Cooking For Friends Part 5

Divide the risotto among warm plates and sprinkle with the minced parsley. Serve immediately.Herby rice pilaf with pistachios and almonds This sweetly perfumed rice pilaf is ideal with a good curry (see the goat curry on Chapter 4) or with baked fish.

SERVES 4 4.

3 tablespoons olive oil 1 Spanish or mild onion, chopped 1 cups basmati rice 1 cinnamon stick 3 star anise pared zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange 2 cups hot water cup roughly chopped, toasted almonds and pistachios large handful of mixed fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, mint, chervil, and chives, leaves chopped

Preheat the oven to 375F. Cut a circle of parchment paper slightly larger than a heavy-based, stovetop-to-oven ca.s.serole. Snip a small hole in the middle of the paper to serve as a steam vent.

Heat the ca.s.serole with the oil and saute the onion until it begins to soften, 46 minutes. Stir in the rice, cinnamon, star anise, lemon and orange zests, and some salt and pepper. Stir well and toast the rice for a couple of minutes. Pour in the hot water and bring to a boil. Take the pot off the heat and quickly cover with the parchment paper before transferring to the oven.

Bake until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the water, 2025 minutes. Remove the ca.s.serole from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes. Discard the parchment paper and fork the rice to separate the grains. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then stir through the chopped nuts and herbs.

fish and sh.e.l.lfish To cook good food, you need to start with the best-quality ingredients you can find. This is paramount when it comes to fish and sh.e.l.lfish. We are fortunate to live near a fantastic fishmonger. The shop is tiny, but it stocks a variety of incredibly fresh seafood. Whenever we get the chance, Tana and I take the kids with us, because we feel it is important for them to see the amazing diversity of seafood on offer. They are growing up knowing what the different fish look like.

Sustainable fis.h.i.+ng is an issue that is important to me. Over recent years, I've been trying to encourage the use of less expensive but sustainable fish, such as herring, mackerel, whiting, and trout. Of course I also enjoy cooking and eating scallops, oysters, halibut, and sea ba.s.s, but only every once in a while. The goal is to be conscious of what you buy and vary what you cook to keep things different and exciting.

Fish curry with lime and coconut rice Breaded and fried oysters with sauce grib.i.+.c.he Smoked trout pate with horseradish cream and melba toasts Whiting in piquant tomato sauce Stuffed bream wrapped with bacon Thai-style fishcakes with sweet chili sauce Clams with bacon Sea ba.s.s with olives, tomatoes, and fennel Broiled herring with harissa Red mullet with tomatoes, olives, and anchovies Fisherman's stew Poached halibut with creamy white wine and tarragon sauce Deviled mackerel with tomato and fennel salad and horseradish potatoes Grilled scallop and shrimp brochettes with cilantro-chili b.u.t.ter

Fish curry with lime and coconut rice I was inspired to make this curry after a glorious vacation in Thailand, where we ate spicy Thai food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Any combination of fish and sh.e.l.lfish will work for this curry, although firm-textured fish that won't disintegrate as it cooks is best. You can leave the skins on to prevent the fish from breaking up.

SERVES 4 4.

Fish curry: 14 ounces monkfish fillets, cut into bite-size chunks 1 cups coconut milk, mixed with 1 cups water 1 pound live mussels 2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 tablespoon palm sugar 2 tablespoons fish sauce 5 ounces sugarsnap peas 34 scallions, minced handful of fresh basil or cilantro leaves for garnish toasted coconut shavings for garnish (optional) Lime and coconut rice: 1 cups jasmine rice, washed 1 cup coconut milk, mixed with cup water juice of 1 lime 2 kaffir lime leaves pinch of sea salt Curry paste: 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 3 large shallots, roughly chopped 67 large, mild, red chili peppers, deseeded and chopped 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped small handful of cilantro stems, chopped 1 lemongra.s.s stalk, minced 2 kaffir lime leaves, minced (or finely grated zest of 2 limes) teaspoon ground coriander teaspoon ground c.u.min teaspoon ground turmeric 34 tablespoons water

Put the monkfish pieces into a large bowl with a little seasoning and spoon a few tablespoons of coconut milk over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook. Wash the mussels; discard any that do not open when gently tapped. To make the lime and coconut rice, put all the ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, 810 minutes. Without removing the lid, remove from the heat and let the rice steam for 510 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, put all the ingredients for the curry paste into a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste, stopping the machine once or twice to sc.r.a.pe down the sides. If necessary, add a little more water to get a finely ground paste.

Heat the peanut oil in a deep pan or a wok. Add the curry paste and stir-fry for over low heat just until the paste smells fragrant, 23 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and water mixture, then stir in the palm sugar and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Tip in the sugarsnap peas, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mussels and monkfish, cover the pan, and simmer until the mussels have opened and the monkfish is opaque and just cooked through, 23 minutes. Scatter the scallions and basil leaves over the top. Serve immediately with the lime and coconut rice, garnished with a sprinkling of toasted coconut shavings.Breaded and fried oysters with sauce grib.i.+.c.he Crisp breaded oysters are a good choice for those who are averse to eating them raw. I serve mine with sauce grib.i.+.c.he, which is similar to tartar sauce, but with the addition of finely chopped hard-cooked egg. This is great to have with a gla.s.s of chilled white wine or Champagne.

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

Breaded oysters: 20 fresh oysters cup all-purpose flour 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten cup j.a.panese panko bread crumbs peanut or vegetable oil for deep-frying Sauce grib.i.+.c.he: 1 extra-large egg 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar cup light olive oil 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

First, prepare the sauce. Put the egg into a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 9 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water. Peel and halve the egg, then scoop out the yolk into the bowl of a food processor. Mince the white and set aside. Add the mustard, vinegar, olive oil, capers, and a little salt and pepper to the food processor and blitz for a few seconds. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the egg white and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the sauce into a serving bowl and set aside.

