Tag: Spices

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Apple and Calvados biscuit with whipped fresh cream


This cake/tart has it’s origin in France and was originally created without the apples — a hard and dry biscuit that would last for months for the sailors at sea.  But bakers found other uses for it and it developed into this delightful soft biscuit with layers of batter and apples.

APPLE BISCUIT

You will need:
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered
45 g/1½ oz butter
2 tablespoons/30 ml Calvados (apple brandy)
200 g/7 oz flour
3 tablespoons/45 ml cornstarch
185 g/6.5 oz caster sugar
salt
2 teaspoons/10 ml cinnamon, freshly ground
1 teaspoon/5 ml vanilla extract
2 teaspoons/10 ml baking powder
½ cup/125 ml fresh orange juice
2/3 cup/150 ml peanut oil
2 eggs
45 g/1½ oz chopped almonds
icing sugar for sprinkling

Once you have scraped the seeds from the vanilla pod, store the empty pod in an airtight container filled with sugar. This will provide you with vanilla flavored sugar in just a few days.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/56°F.
Grease a 23 cm/9 in diameter cake tin.
Cut each apple quarter into 3 slices.  Melt the butter in a nonstick pan and brown the apple slices for 1 minutes on each side.  Pour the Calvados over the apples and ignite.  Shake the pan until the flame dies down and the Calvados has reduced to almost nothing, then remove the apples with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder, orange juice, oil and eggs. Mix well until the mixture is smooth, then pour one-third of the batter into the greased cake tin.

Arrange half of the apple slices on top, cover them with half of the remaining batter, then arrange the rest of the apples on top and cover with the remaining batter.  Smooth the surface with a spatula and sprinkle with the almonds.  Sprinkle the top generously with the icing sugar and bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning it out.

To serve:
Serves with custard or freshly whipped cream.

Categories
MAIN COURSE

Chicken and seafood pilaf


Serve with Chorizo sausage, tomatoes, green beans and almonds

chicken-and-prawn-pilaf4.jpgServes 4

Mussels are a delicious added ingredient, but as I am allergic to these mollusks (and so are many people), I cook them separately by adding the raw mussels to some garlic fried in butter and white wine, then I add them to the individual plates of the other guests.

The  chicken:
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 free-range chicken thighs, deboned, meat cut in bite-size pieces (reserve the bones)
1 cup brut  champagne
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup chicken stock
10 tarragon leaves

The mushrooms:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 rashers of bacon, finely diced
½ onion, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

The stock:
30 g/1 oz butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
12 medium prawns, shelled, keep shells and reserve prawns for later use
1 cup fish stock, heated

The rest of the ingredients:
375 g/13 oz fine green beans, topped, and cut into 6 cm pieces
2 cups Basmati rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
the peeled and reserved prawns, deveined
4 Chorizo sausages, sliced 5 mm/¼ in thick

The garnish:
6 spring onions, cut into 3 cm pieces
½ cup slithered almonds, roasted
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced in small pieces
½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
¼ cup chives, finely chopped

  • In a cast-iron pan, heat the oil then add the chicken meat and bones and fry until golden brown all over. 
  • Add the champagne, seasoning and half the tarragon and cook until all the alcohol has evaporated. 
  • Add half the stock, cover the pan and simmer gently for another 30 minutes. Discard the bones.
  • Meanwhile, heat some oil in a frying pan and add the bacon, onion and garlic and cook until translucent, then add the mushrooms and cook gently until tender.
  • Remove from the pan and set aside in a warm place.
  • Wipe the frying pan and heat the butter, add the garlic and the reserved prawn shells and cook until the shells are pink and aromatic.
  • Add the rest of the chicken stock and cook for 10 minutes.  Strain the stock and discard the solids.
  • Blanch the beans in boiling salted water, refresh in iced water, drain again and set aside in a warm place.
  • Cover the rice with cold water, add salt and bring to the boil.  Cook until all the water has evaporated and the rice is tender.  Keep warm.
  • Heat a large frying pan, wok or paella pan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and fry the peeled prawns for about 2 minutes.  Season well then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.  In the same pan, lightly fry the Chorizo sausages, and set aside.

