Fish and Chips Rico Way

Once again I am picking another great British dish and making it mine with super flavour and textures.

Recipe Ingredients: (for two)

• 2 cod fillets (skinned)
• 4 medium potatoes (with the skin cut into wedges)
• 1/2 a glass of flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 150mls sun-flour oil
  
• some coarse sea salt, black pepper, 1 tea spoon of dehydrated parsley, some olive oil

Place a pan with some boiling water and a pinch of salt on the stove medium heat to keep water boiling, put the potato wedges in and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. After this drain the wedges and place them in a bowl (meanwhile switch the oven on 200c until hot), add to the wedges 3 soup spoons of olive oil + 2 tea spoons of coarse sea salt and 2 tea spoons of the dehydrated parsley, toss it all until well mixed, distribute these wedges on a baking tray with the wedge up on each potato piece, place them in the oven and let them cook for 30-35 minutes.

Ten minutes before the potatoes are done pour the sunflower oil into a deep frying pan and let it get very hot. Meanwhile put the flour in a bowl + a pinch of coarse salt a little pepper and the tea spoon of baking powder, add some water to the consistency of thick runny yoghurt with the aid of a balloon whisk, dip the fillets in the batter and let them get a thick covering rubbing excess on the sides of the bowl and place them in the frying pan the oil should cover them.

Fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown, then place them on a plate with a few kitchen towels to drain the excess fat, then just serve them with the chips (wedges) and a dollop of tartar sauce (optionally you can boil some peas and have them like that or mush them with a couple of mint leaves and some lemon juice and serve on the side)

Also the batter if you prefer instead of water you can add some beer instead for a lighter texture and more flavoursome batter, although I like the simplicity of this one I made.

The Perfect Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy

A very, very traditional British meal made luxurious and super delicious.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 6 fresh sausages (minimum 65% pork shoulder, preferable)
• 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
  
• 4 large potatoes (pealed and cut into small cubes for fast cooking)
  
• 2 heaped spoons of Gravy powder
• 1 bunch of chopped parsley
• 1 soup spoon of butter
• 1/4 tea spoon of ground nutmeg
• 1 small glass of milk
• olive oil salt and pepper (sufficient)
  

Butterfly cut all the sausages (slice them down the middle without separating the halves). Then put a non stick frying pan on the stove at medium heat with a little olive oil. Once hot add the sliced onion and stir occasionally until it starts to get golden.

While that is happening put a pan on the stove with boiling water and place the cubed potatoes inside (+a little salt) and boil them till cooked.

On the frying pan now that the onions started to caramelize move the onion to one side and place the sausages split down first in the pan then cover them with the onions, and let them cook for about 3-4 minutes, after that turn them and let the onions fall under the sausages and cook for another 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally. This will allow the sausages to cook but more importantly will allow the onions to caramelize further.

Now the potatoes should be cooked so strain them and at the same times remove the sausages from the pan (dish them in pre heated plates to conserve them hot) leaving only the onions. Add to the onions a large glass of water with the gravy powder diluted in it, and bring it to the boil until the gravy thickens and infuses with the caramelized onions and sausage meat flavours from the pan.

While the gravy is making, mash the potatoes with the potato masher, once smooth add the butter + the parsley + the milk and nutmeg and mix well.

Than dish it all and eat this simple traditional yet super delicious meal. :)

Quorn "Meat" Balls with Tomato and Mint Sauce

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)

• 1 pkt of Quorn balls (these can also be soya balls or any other vegetarian substitute, in the case of not being able to find these you can use full button mushrooms about 300 grs, or real meat)
• 300 grs spaghetti
  
• 1 diced onion
  
• 1 large diced courgette
  
• 1 very finely diced carrot
  
• 2 garlic cloves minced
  
• 1 piece of ginger root the size of a garlic piece minced
  
• 2 finely chopped medium hot chillies
  
• 1 vegetable stock cube
  
• 1 can of Italian plum tomatoes diced
  
• 1 soup spoon of paprika
  
• 11 chopped fresh mint leaves
  
• a little bunch of chopped parsley
  
• 4 soup spoons of fresh single cream (I used very little as I wish this dish to be healthy)
• a little olive oil, salt and black pepper (to taste)
  

To cook the spaghetti put a pan on the stove with some water and a little salt and vegetable oil (a couple of soup spoons full), the salt will enhance the spaghetti flavour and the oil will stop the water over-frothing when boiling the pasta due to the starch in the spaghetti. This will take 10-12 minutes to be fully cooked which should be enough time to do the sauce.

