2013 is here...a chunky cullen skink to ease us into January

After a cold, dreary and snotty December I am so happy to have made it through to 2013.  Sadly December was full of an extreme head cold and a huge lack of motivation.  The run up to Christmas did not involve its usual hype and flurry of baking, quite the opposite actually.  The big day, however, was amazing...spent with the in-laws...and before I knew it we were ringing in the new year and it was back to work for poor David.  

While 2013 is going to be an adventure of a year for us (5 weddings to attend, house hunting, my parents visiting for 3 months, a trip to Madrid, a visit to Canada and hopefully a return to University for moi) the first couple of weeks of a new year always seem daunting and that "back to work" feeling just gets me down.  I've planned our meals over the next couple of weeks to combat the blues...lots of starch (mashed potatoes in abundance) and a few more meat dishes than usual (pork chops, sausages, TACOS, chicken thighs) and while most people are detoxing I am planning on seeking comfort with Nigel Slater, my hot water bottle and a BBC drama or two. 

While grocery shopping I, on whim, picked up some smoked haddock (skinless, boneless and yes...dyed...I'm not made of money) thinking I'd make some fish cakes or something.  Yesterday after David left for work (poor guy) I took the fish out of the freezer and all of a sudden had a craving for a really thick, chunky chowder.  Something creamy, smokey and filling.  

I didn't follow a recipe, I just sort of winged it.  I knew what I wanted the finished product to look like (and taste like) so...fingers crossed...I just followed my gut (or stomach in this case).  I poached 350g of smoked haddock in 700ml of milk (with a bay leaf and a bunch of parsley stalks) and then removed the fish from the milk to cool, and discarded the bay leaf and parsley stalks.  In a big saucepan I sauteed half an onion, finely chopped, and a small leek thinly cut into half rounds.  Once softened I added about  4 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes, and then the poaching milk.  I simmered that until the potatoes were soft and then added the fish in chunks and a whole heap of chopped parsley.  Served with crusty bread slathered with butter it was perfectly chunky, thick and delicious. 

I am back at work next week...

Happy 2013!

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Belleau Kitchen Random Recipes #21 Store Cupboard Finds

I daren't look at the back of my cupboards.  I have no idea what might be lurking there.  Once in a while I will build up the courage to get the step stool out, clamber up and peer into the deepest darkest corners of the cupboards.  I usually find something like mincemeat or condensed milk or something else bought with the best of intentions (like the tube of chestnut paste recently purchased in Paris), this time I found...Sardines.  I remember purchasing them for lunch a month or so ago and then changing my mind and having an egg or something else instead.  So there the lonely tin of Portuguese BONELESS Sardines have sat...waiting.  

Thank goodness Dom from Belleau Kitchen challenged his readers to randomly select an ingredient from the cupboard for this month's Random Recipe.   Who knows how long the poor tin would have sat there, unloved, unopened, unused. 

I didn't use a cookbook recipe this month.  I used a trusty old quick school night supper standby instead, so forgive me Dom.  

I like to think of this as my version of Pasta Puttanesca...the whole dish takes the time it takes to boil the water and cook the spaghetti.  The recipe (for 2) goes a little something like this: 

Rush in the door and before you have taken off your coat put a large pan of water onto boil.  Take off coat (hang up coat) and get down to business.  While the water is boiling heat a generous glug of oil in your largest sautee pan and add to that 1/2 red onion finely chopped, 1 clove garlic pressed, and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.  Once the onion is soft toss in 200g cherry tomatoes, quartered and softly cook until the tomatoes break up.  By now the water should be boiled.  Salt the water and add enough spaghetti for 2 greedy people.  Add a couple of Tbsp of the pasta water to the tomato sauce when it looks like it is getting a bit dry.  When the pasta is almost cooked add 1 Tbsp (minimum) capers, rinsed if too salty and the sardines (minus the oil) from one tin.  Use a spatula to break the sardines up a bit.  Before draining the pasta I reserve about 1/3 of a cup of the pasta water.  Drain the pasta, add it into the sautee pan with the sauce and toss to coat.  Add a little bit of the cooking water if you feel it is needed.  I'd normally toss in a handful of chopped parsley or basil and lots of black pepper.  

Pile high in bowls and devour.  

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Fish Pie @home

I love pie...well I love pastry...but there is something so comforting about a piping hot meat (or fish) pie served up straight from the oven.  When I saw the horrible weather that was forecast for yesterday I just knew that it was going to be a pie day.  

Normally fish pies are topped with mashed potatoes but after I spied a recipe for a puff pastry topped fish pie in the new issue of delicious magazine I thought...I'll have me a big scoop of that! I made the creamy sauce from the magazine recipe...it was so easy, basically a white sauce with a dollop of cream cheese, chopped parsley and lemon zest.  Into that I added salmon, haddock and a handful of tiger prawns. Topped with a fancy puff pastry top and into the oven it went until puffed up and gorgeous.  

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A bit of fish for Sunday

Recently I've been making my big weekend meals on a Saturday...I am not sure why, it just seems to have slotted into our routine better than Sundays.  The past couple of Sundays have been spent walking and exploring...leaving less time to prepare a traditional Sunday meal.

Yesterday, after our adventures, I popped some baking potatoes in the oven as soon as we walked in the door and left them to do their thing while we enjoyed a cup of tea and a movie.  To go with the-best-baked-potatoes-I-have-ever-made I topped some pollock fillets with a mixture of fresh breadcrumbs, a bit of oil and chopped herbs and green chilli...popped them under a medium grill for about 10 mins until cooked through and crispy...and mixed up a quick avocado and cherry tomato salad.

Not to toot my own horn...but I was really pleased by how well this turned out.  Not only were the baked potatoes absolutely perfect...but the fish was a big surprise.  The original recipe called for fresh mackerel fillets, which were WAY out of my price range this week...so I opted for the 'basics' pack of fresh pollock fillets...you know...odd shapes, mixed sizes etc. 1/3 of the price and actually really good.  I was worried it was going to be rubbery, I was worried it was going to be too fishy..but I needn't have worried.