Category Archives: Fish and Seafood

Classic Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimp Cocktail has to be one of the most classic starters I can think of. It’s one of those dishes that almost everyone loves, and is perfect for dinner parties since it’s light, fresh, delicious and elegant. Leaving you plenty of room for the main course.

You can make the sauce in advance, cook the shrimp in advance and assemble the Shrimp Cocktail just before serving, which is fairly easy.
The sauce is really delicious and that tiny bit of vanilla takes it to the next level.

Use just a small amount of Tarragon, you want a hint in the background without overpowering the Shrimp.

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Prep time : 20 minutes
Cooking time : 5 minutes
Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS:

• 110 ml. / 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
• 100 ml. / 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 50 ml. / 1/4 cup crème fraîche
• 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• A splash of tabasco (optional)
• Salt and black pepper
• 1/4 vanilla bean, scraped
• 1 tsp fresh chopped Tarragon
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• 450 gr. / 1 lb. cooked shelled prawns
• 1 iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• Some lime wedges and pomegranate arils for decorating.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine the ketchup, mayonnaise, crème fraîche, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the vanilla and chopped Tarragon
If you’re cooking the shrimp yourself; this is how.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the shrimp all at once, bring back to the boil and lower the heat to a simmer, cook until the shrimp change color to a beautiful coral. Normally for medium sized shrimp this will take about 5 minutes at the most. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
Drain and cool. Then peel the shrimp and discard the shells.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and stir to coat, reserving some larger shrimp to decorate and place on top.
Place the shredded lettuce on the bottom of four glasses or glass bowls, followed by the avocado, then a generous spoonful of prawns and sauce.
Decorate with lime wedges and Pomegranate arils.
Serve straight away.

Enjoy!
Myra XO

Brown Sugar Cajun Butter Salmon

12 Replies

Winner winner, Salmon dinner.

In under 30 minutes!!!

Let’s have a chat about this baked salmon. I’ve said this before, I know, I know but this is my favorite way to eat Salmon. It is by far the juiciest way to cook a salmon and all the flavor stays right in there, where you want it.
If you’re looking for a no fail, fool-proof recipe that you can’t mess up. Congratulations, you’ve come to the right place.
Impress your hubby, your wife, date, girlfriend, boyfriend or family this week with a big Salmon feast. Let’s do this.
First you make the thick Brown sugar Cajun seasoned butter mix then spread it on top of the salmon fillet. This part is a bit tricky because the salmon is so slippery so you have to use a knife and fingers to spread it out as best as you can.
As this flavoured butter melts in the oven, it’s basting the Salmon and the sugar melts and forms a sticky crust full of spiced flavor, slowly penetrating the entire fillet.
The result is a melt in the mouth, moist and delicious Salmon feast.
I like to serve this with an exotic Pomegranate and Avocado Salsa.

Serves: 6 – 8
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: ca. 15 minutes
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INGREDIENTS:

SALMON
• 1 ¼ pound salmon, skin removed (preferably wild )
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar (or coconut sugar )
• 2 tablespoons of my cajun seasoning without salt
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and grated
• ½ tsp salt

SALSA
• 2 avocados
• 1 pomegranate
• Juice of half a lime or more according to taste
• 3 tbsp. chopped cilantro/coriander
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ chopped red onion

DIRECTIONS:

Pre heat the oven to 220 C / 428 F
Prepare your baking tray by covering it with foil. Place the salmon fillet on top.
Prepare the Cajun flavoured butter by adding the grated garlic, Cajun seasoning, brown sugar and salt to the softened butter and stir to combine completely.
Spread the butter over the salmon as best as you can.
This part is a bit tricky because the salmon is so slippery so you have to use a knife and fingers to spread it out.
Place the salmon in the middle of the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Switch on the broiler or oven grill and grill for 4 – 5 more minutes until really golden and sticky on top. Serve straight away.
I served this with zucchini ribbons, that I tossed in olive oil and a squeeze of lime, salt and pepper. Then I placed the ribbons at the sides of the salmon and baked them together.

Enjoy!

Myra XO

Salmon and Zucchini Phyllo Quiche

9 Replies

I have always wanted to make a Quiche with Phyllo dough, it’s been in the back of my mind for ages, but I always wondered if it could stand up to the filling or even become crispy enough on the bottom.
Well, please to report, …a big fat, yes!

The phyllo is really wonderful. It gets so crispy along the edges and so pretty too. I may have gone a little overboard with the top but I was having so much fun playing with the dough. You can leave the top completely plain if you prefer to show more filling. That’s up to you.

