Oysters Grilled with Basil Butter

For those who wouldn't dream of eating anything raw, try this interesting, simple recipe; the wonderful flavour of fresh oysters enhanced by a flavourful topping.

24 large, plump oysters 150 g soft butter

100 ml chopped fresh basil leaves

75 ml grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, crushed

freshly squeezed juice of '12 lemon

Heat the oven grill. Open the oysters, discard the top shell and place on a baking tray.

Blend together the butter, basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic and lemon juice.

Top the oysters with the mixture and grill until bubbling. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the heavenly juices. Serves 4

Prawn and Calamari Salad

The delicious flavours in the dressing compliments the delicate flavours of prawns and calamari in this colourful, ever-popular summer salad.

300 g large prawns, shelled and deveined 300 g calamari tubes, well cleaned

and cut into rings

500 ml water

60 ml dry white wine

5 ml salt

5 ml olive oil

assorted salad leaves

6 carrots, cut into thin strip

6 ribs celery, sliced

1 red pepper, seeded and finely sliced

1 green pepper, seeded and finely sliced 6 spring onions, chopped

'/2 English cucumber, cut into strips

¹12 spanspek, skinned, pipped and sliced finely shredded fresh basil leaves for garnish

Dressing

125 ml Mayonnaise (page 211)

125 ml plain yoghurt

freshly squeezed juice and finely grated rind of 1 small lemon

45 ml chopped fresh fennel 2 ml crushed green ginger 2 ml Tabasco sauce

2 ml crushed cumin seeds 2 ml wholegrain mustard 2 ml coarse salt

milled black pepper

Dressing: Mix together the mayonna and yoghurt. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well. (This will keep for up to a week in the fridge.)

Bring the water, wine, salt and olive to a rapid boil in a medium saucepan.

Add the prawns and calamari rings simmer for 1 minute. Drain and chill w

To Serve: Line a salad bowl with le leaves. Toss the carrot, celery, red a green pepper, spring onion and cu

in 45 ml of the dressing. Pile onto t salad with spanspek on top.

Toss the seafood with enough dress' to coat well, heap into the centre an garnish with Basil.

Serves 6-8 as a starter

Sautéed Scampi with Peppers and Tarragon

24 large prawns, shelled and deveined olive oil

60 ml chopped fresh tarragon, or 5 ml dried tarragon

salt and milled black pepper

1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green pepper, seeded and cut into tiny cubes

4 courgettes, sliced

60 ml brandy

salad leaves, cucumber, cocktail tomatoes lemon wedges for squeezing

Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Lightly fry the prawns until they are sealed and change colour, tossing constantly. Add half the tarragon and season with salt and pepper.

Add the chopped peppers and courgettes and stir-fry over high heat until tender; don't allow the vegetables to overcook and change colour. Sprinkle over the remaining tarragon, pour in the brandy and flame.

To Serve: Arrange salad leaves, sliced cucumber and tomatoes on plates. Spoonscampi and vegetables alongside, and garnish with lemon wedges.

Serves 4

Cape Malay-Style Seafood Curry

6 langoustines, shelled and deveined

18 large prawns, shelled and deveined

400 g firm, filleted linefish

(like yellowtail), skinned

and cut into 2 cm cubes

200 g calamari tubes, well cleaned and sliced into rings

18-24 black mussels, on the half shell small bunch fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Curry

vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

2 ripe tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped 15 ml seafood masala

5 ml turmeric 5 ml paprika 5 ml ground coriander

2 ml ground cardamom

2 bay leaves

500 ml Fish Stock

salt and milled black pepper

Curry: Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion until translucent. Add the tomato, cover and cook gently for 5 minutes. Stir in the masala, turmeric, paprika, coriander, cardamom, bay leaves and stock and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan and lightly fry the langoustines, prawns, linefish and calamari. Add the partly cooked seafood to the sauce and simme gently for 3-5 minutes until cooked. Ad the mussels and heat through.

To Serve: Tip the curry into a warm serving dish and garnish with coriand leaves. Serve with rice.Serves 6

Sole Huguenot and Hollandaise Sauce

6 soles, filleted; reserve skin and bones vegetable oil

12 button mushrooms

500 ml dry white wine

500 ml water

30 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

5 ml dried thyme

3 bay leaves

4 sprigs fresh parsley

1 onion, sliced

6 large lettuce leaves

2 ml salt

2 egg yolks

400 g soft butter, cut into 1 cm squares

Place the top of the double boiler in the fridge to chill. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the mushrooms until lightly browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Measure 30 ml each of the wine and water into a medium saucepan and add the lemon juice, thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 parsley sprig and 1 slice of onion. Simmer uncovered until reduced by half. Strain and chill.

Lay lettuce leaves in a metal or enamel oven dish. Top with the remaining onion, bay leaves and parsley, and add fish skin and bones.

Starting at the tail ends, roll up the sole fillets and secure with toothpicks. Place on the bones or lettuce leaves (if the fish touches the dish it may stick). Pour in the remaining wine and water, season with salt, cover with foil and bring to the boil on the stovetop. When the foil puffs up with steam, remove from the heat and uncover.

Remove sole rolls, place on warm plates and carefully remove the toothpicks. Keep warm.

Place the baking dish on the stovetop and boil uncovered until reduced by 80%. Strain.

Hollandaise Sauce: Place the chilled, flavoured wine reduction in the top of the double boiler with the egg yolks. Whisk in a piece of butter with a hand whisk.

Place in the base over simmering water and whisk in the butter bit by bit until the sauce thickens.

Remove from the heat and pour some of the sauce into a gravy boat.

Add 45-60 ml reduced fish stock to the remaining sauce and pour over the sole rolls. Garnish with a mushroom and place the plates under a hot grill for 1 minute.

Serve with the remaining hollandaise sauce, mashed potato and lightly cooked vegetables.

Serves 6

Langoustine Curry

500 g langoustine tails, deveined

vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

10 ml crushed garlic

10 ml crushed green ginger

10 ml curry powder

30 ml curry leaves

1 fresh red or green chilli, halved and seeded

1 /2x 410 g cans whole peeled tomatoes, chopped (don't drain)

5 ml salt

5 ml ground turmeric

1 bunch fresh coriander leaves

Heat oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, cover and sweat gently until translucent.

Stir in the garlic, ginger, curry powder, curry leaves and chilli. Add the tomato, salt and turmeric, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the langoustine tails and simmer for about 5 minutes until cooked.

To Serve: Tip the curry into a warm serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with white or savoury rice. Serves 4

King's Coquilles

12 scallops with coral (roe)

salt, milled black pepper, cake flour olive oil

1 small leek, finely sliced

6 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 courgettes, cut into julienne strips 1 clove garlic, crushed

5 ml chopped fresh parsley

5 ml finely chopped fresh fennel 125 ml white wine

60 ml Fish Stock (page 209)

Fish Velouté (page 212)

fresh coriander fronds for garnish

Season the scallops with salt and pepper and dust with flour.

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the leek until translucent. Add the scallops and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, courgette, garlic, parsley, fennel, wine and fish stock and simmer uncovered until the sauce has reduced by half. Season with salt and pepper.

To Serve: Allow three scallops per serving. Spoon over hot fish velouté and garnish with fresh coriander fronds.

Serves 4