To do the sauce I used a wok pan, with a little olive oil on the stove high temp, once hot I added the, onion, courgette, garlic, carrot, ginger and chilli + seasoning. Once the onion is semi-transparent (around 4 minutes add the Quorn balls, stock cube and tomatoes, bring this to the boil and reduce heat to medium let it cook another 6-10 minutes at this stage add the cream and mint cook for a further 1-2 minutes, remove from the heat and add the parsley, mix well and serve over the spaghetti. Enjoy!!!

Angel Hair Pasta with Salmon and Hake Soup

Recipe Ingredients: (eneugh for 4 people)

• 4-5 "balls" of Angel Hair Pasta (about 200grs)
• 150grs hake+ 150grs salmon (other fish can be chosen and use even more varieties) (cut the fish in small cubes)
  
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 carrot (finely chopped)
• 1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
• 1 piece of ginger (finely chopped)
• 1 bunch of parsley "or coriander" (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tomato pulp "passata"
• 1 cube of chicken or fish stock (fish stock is better)
  
• Salt, Black Pepper, paprika, chilli powder (a pinch of each)
• Olive oil and water (sufficient)

I made the sauce in the Wok, putting there a little olive oil, that once it reached hot temp, I added the onion, carrot, garlic & ginger, letting these cook until golden (stirring occasionally), once they reached that stage I added the fish and stir it occasionally only by tossing avoiding using wooden spoon, continued tossing occasionally but letting the fish to cook for around 2-3 minutes, as the fish cooks quickly.

At this point I've added the a pinch of each condiment, salt, b. Pepper, paprika chilli powder as well as the tomato pulp plus 2 glasses of water and the Angel hair pasta which I crushed with my hands to become just small bits of pasta I also added the stock cube. Then I let this cook for around 5-7 minutes, finally I turned the heat off and added the chopped herb (parsley or coriander) also added a few mint leaves that not only improve the visual they improve flavour and help digestion, I also toasted a few bits of bread and made some croutons, for a lovely soup meal. Enjoy!!

Courgette Risotto (vegetarian)

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4)

• 400grs Risotto rice (American Long Grain will also work)
  
• 1 courgette (sliced into little cubes)
• 150grs Button Mushrooms (if bigger cut in halves) please do not use canned..not the same.
  
• 1 large onion (finely diced)
  
• 1 Garlic Clove (minced)
  
• 1 Vegetable stock cube (Oxo is fine or Knorr)
  
• 1 heaped soup spoon of chopped up parsley.
  
• a little olive oil
  
• 25-30grs butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 3 soup spoons of fresh single cream
  
• (optional) shavings of cured parmesan cheese (optional extravagant) shavings of Truffle
  

Place a pan on the stove with enough olive oil to cover the bottom, once hot add the, onion, garlic, courgette and seasoning (salt and pepper), let them cook stirring it occasionally once the onion is semi-transparent add the rice, stirring it to be completely covered in the olive oil, let the rice cook around 3 minutes stirring frequently, this will make the rice thirsty and ready to start absorbing the stock, you make this by adding the stock cube to about 70dcl of warm water, making sure is well dissolved. So you add some stock just enough to cover the rice and continuously stir, as it dries add a little more stock and so on until it finishes,but when you have used 2/3 of the stock is time to add the mushrooms and the butter, and then continue the process as before.


The risotto requires that the rice is fully cooked but still firm in the grain interior, so don't be afraid test and taste it as you cook, you'll know when is right for you, it should never be overcooked and soft all the way through, once I almost finished cooking I added then the three spoons of fresh cream, and let it cook just one further minute then added the parsley and gave it one last stir, and served it. It is lovely to then put on top for both decoration and flavour the optional bits, just slithers of cured parmesan, or shavings of truffle, or both..hehe you decide how extravagant you wanna be.....It is also lovely with a nice medium dry ice cold white wine...have fun ..is easy and you don't need the optionals to be good... cheers!!!

Somked Hadock Filled Portabello Mushrooms Grattin

Receita em Português AQUI

This was a very delicious meal I was fortunate to prepare. An invention no doubt, and like all inventions I was afraid of failure, but not the case, this was a success with the family.

Recipe Ingredients:(enough for 4)

• 4 Portabello mushrooms (if not portabello large open ones will do)
• 2 Bunches of broccolis spears (about 400grs)
• 400grs mixed red and white new potatoes (cut in half)
  
• 125grs fresh single cream
  
• 2 soup spoons of Gruyère pieces (if not available, extra mature chedar will do"grated")
• 2 soup spoons of mild cheddar (grated)
• 1 glass of milk
  
• 50grs butter
• 1 big bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
  
• 1/2 reb bell pepper (cut into little strips)
• 4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
  
• 300grs smoked hake (no skin and chopped into small cubes)
• 1/2 lemon juice
  
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Olive oil
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Put the potatoes cooking in a pan with a little salt, these will take about 15-20 minutes depending on their size. On another pan cook the broccoli spears, these will take between 7-10 minutes to be cooked so only start cooking these 10 minutes after you have put the potatoes on, once the broccoli is cooked just put a little butter in them (optional).

