Salsa Verde (another excellent pasta sauce)

This is a really interesting, different pasta sauce. All of the ingredients are used raw so it gives a really fresh flavour and is also nice and healthy too. Serves 4.

8 anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic
2 tsp capers
2 tsp grainy mustard
juice of 1 lemon
lots of herbs (parsley, coriander, basil - what ever you have in the garden)
16 black olives (or green if you don't have black - black make a better colour contrast though)
4 ripe tomatoes
olive oil
400g spaghetti/linguine

Crush the anchovies and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Add to the capers, lemon juice, mustard, herbs and olives and some olive oil. Stir carefully as to not break up the ingredients but well enough to throughly mix the flavours. Finely chop the tomatoes, add to the other ingredients and put to the side (preferably on a sunny Italian window ledge - just in case you have one handy!). In the mean time, cook the pasta, this sauce works especially well with spaghetti or linguine. Once the pasta is cooked, sir in the sauce and make sure the pasta is well covered. Enjoy!

Courgette and feta fritters with a tangy tomato salsa

I cut this recipes out of a magazine a while back and have only just got round to making them. Not bad for a first go. Make sure you cook them well, or they will be raw in the middle. We had to put our back in the frying pan for a second round of heat. Serves 3.

3 large courgettes
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
100g self raising flour
2 eggs
1/2 pack feta cheese (cut into cubes)
olive oil for frying
2 ripe tomatoes
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste


Coarsely grate the courgettes and place into a large mixing bowl with a good pinch of salt. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Blend the tomatoes, with the lemon juice and a dash of olive oil, season to taste. Put the grated courgettes into a clean tea towel and wring out the juices. Then return them to the bowl and add the onion, garlic, beaten egg, flour, feta cheese and seasoning. When the ingredients are combined well start to heat up the oil for trying. Place tablespoonfulls of the mixture in the pan and flaten with a wooden spoon. Fry on both sides until golden and cooked through. Serve with the tomato salsa and new potatoes, or corn on the cob.

A slightly complicated pasta sauce

Ok, this sounds a like a lot of work for a pasta sauce, but I promise you it's worth it. It has been known to be eaten straight out the pan by a neighbour who dropped in on us while we were having dinner! This recipe should serve about 3 people.

6 large tomatoes
1 red onion
1 clove garlic
1 red chili
1 pack spinach
1/2 pack feta cheese
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
parsley
squeeze lemon juice
parmesan
200g linguine

Cut the tomatoes and onion into quarters, and finally chop the garlic and chili. Place in a roasting tray with a generous covering of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 200 degrees C until juicy and crispy (about 40 mins). Meanwhile cut the feta into cubes and marinate in the parsley, lemon juice, a splash of olive oil and seasoning. Wash the spinach and wilt. Cut into small pieces and add a splash of balamic vinegar. Meanwhile cook the pasta. When the roasting in finished, add the feta and spinach mixtures to the roasting tray and stir well to mix the flavours. Serve with linguine and freshly grated parmesan.

Sea Bream with White Wine Sauce, Anya Potatoes and Samphire

Serves 2

4 fillets of bream. skin on
1 onion
olive oil
butter
1 glass white wine
splash of cream

150g samphire
anya potatoes

Fish:
Season and leave to rest while making sauce and cooking vegetables. Make cuts into the skin to stop the fish curling up as it cooks. Fry in olive oil and butter until golden and crispy on the outside an opaque in the centre.

Sauce:
Fry onion in butter and olive oil until soft. Add wine and heat until it reduces, add cream, season to taste.

Samphire:
Clean and remove any woody stems. Remember samphire does not store well so eat as fresh as possible. Simmer in a pan of water for 1 minute. Samphire is very salty so serve with unsalted butter and don't add salt to the cooking water.

Serve with boiled anya potatoes.

Fish Cakes in a Flash

I love these fish cakes, they are quick and easy and oh so scrummy. They are also a little bit messy :)

1 pack smoked mackerel
3 medium/large potatoes (for mashing)
a knob of butter
a dash of milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp of mustard
flour
oil
1 egg

Make mash potato as usual. Break up the mackerel into pieces with a fork and discard the skin and any bones. Mix the mackerel into the mash when ready. Whisk the egg and put onto a plate. Put some flour onto another plate. Now comes the messy bit. Form the mixture into fish cake shapes with your hands. Cover each fish cake first in egg, then in flour and put them on a place ready for frying. Now wash your hand and heat some oil in a large frying pan. Try the fish cakes for a few minutes on each side until golden. Serve with something green like green beans, spinach or salad and of course, don't forget the ketchup!