Norwegian Salmon with Scallops and Black Noodles

6 x 200 g portions Norwegian salmon;

skin on

Court Bouillon

400 g black noodles 5 ml chopped onion vegetable oil

15 saffron threads

30 ml chopped shiitake mushrooms

300 g scallops with roe (coral)

250 ml Fish Velouté

125 ml cream

30 ml butter

chopped chives and fresh basil leaves

for garnish

Poach the salmon in simmering court bouillon for 8-10 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

Cook the noodles in salted, boiling water for about 10 minutes until tender. Drain.

In a non-stick frying pan fry the onion in hot oil until translucent.

Add the saffron, mushrooms, scallops and fish velouté and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes until the scallops are cooked. Stir in the cream and heat through.

Just before serving, fry the noodles in the butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Pile on plates with salmon, with the sauce spooned over. Garnish with chopped chives and fresh basil leaves. Serves 6

Thai Green Seafood Curry

2 scallops with roe (coral)

12 medium prawns, shelled and deveined butter

15 ml finely chopped onion

2 carrots, cut into julienne strips

2 courgettes, finely sliced

250 ml sliced shiitaki mushrooms

250 ml fresh bean sprouts

125 ml softened sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

30 ml commercial green curry paste

15 ml chopped fresh coriander

15 ml chopped fresh lemon grass stalks

12 fresh green chilli, seeded and sliced salt and milled black pepper

sesame seeds and chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Melt butter in a non-stick frying pan and fry scallops and prawns over very gentle heat until they stiffen. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the onion, carrot, courgettes, mushrooms, bean sprouts and sun-dried tomatoes to the pan (with a little extra butter if necessary) and stir-fry until slightly softened.

Add the green curry paste, chopped coriander, lemon grass and chilli, and season with salt and pepper.

Return scallops and prawns to the pan and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until done.

Pile the curry into a serving dish and garnish with sesame seeds and coriander leaves. Serve with rice flavoured with garlic and shredded fresh basil leaves. 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

Fish Chermoula

8 x 200 g portions filleted kingklip, hake or linefish, skinned

Chermoula

125 ml finely chopped onion

2 ml ground cumin

2 ml chilli powder

125 ml chopped fresh coriander leaves

125 ml olive oil

30 ml boiling water

10 ml finely grated lemon rind

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 ml paprika

2 ml ground saffron

125 ml chopped fresh parsley

125 ml couscous

30 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice salt and milled black pepper

Set the oven at 200°C. Butter a baking tray. Combine the chermoula ingredients in a bowl. Dip in the fish fillets to coat completely, place on the tray and bake for 10-12 minutes until the fish is done and the topping is lightly coloured. Serve with a fresh garden salad or steamed, buttered vegetables.

Serves 8

Crayfish Indienne

1 litre Court Bouillon

3 crayfish

3 medium, ripe, stringless mangoes small lemon leaves for garnish

Sauce Indienne

250 ml Mayonnaise

7 ml mild Madras curry powder

5 ml castor sugar

freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring court bouillon to the boil in a large saucepan, add the crayfish and cook for 6-8 minutes, depending on size. Remove from the pot and place on a board. Strain the liquid into a shallow container.

Cut crayfish in half down the back and clean well. Place into the cool stock, cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Sauce Indienne: Mix together the ingredients until well blended.

To Serve: Cut off two 'cheeks' from each mango (don't peel), score the flesh and gently invert the skin to force the flesh up, displaying neat cubes.

Nap plates with sauce Indienne, place mango in the centre, and crayfish alongside. Garnish the mango with lemon leaves.

Serves 6

Provençal Baked Grunter

If grunter is not available, substitute another linefish.

1 whole grunter, gutted and cleaned; about 4 kg

salt and milled black pepper

125 ml stoned black olives

1 English cucumber, cut into julienne strips

fresh herbs for garnish

Provencal Sauce

80 ml olive oil

4 onions, sliced Chinese-style

1 red pepper, seeded and cut

into julienne strips

1 green pepper, seeded and cut

into julienne strips

1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut

into julienne strips

3 cloves garlic, crushed

5 ml chopped fresh oregano

15 ml chopped fresh dill

500 ml Italian Passata (available in tetrapacks at good supermarkets and delicatessens)

Provençal Sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and red, green and yellow pepper for about 3 minutes until lightly coloured. Add the garlic, oregano, dill and passata. Simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes until thickened.

Set the oven at 180°C. Oil a large sheet of heavy foil. Score the fish with three diagonal slashes on each side, cutting about 1 cm deep.

Place on the foil, season with salt and pepper, cover with Provençal sauce, sprinkle with olives and seal well to prevent moisture loss.

Place on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes. Test for doneness; the fish is cooked when you can remove any of the dorsal fins with the inner bone attached.

To Serve: Unwrap the fish, place on a warm serving platter and garnish with cucumber and fresh herbs.

Serves 8