Shuck the oysters one at a time: Hold an oyster in a thick, folded towel in one hand and take an oyster knife in the other. Stick the knife through the hinge of the oyster, holding it level, then wriggle the knife from side to side to cut through the strong hinge muscle. Push in the knife and twist up to lift the top sh.e.l.l. Pick out any large pieces of sh.e.l.l, then slide the knife along the bottom sh.e.l.l to release the oyster. Tip the oyster and juice into a strainer set over a bowl.

Mix the flour with some salt and pepper in a wide bowl. Place the beaten egg in another wide bowl, and the bread crumbs in a third. Toss the oysters in the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. Dip into the beaten egg, then coat evenly with the bread crumbs. Arrange on a plate and set aside.

Heat 1 inches of oil in a small saucepan until hot. (A little piece of bread should sizzle vigorously when dropped in.) Fry the breaded oysters in two or three batches until evenly golden brown and crisp. This will take only a few seconds. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately with the sauce grib.i.+.c.he.

Smoked trout pate with horseradish cream and melba toasts This easy, prepare-ahead first course is ideal for entertaining. Make the smoked trout pate a day ahead and chill it. The melba toasts can be made several days earlier, as they store well in an airtight container. When your guests have arrived, all you need to do is to dress some salad leaves, garnish with cold smoked trout, and bring everything to the table.

SERVES 4 4.

Smoked trout pate: 8 ounces skinless hot-smoked trout fillets cup creme fraiche cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon cream-style horseradish squeeze of lemon juice, to taste small handful of fresh dillweed, 4 small fronds reserved for garnish and the rest chopped For serving: 8 slices white or brown bread 8 slices cold-smoked trout few handfuls of salad leaves

Put all the ingredients for the pate into a food processor and pulse until well mixed. Leave the mixture coa.r.s.e for a rustic texture. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper, then spoon into individual ramekins or ceramic pots and garnish each with a frond of dill.

To make the melba toasts, preheat the broiler and toast the bread lightly on both sides. Cut off the crusts, then, holding the toast flat against a chopping board, slide the knife between the toasted edges to split the bread horizontally. Cut the split bread into triangles and arrange untoasted sides up on a baking sheet. Toast under the broiler until the triangles are golden and crisp and the edges have curled slightly.

Serve the individual pots of pate with the melba toast and a couple of slices of smoked trout draped over a handful of salad leaves.

Whiting in piquant tomato sauce This is one of the easiest and healthiest ways to cook fish. Make a delicious sauce, place the fish fillets on top, cover, and steam. The sauce can be made in advance, then the fish needs only a few minutes to cook. Saffron rice or crushed new potatoes are ideal accompaniments.

SERVES 4 4.

4 whiting fillets, about 5 ounces each 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, minced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 anchovy fillets in olive oil, minced splash of dry white wine cup fish or chicken stock (see Chapter 9) or water 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes pinch of dried red-pepper flakes teaspoon dried oregano pinch of sugar few dashes of hot-pepper sauce fresh basil leaves for garnish fish and sh.e.l.lfish 87

Trim the fish fillets to neaten the edges, then remove any pin bones with a pair of kitchen tweezers.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-based pan over low to medium heat. Stir in the onion and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until the onion begins to soften, 46 minutes. Add the minced garlic and anchovy and fry for 12 minutes longer. Pour in a splash of white wine and let it simmer until the pan is quite dry, then stir in the stock, tomatoes, pepper flakes, and oregano. Let simmer until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of sugar and hot-pepper sauce to taste.

Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper, then lower into the pan of tomato sauce and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam the fish over medium heat until it is just firm and opaque, 34 minutes.

Lift the fish out with a slotted spatula. Serve with generous spoonfuls of the tomato sauce and a sprinkling of basil leaves.

Stuffed bream wrapped with bacon Stuffing fish with forcemeat, or in my case sausage, is a cla.s.sic idea that even featured in Mrs. Beeton's recipes in the 1800s. I find wrapping the bream with thin slices of bacon not only holds in the stuffing, but also imparts a smoky and savory flavor to the fish.

SERVES 2 2.

2 small, whole bream, or similar fish such as porgy (scup), scaled and gutted 20 slices of bacon olive oil for drizzling few sprigs of fresh thyme 4 garlic cloves, skin on, halved lemon wedges for serving (optional) Forcemeat: 7 ounces fresh, bulk pork sausage (or pork sausage links with casing removed) leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme small handful each of fresh flat-leaf parsley and chives, chopped pinch of cayenne pepper few drops of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 425F. Mix all the ingredients for the forcemeat and set aside.

Clean the fish and pat dry with paper towels. Rub all over with a little salt and pepper, then stuff the gutted cavities of each bream with the forcemeat.

For each fish, take 10 bacon slices and lay them out in chevrons on a cutting board, crossing each pair over at the base of its "V." Put the fish in the middle and wrap the bacon around it to secure the forcemeat, alternating left and right.

Place the fish in a shallow roasting pan. Drizzle some olive oil over the fish and scatter sea salt, thyme, and garlic halves on top. Bake until the bacon is golden brown and crisp and the fish is cooked through, 2530 minutes, turning the fish over halfway through the cooking. Serve with lemon wedges, if you like.Thai-style fishcakes with sweet chili sauce These light and flavorsome fishcakes are so easy to make, and they don't need to be coated in bread crumbs. Authentic Thai recipes include minced yard-long beans, which you can find in Asian markets and some supermarkets, but tender young green beans make a good alternative, and they don't require blanching. You can buy sweet chili sauce in the supermarket, but the best one will be the one you make yourself.

SERVES 4 4.