Crayfish Stock

It is important that your pot has a well- fitting lid, otherwise the stock will boil away.

500 ml dry white wine

500 ml water olive oil

2 kg crayfish bodies and shells (4-5 crayfish), roughly chopped and dried

60 ml brandy

Warm the wine and water in a medium saucepan. Heat a little olive oil in a deep saucepan and stir-fry the crayfish shells until they turn deep red and are piping hot. Warm the brandy, pour over and flame.

When the flames subside pour in the wine and water, cover and simmer gently for about 45 minutes. Check from time to time that the liquid doesn't boil away; add extra if necessary.

Drain and discard the shells. You should have about 500 ml stock. If there's more, pour into a clean pot and boil uncovered until reduced to the correct amount. If you have less, add water.

Makes about 500 ml

The Montagu's Bouillabaisse Stock

500 g clean fish heads, trimmings and bones 100 ml olive oil

4 cloves garlic, peeled '12 onion, chopped

1 leek, roughly sliced 1/2 carrot, roughly chopped 1 rib celery, roughly sliced 50 ml white wine

30 ml Pernod

50 ml Vermouth

4 litres water

70 g can tomato paste pinch saffron threads

2 ml star anise

2 ml coriander seeds

2 ml white peppercorns

5 ml chopped fresh coriander 5 ml chopped fresh dill

5 ml chopped fresh parsley

Set the oven at 220 'C. Heat half the olive oil in a roaster, add the fish trimmings and bones and roast until slightly browned.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan and lightly brown in the chopped vegetables. Add the tomato paste, then the fish trimmings and vegetables. Deglaze with the wine, Pernod and Vermouth, then add the water.

Bring to the boil slowly, skim off the scum that floats to the top, add the herbs and spices, cover and simmer for 1¹/2 hours.

Strain the stock through a fine sieve, then through a muslin cloth into a clean saucepan. Boil uncovered until reduced by half. Cool.

Makes about 2 litres

The Montagu's Bouillabaisse Sauce

250 ml Montagu's Bouillabaisse Stock (previous recipe)

100 g soft butter, cut into cubes

Pour the bouillabaisse stock into a medium saucepan and boil uncovered until reduced by half. Whisk in the diced butter. Serves 6

Vegetable Stock

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

2 leeks, roughly sliced

2 ribs celery, roughly chopped

2 red, yellow or green peppers, seeded and roughly sliced

4 ripe tomatoes, quartered

6 cloves garlic, peeled

100 g button mushrooms, roughly chopped 2 courgettes, roughly chopped

bunch fresh herbs (basil, thyme, sage, coriander, parsley, marjoram)

2 ml star anise

5 ml white peppercorns

4 bay leaves

4 litres water

Place all the ingredients in a deep saucepan. Bring to the boil, move the lid aside to partially cover and simmer for about 2 hours.

Strain through a fine sieve, then through a muslin cloth. Cool. Makes about 4 litres

Harvey's Beurre Blanc

If beurre blanc needs to be made ahead, keep warm in the double boiler over hot water. Never reheat, as it may curdle.

If this happens, pour into a jug. Place two more egg yolks into the double boiler and whisk over simmering water until pale and thickened. Slowly pour in the curdled beurre blanc, whisking constantly. Left-over beurre blanc may be frozen and reconstituted as above.

1 shallot or pickling onion, very finely chopped

100 ml white wine

50 ml tarragon vinegar

100 ml cream

2 egg yolks

500 g unsalted butter, cut into blocks white pepper, freshly squeezed lemon juice

Place the shallot or onion in a double boiler with the wine and tarragon vinegar. Place on the stovetop and boil uncovered until only 15 ml liquid remains.

Add the cream and simmer uncovered until it thickens.

Place the pot in its base half filled with boiling water and place on the heat.

Whisk in the egg yolks one by one until the sauce thickens.

Add the butter a few blocks at a time, whisking constantly. The butter should soften and thicken the sauce without melting. Season with white pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Makes 700 ml; Serves 7-10

Season's Dill Beurre Blanc

Beurre Blanc (previous recipe) 60 ml chopped fresh dill

Prepare the beurre blanc. Stir in the chopped dill.

Makes 700 ml; Serves 7-10

Legends' Mushroom Cream Sauce

50 g butter 45 ml flour 5 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

125 ml chicken or Fish Stock (page 209) 125 ml cream

salt and milled black pepper

200 g button mushrooms, sliced

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and blend in the flour, lemon juice, stock and cream, and season with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thickened.

Add the mushrooms, cover and simmer for a minute or two until mushrooms are tender.

Serves 6

Harvey's Tomato Vinaigrette

3 ripe plum tomatoes 5 ml balsamic vinegar 5 ml brown sugar salt and milled black pepper 1 clove garlic, crushed

150 ml olive oil

Blend together all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Makes about 200 ml

Movenpick's Tomato Concasse

45 ml olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

100 g chopped celery ribs and leaves

2 x 410 g cans whole peeled tomatoes, puréed (don't drain)

salt and milled black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until translucent.

Add the celery and tomato, and season with salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Uncover during the last few minutes to thicken slightly.

Makes about 500 ml

Simple Seafood Dish

The Montagu's Tomato Essence

50 ml olive oil

1 medium leek, sliced

1 rib celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

2 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped

410 g can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped (don't drain)

50 ml tomato puree

300 ml Vegetable Stock (page 211)

5 ml chopped fresh thyme 5 ml chopped fresh basil

2 ml salt

8 whole black peppercorns 20 g (20 ml) soft butter 30 g (30 ml) cake flour

50 g soft butter, cut into small blocks

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add the leek, celery and carrot and cook very gently until softened.

Add the fresh and canned tomato, cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato purée and vegetable stock.

Bring to the boil, add the thyme, basil, salt and peppercorns, Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours.

Strain the mixture through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan and bring to the boil.

Blend together the butter and flour and whisk in until the tomato essence thickens. Just before serving, whisk in the butter.

Serves 8

Copper Pot's Savoury Prawn Rice

100 g butter

5 cm piece English cucumber, cut into small cubes

1 rib celery, finely chopped

i/2 red pepper, finely chopped

100 ml sliced button mushrooms 100 ml cooked corn kernels

1 tomato, blanched, peeled, seeded and finely cubed

100 g peeled prawns, well drained

on kitchen paper (weigh after shelling) 500 ml cooked rice

30 ml chopped fresh parsley

salt and milled black pepper

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the cucumber, celery, red pepper, mushrooms, corn and tomato and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes (the vegetables should still be crisp).

Add the prawns, cover and cook for about 1 minute. Stir in the rice and parsley, season with salt and pepper and heat through.

Serves 4

Jake's Portuguese Rice

olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

30 ml chopped fresh parsley 1 clove garlic, crushed

250 ml rice

15 ml tomato paste

salt and milled black pepper 375 ml water

Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the onion until translucent.

Stir in the parsley, garlic, rice and tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, then add the water.

Cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.

Serves 6

Bayfront Blu's Kitali Rice

butter

1 onion, diced

1 red pepper, seeded and diced

1 green pepper, seeded and diced 100 g button mushrooms, sliced salt and milled black pepper

750 ml cooked basmati or white rice

Heat butter in a medium saucepan and fry the onion until translucent. Add the red and green pepper and the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Mix in the rice and heat through.

Serves 4