Fresh Cod Fillets with Potatoes Cooked In a Rose Wine Sauce

Recipe Ingredients:(Good for 4 people)

• 4-6 cod fillets (no bones or skins)
  
• 8 medium potatoes (peeled and sliced)
• 1/2 bottle of rose wine (the bottle being 750ml)
  
• 1 large white onion (finely chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 heaped soup spoons of fresh coriander (chopped)
• 1 fish stock cube (knorr or similar)
• 100mls fresh cream
  
• 1 soup spoon of butter
  
• 1 soup spoon of plain flour diluted in half a glass of water
  
• a little olive oil, rock salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

A very simple preparation, place a pan with a little olive oil a pinch of rock salt and a pinch o black pepper on the heat, once well heated add there the garlic and the onion, stirring it frequently let it get golden (caramelized a little). Once that happens add the sliced potatoes and the rose whine and on top of those place the fish, adding a little more black pepper and a little salt over each fish fillet, put a lid on and once it starts to boil reduce to minimum allowing it to simmer for around 20miutes, to turn the sauce simply move the pan around with an angle (don't use spoons as to not break the potatoes or fillets).

After the 20 minutes remove the lid and add the butter and fresh cream as well as the flour and water mix (add more water if necessary), but mix the sauce again by swirling the pan do this occasionally until the sauce thickens which then means is time to put in the coriander and a couple of swirls of the pan, put the lid back on let it simmer a further 3 minutes and is ready to serve.

I wanted it this simple, obviously nothing stops you from adding to the cooking some carrot cauliflower broccoli etc... it really is up to you, but I really enjoyed the simplicity of this dish and the superb smooth silky textures and mild tastes it offered.

Fruit Salad with Port Wine

Recipe Ingredients:

• 1 Round Melon (cut into two halves, flesh removed and cut into pieces)
  
• 3 Fleshy Oranges (segments removed without skin, pip's or membranes)
  
• 1 bunch of grapes seedless (cut in halves)
  
• 1 banana (cut in slices)
  
• 1 Red apple (cut in quarters and then slice with the skin)
  
• 1 tin of pineapple (or half of fresh pineapple) (cubed)
  
• 1 Ripe peach (cut into little pieces)
  
• 1/2 fresh orange juice
  
• 1/2 pineapple juice
  
• juice of a whole lemon
  
• 2 shots of Port wine
  
• pinch of cinnamon
  
• a couple of scrapes of nutmeg
  
• 1 soup spoon full of denmerra sugar
  

The preparation is simple, just mix all the chopped up fruit in a ceramic bowl, the melon skins should be immediately refrigerated after the flesh is scooped out. Then mix into the fruit all the liquids and condiments. and leave these to mature and ferment for a minimum of two hours (I prefer leaving them overnight) in the fridge.

Then you present the salad in the chilled melon halves, or in small ramekins etc, you you'd like to indulge you can also place a spoon of clotted cream on each serving on top and a mint leave.

Liver and Onions "classic" with Fresh cream and Spring Onion Mash

Receita em Português AQUI

Recipe Ingredients: (enough for 2)

• 1 large onion (thinly sliced)
  
• 2 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
• 2 bay leaves (cut in half)
• 1 glass of white wine
• 300grs ox liver
• 4 large potatoes (pealed and quartered)
  
• 4 spring onions (thinly chopped)
  
• 100mls single cream
• 1 soup spoon of butter
• a pinch of nutmeg powder (or grate a little)
• salt and pepper to taste (also a little milk if you find mash too thick)
• a glug of olive oil

I am aware you all may know this recipe already as is a classic, but I am sure some people do not.
Peal and quarter the four large potatoes, put them in a pan with water, place it on the stove on high, once reaches boil reduce it to min, and let it boil gently, should take about 15-20 minutes till fully cooked. Once cooked drain the potatoes, place them in a bowl and mash them, once that is done add the butter, fold it in till it melts and mixes well, then add the fresh cream (salt and pepper to taste) nutmeg and spring onions, fold it in again and the mash is done ...simple hey!!!

As to the liver you should start cooking this after you put the potatoes boiling so all comes out at the same time, but about an hour prior to cooking the liver you should have it marinading in a bowl with the wine garlic and a little salt. Put a pan on the stove on high with a good glug of olive oil.