However before all that you need to prepare the mushrooms as these will take around 20 minutes in the oven (at 200c). So to prepare them drizzle a little olive oil in a large pirex dish to fit all mushrooms or 2 small ones, put the mushrooms upside down in the dish and previously remove the stalk, chopping them into small bits. Now season the mushroom with some salt and pepper, then top it with (dividing by the 4), 2 chopped garlic cloves, chopped mush stalk, the pepper (save a little to also decorate), half of the parsley and the smoked fish, finally the bechamel (see how to make this bechamel bellow) and on the top of the bechamel, the mild cheddar and the remaining pepper for decor.

For the bechamel you place in a little pan, the cream and the milk, let it get very hot at that stage add a little seasoning, salt pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and the Gruyère cheese. Once all melted get 1/3 of a glass with water and mix in a soup spoon of plain flour, once well mixed , pour it into the sauce and stir briskly and the sauce will thicken substantially, should be the consistency of runny mayonnaise.

Once the potatoes are cooked put them in a frying pan with the butter, remaining parsley and remaining garlic and fry them for 3 minutes adding the lemon juice at the end, plate it all up and you're done. Is super delicious I cannot tell you how much you need to make it and find out.

Spring Onion and Parsley Macaroni Cheese

Receita em Português AQUI

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 4 people)

• 400grs Macaroni pasta
• 3 spring onions (chopped fine slices)
• 3 garlic cloves (2 minced, 1 crushed)
  
• 1 glass of milk
• 50grs butter
• 50grs cheddar cheese (grated)
• 1 bunch parsley (chopped coarsely)
  
• salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 1/3 spoon of nutmeg (powder, or grate it yourself)
• 1/3 of a glass with water and a heaped tea spoon of plain flour diluted in it
• 1 glug of vegetable oil
  

This is an easy and delicious winter recipe, that I make all the time when I haven't got much time. not very healthy but is comforting and is definitely a filler.

Put a pan with some boiling water a glug of oil, 1 crushed garlic and a little salt, put the macaroni inside let it boil for 7-10 minutes, once cooked drain and pass through it some boiling water, and drain it again and put it in the sauce.

The sauce is made as follows, put the milk butter a little salt and pepper and the nutmeg in a little saucepan, take to the stove on a medium heat once it starts boiling add the spring onions, and the flour diluted in water, stir it and let it thicken, once it reaches that stage which will take around 2 minutes add the grated cheese and the parley, stir it again for another 1 minute, that will thicken some more. Now place the sauce in the large empty pan where you previously boiled the pasta, add the drained pasta to it, put a little on and let it rest about 2 minutes and serve. If you like a better effect and some crispiness, you may put it in a little pirex tray add a little grated cheese on top and dust also some oregano and goes in the oven 200c for around 10 minutes or under the grill till golden brown on top around 3-5 minutes, you decide...I couldn't wait so I ate it like that.

Meat Balls in a Creamy Coriander Sauce and Oven Fries ( better than Ikea's)

Receita em Portugues AQUI

This one was inspired in the Ikea's Swedish Meatballs.



Recipe Ingredients:

• 400grs beef (minced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 handful of breadcrumbs (you can use old dried brad just grate it)
• 1 whole egg
• half a tumbler glass of cream
• half a tumbler glass of whole milk
• 1 stock cube of chicken (I used Oxo easier to dilute)
• 1 large onion (halved and sliced)
• 1 little bunch of coriander
• 1 little bunch of parsley
• 8 medium potatoes (pealed and chipped)
• some olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 soup spoon of gravy (don't worry if you do not have it as some plain flour and water will do)
  

Throw the chipped potatoes in a pan with water, and par-cook the chips, then place them in a tray and brush them with olive oil and cook them at 200c, occasionally turning them around.

While that is doing, put the minced meat in a bowl, and put there also the parsley finely chopped,, 1 minced garlic clove, a pinch of black pepper and a pinch of salt, the bread crumbs and the egg. With your hands mix it all very well and shape pieces of the meat into balls, and set these aside.

now put a pan on the stove (on high) and pour in a couple of olive oil glugs, once very hot add the sliced onions, and the remaining garlic clove (minced) cook until the onions start to go semitransparent, at this stage add the meat balls and occasionally shake the pan so that the balls turn over and seal.

