CRAB CAKES

While flicking through a food magazine last week I was delighted to see an article on American Diner food. Having just come back from living in USA for 6 years it was good to be taken back, to remember the wonderful times we had spent there. Isn't it funny how food has the ability to take you back to times and places in your life. Might not remember what I did last week, but I can clearly remember how good that stew was I ate 15 years ago while on holiday! Strange but true.

When I saw the recipe for crabcakes I knew before the end of the week I would be tucking into them. They had been one of my favourites during my time over there. However, I do not associate them with diners, more with restaurant dining, but that wasn't going to stop me from trying out the recipe.

The next day saw me at my local fishmongers buying the crab. When I explained to him what I wanted it for, he suggested I buy crab claws, they were cheaper, and I figured I could deal with them easier than I could with whole crab. Also, the best crabcakes I ever ate had big lumps of crab throughout the cake, and I knew I could extract big pieces from the claws, or at least hoped I could! Driving home I was already thinking ahead to supper when hopefully I would be tucking into my own homemade crabcakes, and hopefully recounting a few memories.

I was surprised how easily I managed to remove the meat from the claws. After carefully checking for any shell that may have gone astray I was then ready to get started. The recipe is simple, and after an hour, which allowed them to firm up in the fridge, I was frying up my supper. Husband was out of town so this was a treat to be enjoyed alone. I was so happy with the result. They tasted so good. They will definitely be a regular in our house. I am always delighted when a recipe lives up to it's expectation. This is not always the case but in this instance it really did.

350g white crab meat (claws work well)
1 small red onion finely diced
1tsp Dijon mustard
1tsp crushed red peppers
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
125mls mayo
1 beaten egg
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1tbsp grated lemon zest
1tsp tabasco
s&p
oil for frying

Drain any liquid from crab.
Put into large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, holding back 50g of the breadcrumbs for later.
Mix together using your hands. Shape into 12 "cakes". Now dip the cakes in reserved breadcrumbs and put into fridge to firm up for 30mins.

Heat oil until moderately hot and fry cakes for 2-3 mins on each side being careful not to let them burn. Keep warm in oven while you cook them all.

Serve with a slice of lemon and green salad and enjoy.

SALMON PARCEL

Saw a recipe on TV this week for salmon baked in foil parcels. It looked delicious, simple and healthy. And with summer on the way and the shedding of the baggy winter clothes, I thought I should give it a try.

I was lucky enough to buy some Scottish Organic Salmon fillets. It was farmed, but that doesn't worry me. Also it was a pale pink not the bright colour we normally see in salmon. I was looking forward to putting this together.

Serves 4

200mls (1 cup) freshly squeezed orange juice
zest and juice from 2 oranges
2 tbs dark soy sauce
2 red chillies finely chopped
6 spring onions
4 salmon fillets, skin on
1 head pak choi
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
oil for brushing

Pour orange juice and zest and juice from the 2 oranges into a bowl
Add chillies and spring onion
Lay 4 30x30cm (12"x12") double layers of foil. Lay salmon on foil and add two leaves of pak choi to each parcel. Form a foil parcel leaving space for steam inside.
Season the fillets and divide the juice mix between the parcels. Seal tightly.
Oil bottom of parcels and put in hot a non stick frying pan for 5-6 mins. The parcels will puff up and you will hear them simmering.

Carefully remove the parcels and cut open. A delicious aroma will hit you.
I served the salmon with sesame egg noodle with sliced spring onions.

It was a really quick simple dish and I hope you will enjoy trying it. The main thing is not to overcook the salmon. If you see white liquid coming from the fillets then this is the proteins escaping, a sign of overcooked salmon, not very palatable.

I thought this would be a great dish to do on the barbecue now that summer is on the way..

KIPPERS for BRUNCH

This morning we had kippers for Sunday brunch. Already I can hear cries of "what are kippers?" and have to say outside of UK I have not come across them on any menu. Usually they are served for breakfast or at teatime.
So let me enlighten you. They are quite simply smoked herrings. They come in pairs, and I think the reason for this is in the old traditional way of smoking, two, or a pair of kippers as they are referred to, would be tied by the tails and hung over a pole to be smoked in a smoke house. Some of these traditional smoke houses still exist, but due to new food laws, sadly fewer and fewer remain. Nowadays they will be smoked in a factory and come vacuum packed. All that needs to be done is to boil them in the bag for 15 minutes. Easy and delicious. They are soft, smokey very very tasty.
I like them served with scrambled eggs, cooked tomatoes and hot buttered toast. A perfect way to cheer up a grey Sunday morning.
One thing I am really fussy about is my scrambled eggs. They have to be soft, cooked slowly until just set. So often when out I am served hard overcooked eggs. Horrors of horrors are scrambled eggs cooked in a microwave. There should definitely be a law against this practice. It is so easy to cook them properly, there can be no excuses.

SMOKED FISH PATE, my way.

