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

Grilled Kabeljou with Roasted Pepper Sauce and Black Olives

4 x 200 g portions filleted kabeljou

(or another linefish), skinned melted butter and olive oil 125 ml stoned black olives fresh basil for garnish

Red Pepper Sauce

2 large, plump red peppers, grilled butter

60 ml finely chopped onion

5 ml grated green ginger

30 ml finely chopped spring onion 'l2 head Roasted Garlic (page 208)

250 ml chicken or Fish Stock (page 209) 5 ml finely grated orange rind

60 ml freshly squeezed orange juice 10 ml rice vinegar

sugar, salt, milled black pepper 2 ml paprika

30 ml cream (optional)

Red Pepper Sauce: Char the peppers all over under a hot grill until the skin blisters. Enclose in a plastic bag to cool slightly, then pull off the skin, and gentlyscrape away core and seeds. Purée smoothly. (If you wish, char and peel extra peppers and store in the fridge covered in oil. Use in salads or as part of an antipasto table.)

Heat butter in a medium saucepan and gently fry the onion until translucent. Add the ginger and spring onion. Gently squeeze the roasted garlic from the skins into the pan, and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in the stock, orange rind, orange juice and vinegar, and season with sugar, salt, pepper and paprika. Stir in the cream and red pepper purée and reheat.

Place fish on an oiled baking tray and brush liberally with melted butter and olive oil (use a good tablespoon per portion). Place under a hot grill for a few minutes to brown. Turn the fish and grill until done.

To Serve: Spoon red pepper sauce on each warm plate, place fish alongside and garnish with olives and fresh basil. 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