Assemble the dish:

  • Heat the same pan and add a little oil, add a third of the rice and spread over the bottom of the pan, then scatter over a third of the cooked and reserved ingredients.
  • Scatter over half the Parmesan cheese and chopped chives.
  • Then with two forks, lightly stir the mixture. Repeat the whole exercise. Lastly sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese and chopped chives over and serve.
Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Carnival fritters served with a chocolate soup


These traditional fritters are very much appreciated all around Italy during Carnival days which root back in medieval times.
BLOCK HORIZONTAL LINE
Serves 4

CARNIVAL FRITTERS

 

 

The fritters:
250 g/8 oz flour, sifted
salt
1 egg
2 egg yolks
seeds of half a vanilla pod

Once you have scraped the seeds from the vanilla pod, store it in an airtight container filled with sugar. This will provide you with vanilla flavored sugar in just a few days.

grated zest from half an orange
1 teaspoon/5 ml olive oil
2 tablespoons/30 ml milk
1 tablespoon/15 ml dark rum
25 g/0.8 oz butter, melted
oil for deep-frying
icing sugar for sprinkling

The chocolate soup:
125 g/4.5 oz dark chocolate
pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon/5 ml instant coffee dissolved in
1 tablespoon/15 ml hot water
½ cup/125 ml Drambuie

Process the flour, salt, eggs, vanilla, orange zest, olive oil, milk and rum to form a dough. Cover in cling film and  refrigerate for 1 hour.
Roll out with a pasta machine until 5 mm thick.  Brush the entire length of the pasta sheet with butter, then fold in two.  Roll out again until it is 5 mm thick.  Repeat this process three times then cut into long strips of 1½ cm/0.6 in wide and cut each strip into 12 cm/4.7 in long pieces. Tie a loose knot with each piece, then working in small batches, deep-fry the pastry knots in the hot oil until golden all over.  Remove from the oil and place on paper towels to drain.

Combine the cream and milk in a heavy, medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Add the chocolate and cook, whisking constantly until smooth, about 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat and add the liqueur.  Cover and keep warm.

To serve:
On four plates, pile a helping of the fritters off center and sprinkle generously with the icing sugar.  Place a small dipping bowl or small coffee cup next to the fritters and fill with the chocolate soup. Serve warm.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Mixed mushroom soup with cream, chives and truffle oil


If you are fortunate enough to have fresh truffle or preserved truffle, add a teaspoon or two to the soup after it has been cooked.  If you cannot get hold of any form of truffle, do not deprive yourself from having this soup.  It is delicious!
BLOCK HORIZONTAL LINE

Serves 4

MUSHROOM SOUP

The soup:
40 g/1½ oz butter
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml bacon, finely chopped (ignore if you want to keep it vegetarian)
400 g/14 oz mixed fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml porcini powder
4 cups/500 ml chicken stock, heated (or vegetable stock)
4 cups/500 ml mushroom stock, heated
1 tablespoon/15 ml Za’atar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon/15 ml lemon juice

The garnish:
1 tablespoon/15 ml chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml chive oil
1 tablespoon/15 ml truffle oil
⅔ cup/160 ml yogurt cream

In a deep saucepan, heat the butter and sauté the bacon until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  In the same saucepan, add the shallot and garlic and sauté until soft.  Add the mushrooms and cook until most of the juices have evaporated. Add the chicken stock and mushroom stock and bring back to the boil, then lower to a simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Pour into a liquidizer, add the fried bacon and lemon and blend until smooth.  Pass through a sieve if you wish, otherwise leave as is with a bit of a texture.  Check the seasoning.

To serve:
Ladle into four soup plates, sprinkle the chives or drizzle lightly with chive oil, then drizzle the truffle oil around,  and lastly place a dollop of the yogurt cream on top.  Serve immediately.

