Calamari Umido

1 kg calamari, well cleaned and cut into rings

butter

500 g button mushrooms, sliced

1 bunch spinach, tough stalks trimmed 30 ml extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

60 ml white wine

400 g tagliolini

Tomato Sauce

30 ml olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

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

salt and milled black pepper

Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onion carrot and celery until softened. Add the tomato, cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat butter in a frying pan and sauté he mushrooms until softened. Pile the et spinach leaves into a saucepan, cover nd steam until soft. Drain and chop.

Heat the olive oil with the garlic in a rge frying pan, add the calamari and until lightly browned. Add the wine d tomato sauce and simmer for 2 mintes. Add the mushrooms and spinach, ason with salt and pepper and heat rough.

Boil the tagliolini in a pot of salted water until cooked 'al dente'. Drain, pile onto arm plates and top with calamari. Serves6

Spaghetti alle Cozze

40 black mussels, scrubbed and debearded

500g spaghetti

Salt milled black pepper, olive oil

125g butter

60ml chopped fresh parsley

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Tomato Sauce

30 ml olive oil

3 cloves garlic, crushed

410 g can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped (don't drain), or 3-4 ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned and chopped

15 ml chopped fresh oregano or basil

Boil the spaghetti in a pot of salted water until cooked 'al dente'. Tip into a colander, rinse with cold water, drain and tip into a bowl. Toss with olive oil to prevent sticking.

Tomato Sauce: Heat the olive oil and garlic in a medium saucepan and add the tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper and oregano or basil and simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the mussels, parsley and garlic and simmer very gently .

When the mussels start to open and release their liquor, add the tomato sauce and spaghetti. Toss together until piping hot and the flavours are well mixed. Serve hot in deep bowls.

Serves 6

Calamari alla Marinara

800 g calamari tubes, well cleaned and cut into strips or rings

300 ml dry white wine

2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 bay leaves

15 ml chopped fresh oregano salt and milled black pepper

600 g ripe tomatoes, blanched, peeledand puréed or finely chopped

50 ml chopped fresh parsley

12 slices fried bread

Place the calamari in a medium saucepan and add water to cover. Add the wine, garlic, bay leaves and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently uncovered for about 10 minutes until the calamari is tender and the liquid has reduced.

Add the tomato and parsley and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes more until the sauce thickens. Serve in hot, deep plates with slices of fried bread. Serves 6

Fillet of Kabeljou with Stewed Onion and Chive Butter

4 x 200 g portions filleted kabeljou geelbek (Cape salmon)

500 g onions

250 g butter

3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

200 ml white wine

200 ml water

salt and milled black pepper

125 ml cream

1 bunch chives, finely chopped

Set the oven at 250'C. Grease a large baking dish. Finely slice 400 g of the onions; finely chop the rest.

Heat half the butter in a frying pan and cook the sliced onion for about 20 minutes until deep golden and richly caramelized. Stir often - constantly at the end - to prevent burning. Drain briefly on kitchen paper and keep warm.

Place the chopped onion in the baking dish, add the thyme, bay leaves, white wine and water, and season with salt and pepper. Place fish on top, cover with foil and bake for about 8 minutes until choked. Lift fish from the baking dish, place on warm plates and keep warm.

Strain all the juices into a small saucepanand boil uncovered for about 5 minutes until reduced by half. Add the cream and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes more until the sauce thickens to a coating consistency. Whisk in the remaining butter bit by bit. Add the chives.

To Serve: Spoon onion on top of the fish, pour a little sauce around and serve the rest separately. Serve with new potatoes. Serves 4

Panfried Linefish and Roasted Vegetables with Caper and Butter Sauce

4 x 200 g portions filleted linefish

500 g new potatoes

1 brinjal (about 300 g), cut in half and sliced about 5 mm thick

olive oil, salt, milled black pepper, butter
2 courgettes, sliced about 5 mm thick

2 ripe tomatoes, cut in half and sliced

15 ml finely chopped garlic

50 g drained capers

freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

Cook the potatoes in their jackets in salted boiling water. Cool and peel.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the brinjals, courgettes, and tomatoe until limp and golden. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat 50 g butter in a non-stick frying pan and gently fry the potatoes until golden. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Add a little more butter to the pan an fry the fish until browned on both sides and cooked through. Place on warm serving plates with the vegetables.

Add another 80 g butter to the pan. When it foams, add the capers and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the fish and serve immediately. 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

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

Mr Bray's Favorite Salmon

4 x 140 g portions filleted Norwegian salmon, skinned

olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, milled black pepper

100 ml Fish Stock (page 209)

45 ml Vermouth

30 ml dry white wine

50 g finely chopped onion

250 ml cream

30 ml medium cream sherry

50 g finely chopped leek (white part only) 30 g butter

chopped fresh chives

Cut the salmon into thin escalopes and fan on four heat-proof serving plates. Brush with a little olive oil, and flavour with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Place the fish stock, Vermouth, wine and chopped onion in a medium saucepan and boil uncovered until the liquid has reduced to 30 ml. Strain into clean saucepan, pressing out all the moisture. Discard the onion.

Add the cream, sherry and leek to the reduction, bring to the boil and simmer uncovered until reduced and thickened to a coating consistency.

Whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile set the oven at 250 'C.