I want to share with you one of my long time favourite pate recipes. It is one I use time and time again and it is always met with good reviews. It can be made up quickly and sits nicely in the fridge, to be picked at when a snack is required, or when friends drop in.

Mostly I find recipes for pates here always start with cream cheese, but I find this makes a pate heavy, and I much prefer lighter mousse like pate. I hope you agree that this fits the bill.

350g(12oz) smoked fish. (I like to use mackerel or trout)
1/2 cup mayo (I use mayo light)
1tsp prepared horseradish
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 egg whites

Remove skin and any bones from the fish. Break into pieces into a processor. I sometimes use my hand blender which works just as well. Process until smooth. Add the mayo, lemon and horseradish. Mix until well incorporated. At this point taste. Sometimes an extra squeeze of lemon or dash of horseradish will be needed. It is just a matter of preference.
Put into a bowl.
Whisk egg whites until stiff.
Carefully fold in about half until well mixed. Now add the rest in parts until you have the required consistency.
Put into a dish and chill until ready to serve.

I'm sure you will agree that it is a simple, quick but impressive dish to put out to friends. I serve with oatcakes,crackers or home made melba toast which is way better than shop bought.
Just toast both sides of white bread. Cut horizontally when ready and then toast the un-toasted side. Watch very carefully as they quickly turn golden and curl up at the edges.

FISH on FRIDAY"S

Habit makes me buy fish on Fridays. Not a bad habit I hasten to add but a habit which must have developed during my early years. Why? Because Friday was the day when a fish van would arrive in our street selling a variety of fish. Not a huge variety, but I remember, cod, haddock, smoked haddock, salmon, lemon sole and fishcakes. Perhaps there were other kinds but I have no recollection. What I do remember is the tray of bright orange breadcrumbs, or fish dressing, as it was labelled. What on earth gave it that colour? Certainly it wasn't anything which could be labelled "natural"! Does this still exist?

So Friday saw me at the fish counter of my local supermarket and my choice of fish was salmon. I wasn't sure what I would do with it but it was a few weeks since we had eaten it. Often I use it with shrimp make a tomato or basil cream sauce, and serve it with pasta. It is also delicious grilled with some lemon juice. This I decided was the way to go. Simple but delicious. My mantra.

Okay now I had to decide what to serve along side. Fish and chips. They just go together like Laurel & Hardy, salt & pepper or even gin & tonic. I'm in Friday mode so cocktails are in my thoughts. Yes, it would be chips sitting alongside the salmon. But not just any chips. I would take large baking potato cut it into wedges, pour over a little canola oil, some salt & pepper and roast in the oven at 425f (220c) for about 35mins, turning once during cooking. This produces lovely crispy "chips" without plunging them into hot oil. Must be a healthier option.



I decided to serve the salmon in a sandwich. I had bought some ciabbata rolls, and had made some guacamole the day before, so with the addition of some salad leaves this was sounding more delicious by the minute. A salmon burger & chips. Mmmm.

I heated the grill pan and cooked the salmon. I toasted the split breads in the same grill pan. Then I assembled Friday night's supper. I put the salad leaves on top of the bread, added a slice of tomato, then the salmon and finally a spoonful of guacamole. It was looking good to me and I couldn't wait to get started.

But of course first there was the photograph to be taken. This is my husbands least favourite part of my blogging. He stands at the ready, hungry after a day's work only to be told he has to wait, and wait until the photograph has been taken to my satisfaction. For the most part it is still hot when it gets to the table. Just occassionaly does it need a quick nuke in the microwave. ---SORRY FELLOW FOODIES---Well it tasted as good as I had hoped. The guacamole was great with the salmon, and most important my husband enjoyed every mouthful. A good start to what was a great weekend.

FISHY DELIGHT

Fish is one of my favourite foods, although I am often confused these days about the sustainable properties of what I buy and also the mercury problems we keep hearing about. Why is it all so complicated? I try to steer clear of swordfish and mackerel because I know there are problems here with the mercury, and I always buy from a good fishmonger, one I feel I can trust. I have a good relationship with the "fish guy" Darrel in my local KOWALSKI'S store. He is always able to answer all of my questions and give tips and hints on how to prepare and cook what I buy. Also he will always order in anything I request. I always feel happy buying my fish here.

This week I really wanted to buy some Halibut but the price was pretty steep, especially for a mid week supper. Instead I opted for Cod which I knew would make a tasty alternative at only half the price. I bought my Cod and headed home to prepare supper.

The fish dish was simple. Instead of bread crumbing and frying the fish I coated it in crushed cornflakes and baked it in the oven. This results in a nice crunchy coating. I served it with some steamed asparagus and potatoes, and alongside I had my pineapple salsa (blogged a couple of days ago) and a cilantro and lime mayo. The mayo is so easy, I just use a good bought variety and to it I add a couple of tbsp of finely chopped cilantro a squeeze of lime juice and 1/2 tsp finely chopped garlic.
A simple quick meal ideal for a midweek supper. Feels like I have gone to a lot of trouble but this is not the case. Perfect for me.

