In the book she published last year (Cook, Eat, Repeat) Nigella rails against “the insidious encroachment of the American appellation of mac ‘n’ cheese over here”, but then admits defeat and offers this take on an opulent, defiantly American pasta dish. We’ve eaten it twice, most memorably for lunch on Christmas Eve 2020, the plagueContinue reading “Crab mac ‘n’ cheese”
Category Archives: Fish
Gravadlax
The Scandinavian method of curing raw salmon with salt, sugar and herbs gets an eye-catching twist with the addition of beetroot here – apparently a Finnish variation. You can use other fish too – trout, for example, or mackerel (which will take only about 3 hours to pickle.) The accompanying sauce is a particular familyContinue reading “Gravadlax”
Alternative scotch eggs
There has been much experimentation chez Collier with scotch eggs in the past couple of years. A BBC Food recipe was my original source for smoked salmon scotch eggs, while a recent recipe by Thomasina Miers prompted me to come up with a vegetarian version of chorizo scotch eggs – I order the meat-free sausageContinue reading “Alternative scotch eggs”
Moules Marinières
Google this dish and you’ll get a competing array of recipes claiming to be ‘the best’, ‘original’ or ‘the real sailors’ version’. Really, it’s up to you whether you use onions or shallots, add a leek or some lemon zest and finish with butter, cream or crème fraîche. The essential elements are a large pileContinue reading “Moules Marinières”
Blinis
Homemade blinis are a world away from the thick, claggy discs sold in vacuum-packed plastic. Originally from Russia, they’re traditionally made with buckwheat flour, but I prefer Delia Smith’s lighter version which uses a mixture of strong white and buckwheat. You can make these large (approx 10cm diameter) as a starter, or in smaller bite-sizedContinue reading “Blinis”
Thai prawn curry
Back when we were in living in Tarleton Gardens, your father and I had a brief flirtation with Ian Marber’s Food Doctor Diet. Like all ‘diets’ the restrictions proved unsustainable in the long term, but one of Marber’s recipes took root. This green Thai curry, originally a recipe for monkfish, is a vehicle for allContinue reading “Thai prawn curry”
Squid & prawns with harissa
We tried this out for the first time back in Tarleton Gardens, after I received a copy of Sam & Sam Clark’s book Casa Moro for Christmas 2004. It’s a wonderfully simple and quick recipe, easy to rustle up for a weekday supper, and it has enjoyed a new lease of life since our returnContinue reading “Squid & prawns with harissa”
Mediterranean Cod
Claudia Roden’s Mediterranean Cookery (1987), a well-thumbed volume in Granny’s cookbook collection, is the source of this recipe. Roden herself attributes it to an Egyptian hotel chef – the north African influence is evident in the raisin-almond garnish. The first time I remember making my own version was in Brantôme (Dordogne) in 1994: baby SamContinue reading “Mediterranean Cod”
Fish cakes
This is a useful recipe to have up your sleeve. Fish cakes are a versatile dish: they can be made with leftovers but also from scratch, and can be seasoned with whatever herbs you have. They can also be padded out with spring onions or vegetables (peas or leeks, for example). Salmon looks pretty butContinue reading “Fish cakes”
Crab linguine
Crab linguine may be Italian in origin but it will always evoke for me the memory of the British seaside. Two great cooks inspired me to learn to make it: Charlie Taylor whipped it up in Dorset in 2010, and Granny has served it up more than once at Garde. (On one painful occasion yourContinue reading “Crab linguine”
Years of Practice 