Tuna Fish Pilaf

A very tasty supper dish, this, using tinned tuna - the real stuff, in my view. Anyhow, for two people you'll need:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely sliced
8 oz long-grain rice
salt and pepper
1 pint of chicken stock
1/2 oz butter
8 oz mushrooms, coarsely chopped
squeeze of lemon juice
1 tin tuna fish, flaked

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and cook until soft.

Add the rice and fry it off for a few minutes until the rice is transparent.

Season and add the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, and cover tightly and simmer for 20 minutes.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the mushrooms and the lemon juice. Toss over a brisk heat for 2 minutes.

Serve up the rice and spoon over the mushrooms and the fish.

Enjoy with a nicely chilled Sauvignon Blanc!

Cabernet Poached Haddock Fillet with Caramelised Onion Glaze

I know, I know, another fish dish. But this one gives the lie to the notion that you can't serve red wine with fish. In fact, you actually cook the fish in Cabernet Sauvignon - and what goes better as an accompaniment than the rest of the bottle? I believe this is actually based on a Gordon Ramsey recipe, but whatever you might think of him, I promise this meal is a real treat.

What you'll need:

* Two 8-10 oz of skinless haddock fillets
* A generous glass of Cabernet Sauvignon
* 1 - 2 yellow onions, sliced thinly
* 1 - 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons of olive oil

First, heat the oil over a low heat in a frying pan, and add the onions and cook very slowly for about 30 minutes until they're soft and gently browned.

While the onions are doing, heat your oven to 375 degrees F. Put the fish into a large glass ovenproof dish (big enough to take the fillets). Pour enough wine over the fish until it's just covered and pop it into the oven for approximately 30 minutes.

Remove the cooked fish from the oven. Turn up the heat under the onions and pour the wine off the fish into the frying pan and let the liquid reduce by half (keeping the fish warm). Then add the sugar and reduce further until it becomes a little syrupy.

Serve with seasonal English asparagus and either baked sweet potatoes, or if like us, you don't care for sweet potatoes, new potatoes, Jersey Royals for preference. Excellent!

Mackerel in a Cider Sauce

It surprises me how many people don't care for oily fish - it really can be so tasty. And it's good for you, too! This recipe uses mackerel which can sometimes have tiresome bones in it if the filleting hasn't been done carefully enough. It may be easier to have the fish cleaned and headed, and then to remove the backbone yourself - just lift it out carefully and the little bones should come away with it. Once this ticklish bit is done the rest is dead simple and the result is really delicious.

For 2 people you'll need:

2 mackerel, prepared as above
75ml/2.5 fl.oz dry cider
15ml/1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1 bay leaf
juice of 1 lemon
1 bouquet garni
salt and pepper

And what you do:

Pop the fish in an ovenproof dish. Pour in the cider, the tarragon vinegar, the lemon juice; chuck in the bay leaf, the bouquet garni and season. Stick it into an preheated oven (180c/350F or Gas Mark 4) and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. That's it!
Boiled new potatoes and garden peas go with it superbly. Enjoy it with a nice bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Excellent!

Chicken Fajitas

This is one of those versatile dishes that can be eaten either as a snack, by themselves, or with a helping of vegetables, as a main meal. We usually have them as the latter. Essentially, this is a spicy stir fry which is then wrapped up in tortillas. Simple and very tasty.

For 4 people, you'll need:

4 chicken breasts
4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
3 coloured peppers
1 large sliced onion
2 tablespoons oil
2 Oxo Mexican stock cubes (if these are unavailable you can take 2 teaspoons of plain flour, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoons paprika, black pepper, a splash of tomato puree)
2 chicken stock cubes
4 flour tortillas

Crumble to chicken stock cubes into 150ml hot water. Cut the peppers into strips and stir fry with the onions in 1 tablespoon of oil for 4 minutes; remove from pan and set aside. Cut the chicken into strips and stir fry in another 1 tablespoon of oil for 4 minutes. Crumble in the Mexican stock cubes, stir in chicken stock, tomato ketchup and return the vegetables. Toss them together over a high heat for 1 minute. Spoon onto warm tortillas and wrap them loosely into parcels. Serve immediately. They go great with new potatoes and tinned sweetcorn.

New England Fish Chowder

Another great winter warmer, this. We really enjoyed it. A chowder, I think, is a kind of fish stew, and although pretty well any kind of filleted white fish will do, I used cod. And if you don't want to use crabmeat, well, try it prawns instead. What's more, the whole thing only takes about an hour to do. So, why not give it a try?

For 2 - 3 people you will need:

1/2 lb cod fillet
1 medium onion
1/4 lb potatoes
1 oz mushrooms
1 1/2 oz bacon, fattier the better
1/2 oz butter
1 level dessertspoonful flour
1/4 pint milk
1 oz chopped crabmeat (tinned)
Salt and black pepper
Lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

What to do:

Wash the fish and check it for any remaining bones, then cut it into three of four pieces. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/2 inch cubes, trim and slice the mushrooms. Boil 1/2 pint of water, add a little salt and the fish and simmer it over a low heat for 10 minutes. Drain the fish and set the liquid aside. Cut up the bacon into small bits, and fry it in a pan over a low heat until the fat runs. Add the butter and continue frying until the bacon crispens up. Add the potatoes, onion and mushrooms to the bacon and fry for a further 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flour, then gradually add the milk. Bring the mixture to simmering point stirring continually, then stir in about 2/3rds of the fish stock. Add the fish, which will break up by itself, and the crabmeat. Simmer for 10 minutes, season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and lemon juice. Stir in the parsley.

Serve up piping hot, and enjoy it with crusty bread.

Cheese and Bacon Macaroni

Another comforting dish, very warming on cold December evening. I use condensed soup for my stock, and it really works well. Why not try it?

What you'll need for 2 people:

1/2 oz butter
8 oz bacon, roughly chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 tin of Campbell's condensed cream of celery soup
1/8 pint milk
6 oz macaroni, boiled
salt and pepper
3 oz grated cheese
1/2 tbsp breadcrumbs

And to top it off:

1/2 tin of plum tomatoes, heated and well drained

Boil up the macaroni as instructed on the packet, then drain and set aside. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and fry the chopped bacon and onion until cooked, but not browned. Add the soup and milk and mix well. Stir in the macaroni and seasoning and bring to the boil. Add half the cheese. Pour the mixture in a buttered ovenproof dish. Top with the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Place under a medium grill for 6 - 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve with the plum tomatoes and some garlic bread.

Cheesy Salmon Bake

Tasty, quick and easy. What more can I say? (I know, I know, another fishy dish!)

To serve 2 you'll need:

4 oz frozen spinach, thawed
Salt and pepper
A little grated nutmeg
2 smallish tomatoes, sliced
213 gram tin of salmon, drained and flaked
1 oz of breadcrumbs
1 oz of Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 oz of butter or margarine

and if you insist on a garnish:

lemon slices and tomato slices

1. Make sure the spinach is properly thawed and squeeze out as much water as you can. Arrange it in the base of an overproof dish, season it with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

2. Arrange the tomato slices over the top, and then cover with the flaked salmon.

3. Mix the breadcrumbs and cheese together and sprinkle over the fish.

4. Dot with butter or margarine and bake in a moderately hot oven (200c, gas 6) for 25 minutes or until it goes crisp and golden on top.

A good serving suggestion is soured cream and chopped chives.