I must add that it’surprisingly easy, very forgiving dough. I had a bit of a hard time separating the sheets, but half torn pieces worked perfectly, it really makes no difference in the end result.

Obviously for me the game changer was the fact that Phyllo is virtually fat free. So there is no going back to any other kind of dough for me.

Serves: 8

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium zucchini, cut into 1 cm/0.5 inch slices and then quartered

1 leek, washed and sliced

1/4 cup drained corn

1 tbsp. olive oil for cooking

200 gr. / 7 oz. smoked salmon, cut into pieces

4 large eggs

1 cup light cream or whole milk

1/4 tsp. sumach

1/4 tsp. dried dill

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

10 sheets 9×14 phyllo dough (225 gr)

3 tbsp. olive oil or melted butter for brushing phyllo

4 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese, or your favorite semi strong cheese

3 tablespoons sliced green onion

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 175 C / 350 degrees.

Heat a frying pan with half a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the leek and onion on medium heat until soft. Set aside.

Add the remaining half tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and cook the zucchini on medium high heat just until golden on all sides and fork tender.

Remove from heat and add to the a large bowl to cool. A lot of liquid will release from the zucchini, you need to discard this before using.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cream or milk, salt, pepper, sumach and dill and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Brush a 20 cm/8 inch round baking dish (I used a cake tin) with a bit of olive oil. Layer the sheets of phyllo in the dish, see pictures. Brushing the layers with olive oil or butter as you go. Torn sheets are fine.

Place the drained veggies, corn and salmon over the phyllo layer, then add the shredded cheese and green onion. Pour the egg mixture over the top.

Bake the quiche for 60 minutes or until set when you wiggle the pan.

Serve warm or chilled with a salad.

Enjoy!

Myra XO

Beer battered Cod Loin with Lemon Aioli Remoulade

6 Replies

Skinless and boneless cod loin fillets in a thin beer batter coating. So crispy and delicious, pub food has never been better, in the comfort of your own home.
It’s a pretty straight forward recipe that requires little to no effort. This coating is very crispy and light because of the addition of rice flour. If you don’t have any rice flour or can’t find it in the shop, use corn flour instead. A thin layer of batter is more than enough to ensure a crispy finish. If the batter is too thick the fish will become soggy, and that’s a no-no.

The potato chips are oven baked with a light seasoning, so virtually fat free.
And the Lemon Aioli rémoulade will take the whole Pub at home experience to the next level. If you’re lucky, you will have some rémoulade left over to put on your sandwiches the next day.

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Prep time : 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 40-50 minutes
Serves : 4
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FOR THE FISH:
• 65 gr. / 1/2 cup rice flour
• 65 gr. / 1/2 cup all-purpose (spelt) Flour
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 225 ml / 1 cup beer (I used alcohol free and it worked great)
• 1 ltr. / 4 cups oil for frying
• 700 gr / 1 1/2 lbs. cod loin, cut into chunks

FOR THE CHIPS:
•750 gr. potatoes peeled and cut into thick chips
•2 tbsp plain flour
•salt and smoked paprika to taste
•2 tbsp. Sunflower oil

INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine the flours, baking powder and turmeric in a large bowl, season. Gradually pour the beer into the bowl, stirring with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth, lump-free batter. Leave to rest for 30 mins while you prepare the chips.
Heat oven to 200 C/450 F. Tip the chips onto a large baking tray and drizzle with the oil, sprinkle over the flour and some salt and paprika. Gently toss together until all the potatoes are evenly coated and the flour is no longer dusty. Roast for 40-50 mins, turning occasionally, until the chips are golden and crisp and soft when pierced.
To cook the fish, heat the oil in a deep saucepan until a drop of batter sizzles and crisps up straight away. Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper. Dip into the batter. Carefully lower some pieces into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 mins – depending on the thickness of the fish – until golden and crisp. Don’t over crowd. Using a large slotted spoon, lift out the fish. Place the cooked fish bits on a plate with paper towel to drain, then sprinkle with salt. Serve with the hot chips and the Lemon Aioli rémoulade

LEMON AIOLI RÉMOULADE
• 1/4 cup aioli
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche
• 1 tsp grainy Dijon mustard
• 1 green onion chopped
• 1/2 tsp. dried garlic powder
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• 1 tbsp. chopped capers
• salt and pepper to taste
• juice of half a large lemon (or one small one)

For the Lemon Aioli rémoulade, mix all the ingredients in a bowl, reserve until ready to use.

Enjoy
Myra XO