Categories
STARTERS/SIDES

Pork spring rolls with Oriental dipping sauce


It is important to serve the spring rolls immediately after cooked and drained, as the vegetable filling can cause the crispy wrappers to go soggy if it sits for a while.

PORK SPRING ROLLSServes 4

The filling for these spring rolls can be made from leftover Crispy pork belly or any leftover meat from the pork dishes on this blog.

The pork spring rolls:
250 g/9 oz free-range pork, minced
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons cabbage, julienned
2 tablespoons carrot, julienned
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh bean sprouts
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (available at well-stocked supermarkets)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoonl chilli sauce (available at well-stocked supermarkets)
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
12 spring roll wrappers (available at well-stocked supermarkets)
vegetable oil for deep frying

See Safety and practical tips for deep frying

 

The dipping sauce:
½ teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon mirin (available at well-stocked supermarkets)
black pepper to taste

The garnish:
a mixture of coriander leaves, finely sliced spring onions, sliced basil
eaves, garlic chives, etc.

  • Heat the oil in a saucepan and lightly fry the pork until golden brown.  Remove from the heat, drain and set aside to cool.
  • In a bowl, mix together the pork, cabbage, carrot, spring onions, coriander, bean sprouts, sesame oil, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic and chilli sauce.
  • Place approximately one tablespoon of the pork mixture in the corner of each spring roll wrapper, and roll the wrapper, folding the edges inward to close.
  • Brush the edges of the wrapper with the cornstarch mixture and seal.
  • Heat the oil to 180° C/350° F and deep-fry the spring rolls in batches until golden brown.  Drain on kitchen paper.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients well, cover and refrigerate for 1 – 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.
Categories
MAIN COURSE

Seafood soup served with garlic mayonnaise and crusty bread


Mussels are a delicious added ingredient, but as I am allergic to these mollusks (and so are many people), I cook them separately by adding the raw mussels to some garlic fried in butter and white wine, then I add them to the individual plates of the other guests.
BLOCK HORIZONTAL LINE
Serves 4

SEAFOOD SOUP

The stock:
⅓ cup/80 ml olive oil
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 rasher of bacon, finely chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon/15 ml fennel seeds
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml orange zest
8 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml tomato paste
1 medium-hot red chilli, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon/5 ml saffron strands
1 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
4 cups/1 liter fish stock
15 g/½ oz butter
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
reserved shells of prawns and crab
¼ cup/60 ml white wine
1 teaspoon/5 ml oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon/5 ml  Pernod

Pernod can be quite overpowering. Add a little at a time then taste and add more if you desire.

3 ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

The seafood:
500 g/1 lb firm white fish
8 large prawns, shelled and de-veined, reserve shells for stock
8 calamari tubes and heads, tubes cut into rings
1 leg King crab, flesh removed and shells reserved for stock

The aïoli (garlic mayonnaise):
2 egg yolks
½ teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic (more if you wish)
2 teaspoons/10 ml lemon juice
1 cup groundnut oil

This mayonnaise recipe contains raw eggs and is not suitable for pregnant women, the elderly or very young children.

The garnish:
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh coriander, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml dill, finely chopped
crusty white bread

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and saute the onions, bacon, leeks, celery, fennel seeds and garlic until soft.  Add the orange zest, tomatoes, tomato paste, chili, saffron, thyme, bay leaves and stock and bring to the boil.  Boil for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

In a frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil and saute the garlic, shells of the prawns and crab until golden and aromatic.  Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce until half the wine has evaporated.  Add all the contents to the tomato mixture, strain thoroughly and discard the solids.  Add the liquid to the stock.

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the fish.  Stir fry for about 1 minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Reheat the pan (add some more oil if necessary) and add the prawns, stir fry for about 1 minute then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Repeat with the calamari rings and pieces of crab but cook this for only 30 seconds.  Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve with the rest of the seafood. 

