Crayfish Bisque with Pernod and Fennel

4 crayfish

vegetable oil

2 carrots, sliced

1/2rib celery, sliced

3 ripe tomatoes, quartered

2 bulbs fresh fennel, sliced

1 fresh red or green chilli, sliced

30 ml cornflour

90 ml Pernod

30 ml brandy

2 litres Fish Stock

250 ml cream

extra whipped cream and chopped fresh fennel fronds for garnish

Pull crayfish tails from bodies, cut in half and extract the meat. Devein and cut into cubes.

Rinse clean the crayfish bodies and tail shells, and chop roughly.

Heat oil in a large saucepan, add the shells, carrots, celery, tomatoes, fennel bulb and chilli fry for about 15 minutes until the shells turn deep red.

Mix together the cornflour, Pernod, brandy and fish stock, add to the pot, cover and simmer for about 50 minutes. Drain through a sieve into a clean saucepan.

Add the cream and chopped crayfish meat and simmer for 1-2 minutes until cooked.

Ladle bisque into warm bowls and garnish with whipped cream and chopped fennel.

Serves 6

Oriental Scampi with Black Beans

50 g dried black beans

500 g shelled scampi or small prawns

1¹/2 small onion, finely chopped vegetable oil

100 g fresh bean sprouts

2 carrots, cut into julienne strips

2 courgettes, cut into julienne strips

1 rib celery, cut into julienne strips

5 ml finely chopped green ginger

30 ml teriyaki sauce

30 ml sweet chilli sauce

15 ml finely chopped fresh lemon grass stalks, or 2 ml dried lemon grass

60 ml chopped fresh coriander

1/4 fresh red or green chilli, chopped hot rice and deep fried rice noodles sesame seeds for garnish

Soak the black beans overnight in cold water. Drain.

In a non-stick frying pan fry the scampi with the onion in hot oil for 1 minute.

Add the bean sprouts, carrot, courgette, celery, ginger, teriyaki and chilli sauces and lemon grass and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the scampi is cooked.

Just before serving add the coriander and chilli.

To Serve: Scoop rice onto serving plates, pile on the scampi, and top with deep fried rice noodles and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Serves 4

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

Risotto di Scampi

400 g prawns, shelled and deveined;cut in half if large

45 ml olive oil

70 g unsalted butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely chopped 350 g arborio rice

15 ml chopped fresh parsley

2 litres hot Fish Stock

(approximate amount; page 209) salt and milled black pepper

50 ml dry white wine

Heat the oil and half the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat and fry the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the celery and carrot and cook until softened. Mix in the rice and parsley.

Add 250 ml hot fish stock and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Continue in this way until most of the stock has been used up.

Watchpoint: Never drown risotto by adding too much liquid at a time!

Season with salt and pepper, mix in the prawns and cook for 5 minutes more, stirring and adding a little more stock of necessary. Check if the risotto is tender but still firm to the bite.

Remove the pot from the heat, add the wine and remaining butter. Cover and set aside for 2-5 minutes before serving. Serves 4

Prawn Bruschetta

250 g medium prawns, shelled and deveined 30 ml extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 ml chopped fresh red or green chilli

15 ml chopped fresh parsley salt and milled black pepper 4 slices country bread, about 2 cm thick

2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lemon wedges for garnish

Neatly cut each prawn into 3 pieces. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan and fry the garlic and chilli over medium low heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the prawns and parsley, increase the heat and fry for 1-2 minutes until the prawns are cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Toast the bread on both sides and rub with cut garlic. Arrange on warm plat and spoon prawns and pan juices on top. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Serves 4

Sesame Prawns with Cocktail Sauce

28 medium prawns, shelled and deveined; tail shells on

cake flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

500 g sesame seeds

vegetable oil for deep frying

Cocktail Sauce

10 ml finely chopped onion

2 ml finely chopped horseradish

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

5 ml finely chopped capers

15 ml finely chopped fresh parsley

200 ml Mayonnaise

Cocktail Sauce: MN together the ingredients. Cover and chill.

Hold prawns by the tail, roll in flour, dip in egg and press into sesame seeds to coat evenly.

Deep fry in hot oil until golden. Pile onto a plate, garnish with lemon wedges and offer as snacks with cocktail sauce. Serves 4

Rock Cod and Prawn Cakes with Garlic Mayonnaise

If rock cod isn't available, use any fresh linefish.

500 g rock cod, skinned, filleted and cubed

250 g whole peeled shrimps, well drained on kitchen paper (weigh after shelling)

150 g potato, peeled and cubed

butter, salt, milled black pepper

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

15 ml wholegrain mustard

30 ml chopped fresh herbs (parsley and basil)

4 eggs, lightly beaten

vegetable oil for deep frying

Coating

cake flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

seasoned toasted breadcrumbs

Garlic Mayonnaise

250 ml Mayonnaise

4 cloves garlic, crushed

15 ml finely chopped fresh parsley

Garlic Mayonnaise: Mix together the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill.

Cook the potato in salted boiling water until soft. Drain and mash with a little butter, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat butter in a clean saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the fish and cook until about three quarters done. Flake into the onion and garlic, and mix in the mashed potato.

Fry the shrimps in butter until opaque. Set six aside; chop the rest, add to the fish mixture with the mustard and herbs, mix in the eggs, and season well with salt and pepper.

Shape into six cakes, enclosing a reserved prawn in each. Roll in flour, dip in egg, and coat with breadcrumbs. Chill for at least an hour to firm up.

To Serve: Deep or shallow fry the cakes in hot oil and serve with garlic mayonnaise. Serves 6

Oriental Kingklip

4 x 200 g portions filleted kingklip; skin on cake flour seasoned with salt and milled black pepper

butter and vegetable oil

2 green peppers, seeded and sliced 1 onion, finely sliced

24 button mushrooms, sliced

125 ml mixed fresh sprouts

5 ml crushed garlic

5 ml crushed green ginger

60 ml commercial sweet and sour sauce

Toss the kingklip in seasoned flour. Heat butter and oil in a large frying pan and fry the fish until golden on both sides and cooked through. Place on warm plates and keep hot.

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan and stir-fry the green pepper, onion and mushrooms until crisp-tender. Stir in the sprouts, garlic, ginger and sweet and sour sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over or around the fish and serve immediately with rice.

Serves 4

Crab and Cashew Nut Salad

8 crab sticks (about 250 g)

50 g butter

freshly squeezed juice of ¹/2 lemon

'/2 medium English cucumber, sliced mixed lettuce leaves

100 g cashew nuts

Dressing

125 ml water

'/2 small onion, finely chopped

2 green pepper, seeded and finely chopped small bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

30 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

20 ml fish sauce

Dressing: Bring the water to the boil, add the remaining ingredients and simmer uncovered for 1 minute. Cool.

Cut the crab sticks into bite-sized pieces. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan, add the lemon juice and heat until sizzling. Sauté the crab sticks for about 2 minutes until golden. Remove from the heat, toss with the cucumber and cool. Drizzle over the dressing and toss.

To Serve: Arrange lettuce on a large platter (or individual plates) and top with crab mixture. Garnish with cashew nuts. Serves 4