Once it gets very hot add the onions and a little salt and pepper, keep stirring and allow the onions to caramelize a little, once that happens shift them to one side and add the liver slices one by one, and as soon as it seals turn them over, as soon as it seals on that side too, add the marinade liquid to the pan mix it all in with the livers, once it starts boiling the livers will release a little blood which will help to thicken the lovely sauce, be sure not to cook them for too long about 3-4 minutes after sealed should be sufficient as they should be pink in the middle (that is quite safe) and this way they will remain soft and tender.

If you prefer well cooked, so be it but be aware that the livers will be a lot harder consistency, the secret to softness is to me medium cooked, still pink in the middle, arrange it on the plate with plenty of sauce and some onions on top as well as some mash, which you can dip into the sauce and have fun...

Chilli con Quorn over Pasta Shells (vagetarian)

Receita em Português AQUI

Very easy recipe that I do repeat several times during the month, as my wife is a vegetarian, and this turns out very similar to the meat one (my opinion) I also enjoy it too. The kids are not so keen, don't take me wrong they still like it but called it fake meat and say would prefer with real meat.

• 2 red chillies (finely sliced) medium hot
  
• 1/2 red pepper and 1/2 green pepper (diced)
• 1 onion diced
  
• 1 large carrot (thinly sliced)
  
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  
• 1 soup spoon tomato concentrate
  
• 1 tin of tomatoes (diced) can also use fresh ones but de-seed them and remove the skin first about 3 large will do (diced)
  
• 1 tin mixed beans (or just kidney beans will do)
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1 tea spoon full of cumin powder
  
• 300grs of Quorn (or alternatively soya mince)
  
• 400grs of pasta shells (cooked in water with two crushed garlic cloves)
  
• 1/2 glass of white wine
  
• 4 soup spoons of olive oil
  

Well this recipe is very simple, place the oil in pan and once very hot add the following: Onion, Garlic, chilly, peppers, carrots, cumin powder, salt and black pepper (to taste), let it all cook stirring occasionally until the onion is semi transparent, at this stage add the tomato, the tomato concentrate and the wine, reduce to medium heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Now add the Quorn or Soya and let it continue to simmer stirring occasionally for a further 5 minutes, at the of which you add the beans and let it continue to simmer for a further 3-5 minutes more and the sauce is ready. So remember to put the pasta on cooking around the time you added the Quorn to the sauce.

Once all is ready place the pasta on the plate (you can also do this with rice or Bulgar or even cus cus) and pour a good couple of serving spoons over the pasta, (optionally) you can add some grated cheddar and a little Parmesan on top. makes it just delicious, of course is also good without it. For a meat one just replace the Quorn with beef or pork or lamb mince.

Tip: for fairly hot use the whole chillies sliced, if less heat is required just cat the chillies in half and remove the seeds and the white veins, before cooking them.

Pan Fried Chicken Fillets w/ Butter Sauce and Spring Onions

Recipe Ingredients:

• 400grs chicken boneless and skinless mini fillets
• the juice of 1/2 lemon
  
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/3 glass white wine
• 400grs spaghetti (100% durum wheat)
• 3 spring onions sliced
• 1/3 glass milk
• 2 soup spoons of butter
• salt and black pepper to taste
• a little olive oil
• 1 heaped tea spoon of plain flour dissolve in water
  

Way easy and quick, and very...very cheap. Boil the spaghetti as normal it will take about 12 minutes to be cooked.

While that is doing, put a large frying pan on the stove on high temp, add a couple of glugs of oil, and once hot add the chicken fillets (previously seasoned with garlic, the lemon juice, salt and pepper and left to marinade for 1/2 hour).

They'll immediately start to sizzle, and therefore require turning around fairly quickly to seal the meat (the reason why is important to seal is that the meat becomes this way more juicy and moist as if the outside is sealed the moisture and juices inside will escape at a much slower pace), once sealed cook well on both sides until it goes a golden colour (see photo) once that happens on both sides it is done remove them and let them rest only time enough to make the sauce.

For which you deglaze the pan, which means you pull out the stuck to the pan chicken stock by pouring the wine in and rubbing it around with a wooden spoon, which will make the wine go a brownish colour, at this stage add the butter and as soon as it all melts add the milk and the dissolved flour, this will thicken the butter cream, ready to pour over the edges of the pasta and chicken (see photo) finally you put the sliced spring onions over the edges of the pasta and chicken, this is not only a good garnish it also provides an excellent flavour and texture once mixed in with the sauce, pasta and meat while eating. bon apetit...