If you find that some bits are beginning to stick to the bottom of the pan, deglaze the pan with a little boiling water and empty the contents of the pan into the unstrained stock (just make sure that there are no burnt bits). Heat some more oil and fry the rest of the seafood. Repeat the process if necessary.

Deglaze the pan with one cup of the reserved stock then add to the rest of the stock.  Bring it all to a gentle simmer and stir in the oregano, Pernod, tomato, chilli and the cooked seafood.  Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a food processor, blend together the egg yolks, salt, garlic and lemon juice. Add the oil in a thin steady stream while the machine keeps running.  Continue until all the oil is incorporated.

To serve:
Serve the soup in deep bowls with the fresh coriander and dill scattered over.  Serve the crusty bread and small bowls filled with the aïoli on the side.

Categories
SOUPS/SAUCES/CONDIMENTS

Deep-fried brie on toast


Serve with fresh figs, crispy glass noodles and a Port vinaigrette

BLOCK HORIZONTAL LINEServes 4

 

Timing is of the essence when deep-frying the cheese. The result needs to be crispy on the outside and soft and creamy in the inside. The crispiness help with sealing in the creaminess, so when you cut into it, the creamy center will deliciously ooze out.

Chickpea flour chips:
100 g/3,5 oz chickpea flour
2 teaspoons/10 ml olive oil oil for deep-frying (if making the deep-fried brie for the same dish, use the same oil)

The cheese:
75 g/2.6 oz Camembert cheese, chilled
1 free-range egg
35 g/1.2 oz white breadcrumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs [Panko] are
very good)
125 g/4.4 oz flour
½ teaspoon/3 ml cayene pepper
oil for deep-frying (See Safety and practical tips for deep frying)
4 bundles of glass noodles

The port vinaigrette:
½ cup/125 ml vegetable oil
2 teaspoons/10 ml rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon/3 ml Dijon mustard
1⅓ cup/330 ml port

The garnish:
four slices of bread, trimmed to the size of each wedge (lightly
toasted)
4 fresh figs (preserved figs, each cut in half will do when fresh ones are not available)
1 cup/250 l fresh mixed herb leaves

Chickpea flour has a high proportion of carbohydrates but no gluten and can be used to replace eggs in vegan cooking. It has a distinct flavor and chips are a delicious way of getting extra subtle flavor on the plate.

For the chickpea flour chips, bring 1 cup/250 ml of water to a boil and add salt.  Mix the chickpea flour with half a cup/125 ml of cold water, strain and whisk into the boiling water.  Lower the heat and cook for about 20 minutes.  Transfer to a food processor, add the olive oil and whisk until smooth.  Spread the dough about 8 mm (⅓ in) thick on a baking tray and cover with plastic wrap.  Let it cool and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but preferably overnight.  When ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator and cut into 8 x 2 cm/3 x ¾ in chips.  Sprinkle each chip lightly with flour, then fry until they are crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.  Keep warm until ready to serve.

Cut the chilled cheese into 4 wedges.  Whisk the egg in a bowl, and in another bowl put the breadcrumbs.  In a third bowl put the flour mixed with a pinch of cayenne pepper.  Dust each cheese wedge with the flour, then dip into the egg and finally roll it in the breadcrumbs.
Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes, then repeat the process.  Cover again and refrigerate until ready to cook.

To deep-fry the glass noodles, heat the oil you will be frying the cheese in to 190°C/374°F. Drop the bundles of glass noodles into the hot oil for 2 seconds (they will puff up immediately), remove from the oil and drain.

For the vinaigrette, whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard and season to taste.  In a small saucepan bring the port to a boil and reduce until half the quantity remains.  Let it cool and then whisk into the vinaigrette.

To serve:
For the figs:  make two crossing cuts in the stem and cut halfway to the bottom.  Gently squeeze the figs to open up slightly.

