Cod wrapped in Parma Ham on a bed of Buttered Cabbage with Cauliflower Puree

Last week I cooked dinner for some friends, as they are absolute food lovers, they were the perfect people to try out a recipe from a cookery course that I did in Ballinacurra.

Ingredients:

• 2 sprigs of fresh Thyme
• 100g of Monkfish per person (Monkfish tail preferably, split into 2 fillets)
• 4-5 slices Parma Ham

For Cauliflower Purée

• 25g butter 
• Small head of cauliflower
• 200ml milk
• 100ml single cream
• Salt and pepper

1. Take a monkfish fillets and arrange them beside each other so that there's a skinny and chunky side at either end.

2. Shred the leaves off your thyme and sprinkle over the monkfish.

3. Lay out the parma ham slices on a board so that they over lap each other slightly. Place the monkfish on the ham and wrap tightly so that the parma ham holds the fillets together.

4. Place the wrapped fish on a lined baking tray so that where the ham joins is on the underneath.

5. Preheat the grill for 3-5 minutes. When the grill is hot. Place the tray underneath and grill for 5 minutes on both sizes.

6. For the Cauliflower Purée, melt the butter in a large pan and add the cauliflower - cut into florets.

7. Cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until the cauliflower starts to color and then add the milk and cream and season well with salt and pepper.

8. Bring to the boil and then cover and allow to simmer for 8-12 minutes. When the cauliflower is soft, strain it off, retaining the cooking liquid, and then transfer to a blender.

9. Blend at high power, add some of the retained cooking liquid if need to attain the correct consistency.

10. Taste and season if necessary.

This recipe works extremely well for a white fish with plenty bite in it, such as cod (which is what I used) or hake. As an extra accompaniment to this dish, I served some buttered green cabbage - just some finely shredded green cabbage leave sautéed in a little butter. I could only get my hands on a white cabbage on this particular day which was worthy substitute. Then, just land a big dish of potato au gratin in the middle of the table and you're done.

..........And when I wasn't under the supervision of a top chef, it turned out like this!

(I added a scallop just because I couldn't resist)

Chilli and lime prawns

 This is an incredibly easy and equally as tasty starter that I cooked last night.  

Ingredients:

• 6-8 prawns per person (starter portion)
• enough butter to cook the prawns, or a cooking oil of your choice if you prefer.
• table spoon of finely chopped coriander
• 1-2 finely chopped/crushed garlic cloves
• half a lime, freshly squeezed
• a generous sprinkle of chilli flakes and sugar (alternatively, use sweet chilli sauce like I did)

 

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan and then add the prawns, garlic and coriander
2. As the prawns begin to turn pink, add a generous dollop of sweet chilli sauce.
3. As the prawns turn a even shade of pale pink all over add the lime juice.
4. Have a quick taste to make sure the sauce is to your liking - this one is very much to your own individual palate, some like it sweeter, some like the citrusy lime flavours to shine through.
5. Quickly transfer to a plate with some green side salad and freshly butter brown bread

 

This recipe is equally as tasty when scallops are used instead of prawns.

These ingredients can be adapted slightly to make a delicious salsa for almost any white fish.  

Porridge panckaes

  

 

Shopping List:

60ml Porridge flakes

150ml Low fat milk

1 desert spoon of brown flour

1 egg

 

Method:

1. Whip the egg and add to the porridge flakes and brown flour and mix well.

2. Gradually add the milk until mixture resembles a batter. Remember it's not going to be smooth due to the porridge.

3. Spoon about a third of the mixture onto a preheated, oiled frying pan and use a spoon to spread to pancake thickness.

4. Add you favourite toppings - mine are strawberries, blueberries, honey and a small sprinkle of chocolate protein powder. Natural yogurt and banana are also tasty options