COLD STARTERS
See also RED PEPPERS WITH ANCHOVY on the hot starters page, as it is good served cold as well as warm. GREEN BEAN AND MOZZARELLA SALAD and AVOCADO AND SWEETCORN SALAD on the salads page also make excellent starters.
POTTED SALMON (for 2-3) A good way to use up salmon leftovers. It will keep for some days in the fridge. 4 oz/150gr cooked salmon Remove any skin and bones from the salmon. Pound or process it with 2 tbsp of the butter, the anchovy and mace until smooth. Add the chives and salt and pepper to taste (the anchovies will make it pretty salty). Pour into small pots or ramekins and smooth the surface. Melt the rest of the butter and pour over the top to seal. Refrigerate for several hours. Serve with toast.
SMOKED MACKEREL PATÉ (for 2-3) 2 smoked mackerel fillets 2 tablespoons crème fraiche 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon good quality horseradish sauce Pepper; snipped chives (optional) Remove the skin and any bones from the mackerel fillets. Break into pieces, put into a bowl and mash well with a fork. Stir in the other ingredients. (It can be processed to a finer paste, but the roughness of hand-mashing gives it a more interesting texture.) Serve with toast.
This has a higher roe factor and a fishier taste than the average commercial taramosalata. Do not use your best extra virgin olive oil; it will be too heavy.
100-150gr smoked cod’s roe 1 slice white bread (about 30-50 gr) 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 clove garlic, peeled 5 tablespoons light olive oil (or a mixture of olive and sunflower oils)
Peel the skin off the roe (a fiddly job). Remove any hard crusts from the bread, soak it in cold water and then squeeze out the water. Put the roe and bread in a food-processor together with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the garlic pressed through a garlic squeezer (otherwise it will stay in lumps). Process until fairly smooth. Add the oil gradually, and extra lemon juice to taste if desired.. If it is too thick, add a tablespoon of water. Will keep for several days in the fridge..
Here are two recipes, one based roughly on the classic French boef tartare and the other with a Japanese flavour. Salmon Tartare à la francaise 150-200gr salmon fillet, skinned and carefully boned 1 teaspoon finely chopped gherkins, or a few extra capers 1 tablespoon light olive oil (not extra virgin) Chop the salmon into very small pieces (this must be done by hand, as it becomes a slush if done in a food processor). Mix in all the other ingredients, adjusting quantities to suit your taste. Serve with toast.
Salmon tartare à la japonaise (for 2)
150-200gr salmon fillet, skinned and carefully boned 1 teaspoon finely chopped shallots 1½ teaspoons finely chopped Japanese pickled ginger ½ teaspoon wasabi mustard (or more to taste) 1 dessertspoon mayonnaise 1 teaspoon finely chopped chives Salt
Chop the salmon into very small pieces. Mix in all the other ingredients. Serve with toast.
2 ½ lb/1.2kg salmon in one piece (a cross-section, not a fillet – a tailpiece
is good) Fillet the salmon or ask the fishmonger to do so, and remove any remaining bones. Take a dish into which the two pieces of salmon, laid on top of each other, will just fit. Sprinkle one third of the dill over the bottom. Place one salmon fillet, skin side down, on the dill, and rub half the salt and sugar into the salmon flesh, together with a little pepper. Sprinkle over a further third of the dill. Rub the remaining salt and sugar and some pepper into the flesh of the other fillet, and place it skin side up on top of the first fillet (i.e. reconstituting the salmon). Sprinkle over the remaining dill. Cover with foil and put weights on top. Keep in the fridge for 2-5 days, turning after a day and a half. When required, remove from the fridge, scrape off the dill and carve like smoked salmon. A good sauce: Mix together 1 tablespoon French mustard and ½ teaspoon castor sugar in a bowl and then gradually add 2-3 tablespoons of light vegetable oil (e.g. sunflower, groundnut), stirring as if making a mayonnaise. A little chopped dill can also be stirred into the sauce. AVOCADO AND SMOKED SALMON SALAD (for 2) 150gr smoked salmon Peel and stone avocadoes and cut each into about 6 slices. Arrange slices of smoked salmon on the plates and put the avocado slices on top or beside. Make dressing with the remaining ingredients (this can be done in advance) and pour it over the avocado. An alternative dressing can be made by mixing together 2 large tablespoons of sour cream, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 heaped teaspoon of grain mustard, ½ teaspoon of castor sugar; and a little milk to