Note to self salad

I saw this recipe in a magazine on the way over to France and made it there. I can't think of anywhere else that could be better to make it because it relies on having amazing peaches.

Buffalo mozzarella (the crazily expensive kind)
Ripe juicy peaches, I think white or yellow would be equally good
Parma ham

Olive oil
Balsemic
Pepper


Arrange nicely but not too neatly on a flattish dish.

mmmmmmmmmm :-)

The Cheryl Cole of Fish Pies

I may be risking political incorrectness here, forgive me, but I think this recipe is what would happen if you took the most celebrated Girl Aloud and recreated her in fish pie form. Fish pie is a salt-0f-the-earth, populist meal. But this recipe takes a simple, everyday pie and coiffes, glosses and preens it to levels of sophistication and beauty that cause jaws to drop.

This is diva-style cooking that involves fiddly processes and too many pans. The first time I made it, I nearly burst into tears of frustration half way through and had to call help in the form of A who came armed with wise counsel and dish cloths.

So let's be clear, I found this recipe daunting. But, the drama and tantrums did pay off in the end; it's a show-stopper and worthy of being served as a posh dinner with a bottle of champagne.
It comes from 'Fish Etc' by Mark Hix, chef director of Le Caprice, The Ivy and J Sheekey. He suggests flavouring the potato topping with more cheese, herbs or saffron. Sounds good to me!

Ingredients
1kg floury potatoes
500ml fish stock
2 tbsp dry vermouth
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced
250g white fish fillets such as cod or haddock, skinned and cut into 3cm chunks
175g salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 3cm chunks
150g peeled raw prawns (optional)
2 tbsp chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, dill and chives
A little milk
20g fresh white breadcrumbs
20g grated Parmesan
30g butter

Sauce:
50g butter
50g plain flour
175ml double cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp anchovy essence
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
2. Boil the potatoes in their skins for about 20 mins or until tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly
3. Meanwhile, in a large pan, bring the stock and vermouth to the boil, add the onion and fennel, and cook gently for 8 minutes. Add the fish and prawns and poach gently for 2 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid and leave to cool.
4. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy-based pan over a low heat, stir in the flour and cook gently for a minute. Gradually add the reserved fish cooking liquid, stirring till it has all been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cream and simmer for 10 minute or so until thick. Stir in the mustard and anchovy essence. Season with white peper and leave to cook for 15 minutes.
5. Fold the fish, prawns, fennel and onion into the sauce with the herbs. Spoon into a large pie dish filling to 3cm below the top. Leave to set for 30 minutes.
6. Peel the potatoes. Mash with the butter and just enough milk to get a soft consistency. Season and spoon or pipe onto the fish mixture.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Scatter on the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and bake for 10-15 minutes me until golden. Serve piping hot with loads of peas.

Spaghetti Pie

This is not the most elegant dish. It may not get onto many dinner party menus, but it has a beauty all of its own.

I like to think that A invented this dish because it makes me feel a nice swell of daughterly pride. In truth, I don't know for sure that Spag Pie is a Lapping invention, but it does have A's stamp of culinary innovation in the face of crisis. (Anyone who's seen her ingenuity in pulling back kitchen mishaps from the brink of disaster will get what I'm talking about. This is a woman who doesn't even blink when her pavlova meringue case cracks moments before dessert is served. Ta-daaaaa - it's Eton Mess! Doesn't even break a sweat; nerves of steel.)

When you next make spaghetti and tomato sauce for dinner make double the amount you think will get eaten. Take the leftover spaghetti and sauce, mix together then lay out in a dish.
Sprinkle with cheese - plenty of parmesan and cheddar.
Put in the freezer.

Defrost and eat on a day when a plate of delicious stodge is required at short notice.

Flap's Matzoh Brei: Let battle commence

Beat eggs. Two per person is my ideal quantity. Others are meaner. Once the eggs are fully beaten, crumble in matzoh. One-and-a-half squares per person is my ideal. Others use more. When the matzoh is fully soaked in egg - ie. after they have stood absorbing each other for three or four minutes and been mixed together a couple of times - pour mixture into a heated frying pan in which plenty of salted butter - a couple of ounces - has melted. (Again, some people favour less buter. I think they're seriously wrong. This may be an issue that leads to war).

Some people even favour frying the mixture before the two elements are fully integrated on the grounds that they like the matzoh to remain crispy. Oy vey! Meshugenahs. Fry the egg-and-matzoh mixture gently, moving it round the pan all the time. Don't rush it. Don't let the mixture burn or even brown. Matzoh brei should end up yellow, not brown. (Again, some differ). Serve straight from the pan onto people's plates.

This, as can be seen, is less a recipe than an argument. But done my way, it's delicious. And, I hate to admit this as I may have to fight a war over it, even done other ways it's still a fine breakfast/lunch/snack/life-saver.