Garnish four plates with the toasted bread, figs and basil leaves.  In a large frying pan heat enough oil to cover the cheese.

With a slotted spoon, lower the crumbed cheese into the hot oil.  It will fry very quickly to a golden brown — less than a minute.  Carefully remove from the oil and briefly drain on paper towels, then transfer to each plate and place on top of the bread.  Place the herb leaves and the glass noodles on top, drizzle the port vinaigrette over and serve immediately with the chickpea flour chips.

Categories
STARTERS/SIDES

Pasta spiral with mushroom filling


If you do not want to present this dish as described in the recipe, simply rearrange the ingredients.  Cut the pasta into linguini or fettucini, mix the mushroom filling and the cheese sauce and spoon it over the pasta.  Drizzle the truffle vinaigrette around and sprinkle with some chopped parsley and chives.

PASTA SPIRAL

Preheat the oven to 180° C  (356° F).

The filling:
1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
500 g/17.6 oz mixed mushrooms, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup/60 ml chicken stock, heated (use vegetable stock if for vegetarian)
1 sprig of parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon/15 ml dried porcini mushrooms, finely ground (not soaked)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

The truffle vinaigrette (optional):
¼ cup/60 ml olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon/5 ml fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ cup/125 ml white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons/10 ml truffle oil
1 tablespoon/15 ml Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons/10 ml preserved truffle (finely chopped) with the  truffle oil

If you do not have access to truffle, simple omit it from the ingredients list.  The rest still makes a delightful vinaigrette.

The pasta:
100 g/3.5 oz strong flour
100 g/3.5 oz Durham wheat
2 eggs

The cheese sauce:
2 cups/500 ml chicken stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 tablespoons/45 ml butter
3 tablespoons/45 ml flour
50 g/¾ oz Gruyère cheese
4 tablespoons/60 ml fresh cream
a pinch nutmeg, ground
salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoons/10 ml Parmesan cheese

The garnish:
the reserved mushrooms
a few sprigs of parsley
truffle vinaigrette/vinaigrette

  • For the filling, heat the oil and brown the mushrooms (also the whole ones kept for the garnish), add the shallots, garlic, the chicken stock (or vegetable stock), parsley, and the porcini mushroom powder. Simmer for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced, season to taste, then set aside to cool.  Retrieve the whole mushrooms and set aside.
  • For the truffle vinaigrette/vinaigrette, mix all the ingredients together and store in a squeeze bottle in the refrigerator.
  • To make the pasta, place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until it becomes smooth and silky.  Roll in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, for the cheese sauce, heat the chicken stock (or vegetable stock) in a saucepan with the garlic, bay leaf and thyme.
  • In another saucepan and over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes whilst stirring, strain the stock then whisk into the butter mixture, ½ cup/125 ml at a time.
  • Whisk until smooth bringing the liquid to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat then add the Gruyère cheese, cream and nutmeg, and season with salt and freshly ground white pepper.  Cover the surface with greaseproof paper and keep warm.
  • Roll the pasta out thinly and cut into 2 x 4 cm/1.5 in x 50 cm/19.6 in long strips.
  • Spread the mushroom mixture over each noodle ribbon and roll the ribbon up in a spiral.
  • Place in a steam basket lined with cabbage leaves (rubbed with some oil to prevent it from sticking to the basket) and steam for 10 minutes.
  • Carefully remove each spiral and arrange in a greased oven-proof dish. Discard the cabbage leaves.
  • Pour the ¾ cup/175 ml of the cheese sauce over the spirals and top with the Parmesan cheese.  Bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling.

To serve, place a spiral on each heated serving plate, spoon around the rest of the cream sauce and garnish with a whole mushroom and a sprig of parsley.  Finally, lightly drizzle the truffle vinaigrette/vinaigrette over.

Categories
MAIN COURSE

Cured and seared spicy salmon


Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, butternut batons and a Green peppercorn vinaigrette

Serves 4

Once you have rubbed the spices into the salmon, the salmon can be frozen for up to 3 months.  Defrost in the refrigerator when needed.