achieve the consistency of a thin cream. LENTIL AND SMOKED SALMON SALAD (for 4-6) This is also a good light summer main course for 2-3 people 4 oz/100gr Puy or similar lentils (Puy are best) Cover the lentils generously with water; add a bayleaf; and cook with until just tender (15-20 minutes for Puy lentils). Drain, remove the bay-leaf and add the shallot and garlic. Then dress immediately with the oils, vinegar, salt and pepper, mixing thoroughly. Leave to cool a bit (it is best served lukewarm, but is also good cold). Remove the garlic clove, mix in some chopped parsley and distribute the lentils onto individual serving plates. Arrange the smoked salmon beside the lentils. A version of this used to be a common hors d’oeuvre in bistros in France. 2 mild pickled herring fillets (e.g. dill-pickled) parsley or chives to decorate Cut the pickled herring into 2 cm slices. Peel and core the apple and cut into pieces of a similar size. Mix both together with the sour cream or crème fraiche and sprinkle with some chopped parsley or chives. Serve perhaps with some hot new potatoes on the side. 2 large herrings, filleted and skinned Put the herring fillets and other dry ingredients in layers into a dish in which the herring fits snugly. Pour over the olive oil. Cover with cling film or a close-fitting lid and refrigerate for 1-2 days. Remove from fridge one hour before serving to bring to room temperature. Scrape off the herbs etc and serve with buttered toast. Warning: raw herring flesh can be contaminated with invisible nematode worms from the fish’s gut. These can cause stomach problems – problems quite common in Japan, where an enormous amount of raw fish is consumed. Nematodes can be eliminated by freezing the herring and keeping it frozen for at least 24 hours at -20° centigrade before eating (this is the standard set by the relevant EU directive that applies for instance to Dutch matjes herrings which are cured by light salting; evidence suggests, however, that a temperature of -17° centigrade, achievable by a good four star domestic freezer, is adequate).
SCRAMBLED EGG WITH LUMPFISH ROE OR SALMON CAVIAR(for 2) An extremely quick and easy first course. 2 large eggs Beat the eggs well and strain them into a basin to remove the stringy bits. Add pepper and a very little salt and some chopped chives. Lightly scramble with one tablespoon of olive oil. When the eggs are creamy, remove from the heat and add another dash of olive oil to stop the cooking. Distribute between two small ramekins. When lukewarm or cool, spoon a tablespoon of lumpfish roe or salmon caviar over the top of each ramekin. Can be served either lukewarm or cold. Eat with small spoons. This is a Tuscan-style version of the Jewish dish. The relative quantities of egg and chicken liver can be varied according to what you have available. 1-2 eggs Boil the eggs for 8-9 minutes. Cut the livers into several pieces, removing any stringy or green bits, and fry in some olive oil until cooked. Pour the oil in the pan into a small bowl. Finely chop the eggs and chicken livers and add to the oil. Then mix in the shallot, salt and pepper and a teaspoon each of finely chopped chives, parsley and basil. A small clove of garlic, extremely finely chopped or minced in a garlic squeezer, can also be added if desired. If necessary, add some more olive oil to bind it a little (although it will always be a bit crumbly). Can be served either warm or cold, on or with toast. 1 large cucumber, peeled and diced Sprinkle salt on the cucumber and drain in a colander for 20 minutes. Rinse it well and dry or squeeze it out with your hands. Combine cucumber, mint, yoghurt and pepper in a bowl, and gradually add 3-4 tbsp good olive oil as if making mayonnaise.
(V) GRILLED PEACHES WITH GOAT’S CHEESE (for 2)
1 ripe peach or nectarine (more if very small), peeled, stoned and sliced Handful (50gr) sugar snap peas, mangetout or flat stringless green beans 2 tablespoons soft goat’s cheese 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped mint Olive oil, salt and pepper 2-4 slices Parma ham (optional)
Sprinkle the peaches with a little olive oil and grill until going brown at the edges. Leave to cool. Top and tail and remove any stringy bits from the peas/beans and cut into 1 in/3cm pieces on the bias. Cook in salted boiling water until just done (3 minutes for the peas/mangetout, 8 minutes for green beans). Drain, refresh in cold water, anoint with a little olive oil and leave to cool. Mix together the cooled peas/beans, peach slices and mint. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Arrange on serving plates with the Parma ham (if using) and dot with nuggets of soft goat’s cheese.
