, we want the golden part this is what is known as clarified butter. Cut the remaining butter into cubes and leave to soften at room temperature. In a mortar grind together the lemon zest, fennel seeds, chilli flakes and grind into a powder like substance, add this and a 1/3 of the nutmeg to the softened butter and mix until everything is well combined.
2. Next fold in all the shellfish and salmon, mixing really well so that the mixture is properly incorporated, taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning if need be.
3. Divide the mixture equally between 4 ramekins or small cute pots, a serving dish if you prefer. Spoon the clarified butter (just the golden bit) over the top, making sure to spread it into all the edges sealing it. You’ll be able to keep it in the fridge like this for a few days.

Serve with hot toast and a crisp green salad.

 

Cedar infused BBQ smoked salmon

Life is rather busy at the moment, and my mind hasn’t really been in the right place to be writing, I want to, but whenever I put pen to paper or type. Despite my best intentions I end up grumbling about one thing or another. If the truth be known, I think I am feeling a little stressed and I certainly feel as though I have no control over my life at the moment, which doesn’t help, I am a control freak! I am also REALLY grumpy at the moment and have little to no patience for anyone or anything for that matter, and you can forget any tact for customers. I get that certain things are annoying and frustrating, like mail taking ages to get through, that however is not my fault, I don’t get in my car and deliver your mail personally……. It’s not possible, every customer that has come in, I have politely explained the issues, I have also politely explained what’s being done to resolve said issues, and I have empathised! Well I am done with polite and I am done with empathy, you’d think that I either didn’t send mail or that for some reason I didn’t have any mail issues. I shall take this opportunity to point out, my mail takes just as long and I am just as frustrated, however I don’t have anyone to shout at! (See my point I end up moaning about something)

Moving on, all last week I wanted to try out this wood block thing I have, you soak it in water for at least an hour, and then you can place it on your BBQ and smoke either, fish, chicken or pork. I felt a little dubious about chicken and pork, but I was absolutely dying to smoke this really beautiful piece of salmon I bought. So Wednesday before I went to work, I pulled out the salmon and placed it in the fridge, and put my wooden plank in the sink with water and placed my rather large vodka bottle on top. I got home from work and discovered my salmon wasn’t salmon at all, but some kind of delicate white fish, so out of the sink the plank came and I made a fish and vegetable soup, a bit like chowder with out the potatoes. Thursday we ordered pizza, so Friday comes along and I am really looking forward to smoked salmon, husband soaked the plank in water all day long again….. Only I forgot to take the fish out, so we had some pork steak things that I had in the fridge still (I have conceded and started to eat a little pork) So out of the water the plank comes, but I did remember to take the salmon out.

Saturday the plank goes back in the water and I lightly buttered the salmon, seasoned it with a pinch of rosemary, salt and pepper, and a little squeezed lemon juice. Then I placed it on the plank of wood which had been soaked in water, yet again, and my husband put it on the BBQ. The smell coming from the smoking cedar was lovely, but not as nice as the smoky cedar infused salmon. I would definitely recommend cooking your fish this way, effortless with about 20 minutes cooking time.  

Christmas!!!!!

I realise that I am totally out of season with this post, however you could easily cook these at anytime of year, they don’t have to be just for Christmas, I have grouped these four together because I cooked them like this, but also for a personal reason too. It was Christmas 2010 and it was our first Christmas with the girls, it was also our first Wedding Anniversary. I am incredibly sentimental…. To me all our firsts are a mile stone in my growth as a person and a wife. I am sure certain people would disagree with me, but my life has just begun. I owe a lot to my husband and he definitely doesn’t give himself enough credit, but I have experienced so many wonderful things because of him, in the past five years, my life has become full, if I was to get run over by a bus tomorrow I would die I happy woman, because everyday has been lived to it’s fullest, and whilst there is SO much left to do, that I want to do, I have not wasted anytime, I have seen so much and done so much that I can only feel blessed, and I owe all that to him. The girls are just an added extra bonus, loved as I love my own.

These following recipes are ones my mother used to make at Christmas and I wanted to try and recreate, that homey Christmas feel for the girls, that my mother used to make so special for me, after all it was OUR first as a family and I wanted desperately to make it one to remember forever!

Smoked Salmon Parcels

2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped

125g Philadelphia
3 tbsp double cream
2 tsp snipped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
4 large slices smoked salmon
Four whole chives
125g mixed salad leaves
Toast to serve

Dressing

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp French mustard
Pinch of sugar

1. Put the first six ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
2. First, cut four pieces of cling film big enough to encase the salmon when rolled, place a slice of salmon flat on each piece of cling film, then divide the cream cheese mixture onto each slice of salmon. Roll or fold the salmon to seal the filling, tie each one with a whole chive, carefully wrap up the salmon parcel into the cling film and refrigerate until needed.
3. To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to a jar with a tight lid and give it a good shake.
4. Right before serving, toss together the salad and the dressing, then divide between four plates and serve with the salmon parcels and the toast.  

Oaty Stuffing Balls

500g pork sausage meat

1 onion finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
90g oatmeal
2 tsp mixed dried herbs
 

1. Preheat the oven to 190˚C (375˚F). Place the sausage meat and onion into a bowl and season with salt and pepper, knead and mash together with your fingers (I wear gloves) until it is all well blended.
2. Using your hands shape the mixture into 16 balls, they will be quite small. Next mix together the oatmeal and the dried herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste, then spread them out on a plate and roll your stuffing balls in the oaty mixture. (You could use breadcrumbs instead of the oats, I have used both, but prefer the oats)
3. Place your ‘balls’ in a greased oven proof dish and bake for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Bread Sauce

6 whole cloves

1 whole onion peeled
1 bay leaf
625 ml milk
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
60g butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Large pinch nutmeg
2 tbsp single cream
 

1. Stick the cloves into the onion, and place into a saucepan with the bay leaf and milk, bring to a boil, remove from heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
2. Add the breadcrumbs and butter to the saucepan and cook over a gentle heat for 15-20 minutes. Remove the onion and bay leaf, season the sauce with salt and pepper, if needed, and the nutmeg. Stir in the cream just before serving.

Roast Duck

2.5kg Duck

1 orange
1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small onion, chopped
Few stalks of parsley
500ml water

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Remove any excess fat from the duck cavity and wipe dry with kitchen roll, cut the orange and lemon into ¼ and place into the bird, season inside and out with salt and pepper and truss.
2. Put the bird into a deep casserole dish with the onion, parsley and the water, place on the lid and cook for an hour turning once or twice.
3. Remove the duck from the dish and place the liquid to one side. Put the bird, breast side up onto a roasting rack, whack the heat up to 190˚C (375˚F) and roast for 10 minutes each side, until the bird is golden brown.
4. While the duck is roasting make a sauce out of the retained liquid.