Important: Start making this dish at least 24 hours before serving.

SALMON SPICY AND SEARED

The marinade:
2 teaspoons/10 ml salt
1 tablespoon/15 ml sugar
1 tablespoon/15 ml allspice, ground
1 teaspoon/5 ml paprika
1 teaspoon/5 ml garlic, minced
1 teaspoon/5 ml onion, minced
1 tablespoon/15 ml wholegrain mustard
2 tablespoons/30 ml chives, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml dill, finely chopped

Any leftover cooked salmon can be make into a salmon mousse. See
Spicy salmon mousse in filo pastry 

 

The mashed potatoes:
600 g/22 oz potatoes, peeled
¼ cup/60 ml créme fraîsche or butter
¼ cup/60 ml milk
salt and freshly ground white pepper

The vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
½ red sweet pepper, rib and seeds removed, peeled and finely diced
½ tomato, peeled, seeded and finely diced
¼ cup/60 ml fish stock, heated
2 tablespoons/30 ml red wine vinegar
a pinch of sugar
salt
1 tablespoon/15 ml pickled green peppercorns, drained

The creamed spinach:
500 g/18 oz young fresh spinach
¼ cup/60 ml cream
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons/30 ml shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon/5 ml Dijon mustard
salt and freshly ground black pepper

The garnish:
sprigs of dill
bunch of fresh coriander
olive oil for drizzling

For the marinade:

  • Mix all the ingredients for the marinade thoroughly.
  • Make a few cuts into the skin of the salmon, then rub the marinade all over.
  • Roll the fish tightly in plastic film and put in a dish so that the fish fits snugly.
  • Cut out a piece of cardboard the size of the dish and place it on top.
  • Weigh it down with weights evenly distributed, and chill in the refrigerator overnight, but preferably for 48 hours.
  • When ready to cook, brush the herbs and spices off the salmon (do not rinse it off) and rub with the oil.
  • In a very hot heavy-based frying pan (a non-stick pan makes it easier), sear the fish skin side down, for about 3 minutes.
  • Gently turn it over and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  • Put aside in a warm place to rest for 10-15 minutes.

For the mashed potatoes:

  • Cut the peeled potatoes into even chunks and boil in salted water until tender (about 15 minutes).
  • Drain and return to the pan, and over gentle heat, reheat the potatoes until any excess moisture has evaporated.
  • Meanwhile heat the milk.
  • Push the potato chunks through a potato ricer and slowly add the warm milk to the potatoes, whilst whisking it with a fork.
  • For a super smooth mash, push it through a drum sieve.
  • Mix in the créme fraîsche or butter, salt and pepper to taste, then cover and set aside in a warm place.

For the sauce:

  • In a saucepan, heat half the oil and sauté the shallot until translucent.
  • Add the red pepper and tomato and cook until tender (about 2 minutes).
  • Add the fish stock and reduce by half.
  • Remove from the heat and put aside.
  • When the salmon is ready to be served, reheat the sauce gently, add the vinegar, and whisk in 1 tablespoon/15 ml of the olive oil.
  • Season with salt and stir in the green peppercorns.

For the spinach:

  • In a saucepan, bring some water to the boil then blanch the spinach for one minute. Drain and refresh in ice water.
  • In a small saucepan, bring the cream with the garlic to a boil, remove from the heat and let it infuse until ready to use.
  • Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the blanched spinach and chop roughly.
  • Strain the cream (discard the garlic) and reheat gently, then add the chopped spinach.
  • Add the minced shallot and mustard, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.

To serve:

  • In the center of each serving plate, place a pastry cutter and spoon in the mashed potato.
  • Lift the cutter and place a portion of the salmon on top, crispy skin facing up.
  • Spoon some spinach neatly next to the fish and pour the vinaigrette around.  Scatter the herbs around, drizzle extra olive oil over if necessary and serve immediately.