AVOCADO WITH FETA AND TOMATOES (for 2)
1 large or two small avocadoes 1 tablespoon peeled and deseeded tomato, chopped into small pieces 2 tablespoons feta chopped or crumbled into small pieces 1 tablespoon chopped black olives 1 tablespoon sun-dried or sun-blushed tomatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 splashes balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper Peel and stone the avocado and cut into slices. Arrange on two plates. Mix all the other ingredients except the feta together (the chopped ingredients should all be about the same size, not more than 1 cm). Arrange on top of or around the avocado and sprinkle the feta on decoratively.
(V) ZUCCHINI AND BUFALA SALAD (for 2) A recipe from the River Café 1 small (100-150gr) mozzarella bufalà 4 slices Parma ham small handful rocket 1 small courgette 8-10 mint leaves good olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice
“Peel” the courgette with a potato peeler until it is in ribbons. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slice the mozzarella and arrange on two plates with the ham. Toss the courgette with the rocket and mint leaves and divide between the plates.
A recipe from France. 1 ox brain or 2-4 sheep brains Soak the brains for at least an hour, and remove as much as possible of the bloody membrane around them. Poach gently for 15-20 minutes in salted water that you have first brought to the boil with the bouquet garni. While the brains are still warm, slice and arrange on plates. Make a vinaigrette with olive oil, wine vinegar, French mustard and salt, and pour it over the brains. Sprinkle the herbs and celery on top and add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Serve warm or cold.
SALMON PATĖ (for 4) 300gr salmon fillet Poach the salmon until just cooked, preferably in a court-bouillon with some white wine (but well salted water with white wine added will do). Leave to get cold in its liquid. Drain and break into small pieces, without mashing it too much. Cut the tomatoes into dice, discarding as many pips as possible. Finely chop the spring onion or shallot. Mix together the fish, onion, lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, chopped parley and salt and pepper, then fold in the diced tomato so that it retains its shape. Put in a nice dish and keep in the fridge overnight to firm up and allow the flavours to meld. Serve with toast or crusty bread.
SNACKS WITH DRINKS
4 oz. flour 4 oz. butter 2 oz. grated gruyere (preferable) or cheddar 2 oz. grated parmesan ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (or big pinch chilli powder or cayenne) Salt, pepper
Sift the flour into a bowl. Cut the butter into pieces and rub into the flour. Add the grated cheeses, paprika, a good pinch of salt and a grinding of pepper. Work into a stiff paste. Roll out on a floured board to about ¼ in. thick. Cut into whatever shapes you fancy. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and arrange the biscuits on it. Bake in an over pre-heated to 190° C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and leave for 5-10 minutes. Move onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
SPICED NUTS (for 8-10 as nibbles)
500-600gr mixed unsalted unroasted nuts (two or more of the following: blanched almonds, cashews, pecans, macadamias) 2-3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons light moscavado sugar 1-2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves 2 teaspoons paprika ½ -1 teaspoon chilli powder or cayenne Salt (about a teaspoon), pepper.
Put the almonds, cashews and macadamias (but not the pecans) on a baking tray and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C/gas mark 4 until they are beginning to go golden (4-5 minutes). Toast the cumin and fennel seeds in a dry saucepan until they are going brown and releasing their aroma. Tip into a mortar and grind to a rough powder. Toast the pumpkin seeds in the same pan, tossing frequently until they begin to pop. Heat the olive oil in a large frying-pan and add all the nuts and spices and other ingredients. Stir well so that the nuts are well coated with oil and spices and continue stirring until the sugar is beginning to caramelise. Line a baking tray with foil or baking paper. Spread the nuts onto it and put into a low oven (150-160°) for five minutes. Remove and leave the nuts on the tray for a while to cool before serving. Uneaten nuts can be kept a week or two in a jar. |