To Serve: Pour sauce over the salmon and bake for about 2¹/2 minutes. Check for doneness, and cook for 1 minute more if necessary. Garnish with chives. Serves 4 as a starter

Fish 'n Pesto

4 x 200 g portions filleted fish; skin on 100 g butter, cut into 4 blockssteamed baby vegetables to serve Season's Dill Beurre Blanc (page 213)

Basil Pesto

500 ml tightly packed basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

50 g toasted pine nuts, almonds or peanuts

150 ml olive oil

(or half olive, half vegetable oil)

100 ml grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese salt and milled black pepper

Basil Pesto: Blend the basil, garlic and pine nuts together in a food processor. Add the oil then mix in the cheese; don't overmix or the mixture may 'curdle' and spoil the rough texture. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Set the oven at 250°C. Lightly oil four large pieces of foil. Place fish portions in the centre of each. Coat with a little pesto, top with a block of butter, and wrap to make a parcel; don't make it too tight around the fish as it needs to steam inside.

Bake for about 8 minutes (for linefish like rock cod; a little less if you choose to use a fish like salmon, kob or Cape salmon).

To Serve: Place baby vegetables on warm plates with fish on top. Serve with dill beurre blanc.

Serves 4

Mussels in Snail Pots

12 black mussels, scrubbed and debearded vegetable oil

¹12 onion, finely chopped

4 ripe tomatoes, blanched, skinned and finely chopped

salt and milled black pepper

12 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

125 ml white wine

grated mozzarella cheese

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onion until golden. Add the tomato and simmer gently until soft. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and add the basil.

Bring the wine to the boil in a separate saucepan, add the mussels, cover and cook until they open wide. Discard any which remain shut. Remove and discard shells, gently pull out any beards which remain, and place mussels in the hollows of snail dishes.

Spoon over the tomato mixture, sprinkle generously with mozzarella and place under a hot grill until the cheese is golden. Serves 2 as a starter

Crayfish in a Cinzano and Mustard Sauce

2 large crayfish

15 ml butter

4 spring onions, finely chopped

125 ml Cinzano Bianco 250ml cream

15 rill Dijon mustard

salt, milled black pepper, grated nutmeg

60 ml soft breadcrumbs

30 ml grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the crayfish in boiling water for 6-10 minutes, depending on size. Scrub shells clean under running water and split lengthwise in half to open wide and fan the tails. Remove flesh from tails and bodies, devein, and cut the meat into chunks. Rinse shells, pat dry and place on a baking tray. Fill with crayfish meat, cover with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out, and keep warm.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and lightly fry the spring onion. Pour in the Cinzano and boil uncovered until reduced and syrupy. Slowly whisk in the cream and boil until the sauce

thickens. Add the mustard, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Pour Cinzano and mustard sauce evenly over the crayfish, sprinkle with crumbs and Parmesan cheese and place under a hot grill until hot and golden. Serves 2

Fillet of Sole with Dill, Cucumber and Butter Sauce

4 medium soles, (575 g-700 g), filleted and skinned

15 ml Pernod

150 ml white wine

freshly squeezed juice of '12 lemon salt and milled black pepper

¹/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

75 g butter, cut into blocks

15 ml chopped fresh dill

dill fronds for garnish

Set the oven at 190°C. Butter an oven proof casserole. Fold each sole fillet in three to make a neat parcel and place in the dish.

Gently warm the Pernod and wine in a small saucepan, flame, add the lemon juice and pour over the fish. Season with salt and pepper, top with cucumber, cover and bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked.

Place fish on four warm plates. Pour the cooking liquid into a clean saucepan and boil uncovered until reduced and syrupy. Whisk in the butter, add the chopped dill, and pour over the fish. Garnish with dill fronds and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Oyster Soup

48 oysters

olive oil, salt, milled black pepper

100 g chopped onion 100 ml white wine

15 ml chopped fresh fennel

1 litre Fish Stock (page 209)

1 litre Mussel Stock

70 g butter

70 g (150 ml) cake flour 125 ml cream

chopped chives for garnish

Carefully open the oysters over a bowl to retain the liquor. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan and fry the onion until translucent. Add the wine, fennel and oysters, with their liquid. Bring to the boil, then strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a clean pot. Discard onion and fennel. Add the fish stock.

Gently rinse the oysters to any grit.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat and blend in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until a sandy texture is obtained. Cool.

Bring the stock to the boil. Slowly whisk it into the flour and butter mixture over moderate heat until smooth and thicked. Season with salt and pepper. Bring o the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. dd the oysters and heat through.

To Serve: Ladle soup into warm bowls opped with lightly whipped cream and chives.

Serves 8

Linefish Bakedin a Reunion Parcel

6 x 180 g portions filleted linefish, skinned salt, milled black pepper, olive oil

200 g green ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

200 g onion, peeled and roughly chopped

100 g garlic cloves, peeled

1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green pepper, seeded and sliced into julienne strips

12 sheets phyllo pastry

(large enough to enclose fish and filling) melted butter

1 egg yolk

Reunion Sauce

butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, blanched and finely chopped 5 ml turmeric

500 ml cream

250 g butter, cut into blocks

'/2 bunch fresh coriander, chopped

Place the fish on a greased baking tray and grill under a hot grill until lightly coloured. (Don't cook it through, as it will be finished in the oven.) Season. lightly with salt and pepper. Cool.

Grind together the ginger, onion and garlic in a food processor. Panfry in a little olive oil with the yellow, green and red pepper until soft. Cool.

Reunion Sauce: Heat a little butter in a medium saucepan and fry the onion, tomato and turmeric until the vegetables are soft. Add the cream and simmer uncovered until reduced by half. Whisk in the butter block by block. Add the chopped coriander.

Set the oven at 180° C. Place 6 sheets of phyllo pastry on a worktop, brush with melted butter and place another sheet on top in the shape of a star.

Spoon on the ginger/pepper mix, then a portion of linefish. Enclose in pastry and brush with egg yolk. Place in a greased baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes until cooked.

To Serve: Place fish parcels on warm plates and pour a little Reunion sauce around.

Serves 6

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