I had leftover, uncooked cod, which I made up into a cod fishcake for lunch the next day. I cooked up some mash, seasoned it well, steamed the fish and mixed them together with a handful of cilantro and some finely chopped capers. I make it in a
10" frying pan, spreading it out to fill the pan, I let one side brown over a med heat turn it over and pop it into the oven for 15 mins. All that was needed now was a fresh mixed salad to complete a delicious lunch time treat 2 meals for the price of one. Not bad.

THE FISH SUPPER

I have only been back a few days but already beginning to feel as if I have never been away. Once again the kitchen is filling with delicious aromas, lentil soup and bread today, the laundry is all clean and put away, and Christmas decorations are tidied away until next year. I now am finding myself thinking back over the wonderful 2 weeks spent in Scotland.

I know I came back vowing never to let another piece of fried food pass my lips only to go right onto my hips, or never to savour a bacon roll or indulge in a slice of chocolate cake. But nostalgia is a strong emotion and yes there is a little bit of me forgetting the extra llb or two, the tight waistband and by now the pimple on my chin has faded to a distant memory. But I must be strong, hold out, stay away from the bad foods, can there be such a thing? and continue with the salads and healthy alternatives, at least for a bit longer.

Now to the FISH SUPPER, in other places known simply as fish and chips. You can find this dish all over the world but to my mind it always tastes best in Scotland. As children we were occasionally treated to a fish supper, or single fish if you didn't want the chips. Then it would come wrapped in newspaper and when it was unwrapped the smell would come pouring out of the paper tempting you with what lay within. It would already have the salt, brown sauce and vinegar added in the "chippie" and of course the batter would now have to be peeled from the paper, this was never a problem and it was always a great treat.

However things move on and food laws stated that newspaper was now not allowed so instead it would come folded a white food safe paper.

Back when I was planning my trip home I was thinking about all the things I miss and would want to have while back, a fish supper was top of my list. I then decided to cook it and see how close I was to getting it to how I remembered it. I had only a couple of weeks before I would enjoy the comparison. I went authentic and served it up in newspaper, with a layer of greaseproof in between, I served the traditional HP Sauce, salt and vinegar. The end result, not too bad, but it would never quite match up to the memory of the real thing.

Two weeks later I am tucking into the very dish I had been thinking about over the past few weeks. Was it as good as I had remembered? Oh yes. Hot crispy batter and soft flaky fish, freshly cooked. There were a few changes since the last time I had eaten it, now it comes in a polystyrene box and the sauce is served on the side in a sachet, you turn your back for a few years and they meddle with the most traditional of dishes. However, there was no effect on the flavour, I enjoyed it and will be happy with the memory of it for another couple of years.

Food has the ability to stir the emotions, to take us back to times and places long forgotten. It can transport you back to childhood, to a holiday or to any other time in your life. Who does not associate an ice cream cone with lazy days on the beach, the smell of turkey with Christmas, or Thanksgiving, or the smell of cabbage with school dinners! Everyone must have their own memory of a food from their past and how good it is to sometimes indulge ourselves, not just in the memory, but in the recreating of the time and place with a taste from our past. These memories are ever evolving as we try new foods and food cultures. Can you remember your first curry?

Quick easy supper

Today with all the time demands on us we find we have less and less time to prepare an evening meal, instead we grab a takeout or pop a frozen pizza in the oven. This is okay from time to time but it is always nice to sit down to a meal you have cooked yourself. Over the years I have put together a folder of recipes which I can cook up and have on the table in less than 30mins. I want to share with you one of my favourites and I can assure you it will take less time to cook than it would to heat up the oven and cook the pizza. It is not only quick but impressive enough to serve to dinner guests. Not bad for a quick meal.

THAI STYLE FISH serves 3-4
6oz firm fish (cod works well, you could also use salmon)
12 medium shrimp
1 tin coconut milk
1 tablespoon thai curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 large tomato cut into 8ths
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Put 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or frying pan and add the thai curry paste. Cook until you start to smell the spices, about 2 mins. Add the coconut milk and fish sauce and stir on a medium heat until they are mixed, about 2 mins. Add the fish and shrimp. Cook until fish is cooked through, about 5 mins. Add the tomato and heat through. Finally add the cilantro stir together and pour into bowls.

You could of course use all shrimp or all fish. You could even add cooked chicken but make sure you heat it through thoroughly. It could also be made as a vegetarian meal. Just cook your chosen veg and add to the coconut mixture. Use your imagination.
Please taste as you cook, you may want to add more curry paste if you like your food hot. Also chopped fresh chillies sprinkled on the top make it look really special.

This could become an easy supper dish for you to put on the table. Nobody will guess how quickly it came together.


I like to serve it with naan bread, bought from the supermarket. You can also serve with a bowl of boiled rice.
Try it you will be amazed at how easy it is.