Feeling fishy?

To make the pastry put the flour, salt and butter into a large bowl. Using your fingertips rub the butter into the flour and salt until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Work as quickly as possible to prevent the dough from getting warm.  Add 2 tablespoons of water and mix using a cold knife, stir until binds together.  Add more cold water 1 teaspoon at a time. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 15 – 30 minutes.

Fry the onions in a good glug of light olive oil over low–medium heat for 20 minutes, until soft and sweet. Add the garlic for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Bring a deep pan of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the spinach in the boiling salted water and cook for 20–30 seconds until just wilted. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into cold water to stop it cooking and help retain the verdant colour. When cool, drain and squeeze dry thoroughly, then roughly chop.

Gently mix the squash, onions, spinach, goat’s cheese, thyme leaves, a little black pepper and a scant grating of nutmeg. If the mix seems dry, moisten it with a 1-2 tbsp of creme fraiche or mascarpone. Taste and season.

Remove the pastry from the fridge.  Cut the pastry in half. Roll each piece into a 3mm-thick, 25cm-diameter circle.  Spoon half of the mix into the middle of each circle. Brush some beaten egg around the edges, lift the edges up and together and pinch them together with your thumb and forefinger until it is well sealed and you have a classic pasty shape. Place them on a baking tray and brush with the rest of the egg wash. Cook for 10 minutes at 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Then drop to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and piping hot.

Method

Tip the salmon into a food processor with the paste, ginger, soy and chopped coriander. Pulse until roughly minced. Tip out the mix and shape into 4 burgers. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, then fry the burgers for 4-5 mins on each side, turning until crisp and cooked through.

Method

Finely zest and juice both lemons. Reserve the juice and half the zest. In a small bowl, combine the remaining zest with the olives, olive oil, coriander, garlic, and the chilli flakes until incorporated.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Use a knife to separate the leaves from the chard stems so you have 2 leaves from each stem. Thinly slice the stems crosswise. Dip the chard leaves in the boiling water for 10 seconds to soften; drain, cool slightly, and pat dry. Cut the fish into 8 equal-sized pieces, season with salt and pepper, and spread 2 teaspoons of the olive mixture on each piece of fish.

Place 1 piece of fish on a piece of chard and roll it up; use the extra 2 leaves to patch any parts that need extra wrapping. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender and lightly golden, 8 to 9 minutes. Add the chard stems with the remaining 3 teaspoons garlic and cook, stirring until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, until absorbed, 1 minute. Add the reserved lemon zest and juice with the stock, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring until the liquid thickens and bubbles 2 to 3 minutes.

Nestle the fish in the pan, scatter the tomatoes and whole olives over the fish, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the fish is opaque and the chard can be cut easily, about 10 minutes. Serve over the rice and couscous of your choice with sauce spooned over the top.

Method

Season 6 sea bass fillets with salt and pepper, then slash the skin 3 times.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan and add 1 tbsp sunflower oil.

Once hot, fry the sea bass fillets, skin-side down, for 5 mins or until the skin is very crisp and golden. The fish will be almost cooked through.

Turn over, cook for another 30 seconds – 1 minute, then transfer to a serving plate and keep warm. You’ll need to fry the sea bass fillets in 2 batches.

Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil, then fry the large knob of peeled ginger, cut into matchsticks, 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 3 thinly shredded red chillies for about 2 mins until golden.

Take off the heat and toss in the bunch of shredded spring onions. Splash the fish with 1 tbsp soy sauce and spoon over the contents of the pan.

Method