Once sealed add the gravy and chicken stock cube mixed in a glass of water also adding the cream and the milk, (if still to thick add more milk, if too thin a little more gravy diluted in a little water) + a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper to taste. And about one minute from finishing cooking add the chopped coriander. Is as easy as that, with the chips now ready is just serve and eat... (notice I didn't say how long the chips take, this is because it varies from oven to oven from potato quality to potato quality and even for how long they've been parboiled) But roughly about 20-25 minutes.

Prawns and Cod - Fisherman Rico Style

Receita em Português AQUI

This wasn't a very cheap diner overall, however if you do the account per person it is very cheap as you'd never eat this quality at the price per person. Total cost was around £10.00 and serves 4 people so is about £2.50 per person ... see.

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 4 medium tomatoes (de seeded and skinless, roughly chopped)
• 200grs button mushrooms
• 5 spring onions (chopped)
  
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 red pepper (finely but roughly chopped)
• 500grs Cod (de boned and skinless, chopped into small cubes)
  
• 250grs King Prawns fresh
• 400grs rice (basmati)
• 1 bunch parsley (chopped)
• 3 bay leafs
• 1/3 tea spoon of chilli powder
• 4 soup spoons of olive oil + 2 of vegetable oil
• a measure of Poitín (or Cognac) + 1 measure of Port wine
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Another easy recipe to make, as always and very healthy. Put a pan on the stove and boil the rice, once the rice is boiled place it in a colander draining. While the rice is cooking you can start making the sauce, which is also very simple.

Place another pan on the stove (high) place the oils inside until very hot add then the onion, garlic, bay leafs, red pepper and the salt pepper. Let these ones cook until the onion is caramelized, at this point you add the chilli, tomatoes and button mushrooms, let these cook for another 5 minutes, and now add the tomatoes, fish, spring onions, Port and Poitín. Continuing to cook for a further 3 minutes now add the prawns cook for a further 2 minutes until they cooked through and finally the parsley (saving a little to decorate the dish). And you basically done.

Get the rice and pour boiling water over it, letting it drain again this will make it very loose and fluffy, create a bed of rice in each plate and put some sauce over it and decorate it (see picture).

Also alternatively you can add instead of Poitín and port just a full glass of red wine, that will work too.

Salmon Fetuccini (with an extra)

My apologies for the wait to everyone especially to Chef E.

This is what you all have been waiting for, I need to warn you this is a very seriously delicious meal, and I beg you to make it for you and your family you will not be disappointed.

Actually being winter I am going to be doing a few pasta dishes to delight you all over the coming days!!!

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 glass of milk.
• 100mls double cream.
• 2 soup spoons butter.
• 1/3 freshly ground nutmeg (if already in powder one third of a tea spoon).
• 1/3 tea spoon of freshly ground black pepper.
• 1 tea spoon of sea salt.
  
• 1 measure of white port wine (red will do, or you can use half a glass of white wine).
• 2 heaped soup spoons of plain flour dissolved in a glass of water.
• 4 skinless and boneless wild salmon portions (frozen is best, but you can use fresh)
• a bunch of parsley (finely chopped, equivalent to about 2 soup spoons full)
• 400grs of egg fettuccine (to be cooked "al dente")
• 200grs king prawns (other will do. I used frozen)
• olive oil (see how much is enough)

This was so darn easy, I got inspired by a couple of photos at my local supermarket.
In a large pan put the salt, the milk, the butter, the black pepper and nutmeg, let this come to a boil, turn the fire down to a simmering and add the frozen salmon, make sure milk is boiling gently and after about 3 minutes turn the salmon around, and after another 3 again and again, this until the fish is completely cooked (poached, poaching from frozen I found to produce better fish flakes) once fish cooked take it out onto a plate. Now add the double cream to the milk and the port let it again come to the boil and slow it to simmering and add the prawns, if they already cooked just enough time to make sure they are heated through, if they from raw (which their colour is gray, wait till they turn bright orange and then about 2-3 more minutes.

While that is happening flake the salmon in the plate (make sure the pasta is cooking during this time as it will take about 12 minutes to be "al Dente"). Once the prawns are done raise the temperature and add the flaked fish in and pour half of the glass of water with flour in, always stirring, it will start very quickly start to get thicker, well you want the consistency of bechamel or thick gravy, if to liquid add a little more until it does, if too thick (which I will not believe will be, add a little more milk) once the right thickness add the parsley and turn the fire off, now drain the cooked fettuccine passing it through boiling water and add it to the sauce, mix it well and then dish it, I then dressed it with a little pure virgin olive oil, you can do the same is delicious if you get a very good olive oil, or you can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top or even crumb some Gorgonzola on the top of it ...it is really up to you...but this was the best meal I ever made...apart from the gigantic enchiladas I made some time ago on this blog. YUM YUM!!! please try it.