Smoked Mackerel Pate - very easy

Ingredients:
1 pack of smoked mackerel - 0.286g. (approx.)
1 pack of cream cheese - 200g.
1/2 lemon - juice only (you could add some finely grated rind if wanted)
black pepper and small amount of salt
olive oil

1. Blend the ingredients together and add some olive oil, blending until you have a smooth, creamy texture.
This freezes well, but you can store it in the fridge, covered, for several days.
Serve with a green salad and toast-triangles (no crusts!)  :o) ....... or just dip into it when you fancy.

Fish Chowder - or use Shrimps/Prawns

Ingredients: serves 4

Couple of tblspns. of Olive oil - or oil and a knob of butter
1 small Onion peeled and chopped
(thinly sliced white part of a small Leek if wanted)
1 stalk of Celery - peeled and chopped
1/2 lb. Potatoes (250g.) - peeled and roughly chopped
approx. 14 fl. ozs. Fish stock - home-made preferably but stock cube is fine
approx. 14 fl.ozs. Milk
couple of bayleaves, small clove of Garlic - crushed
approx. 12 ozs. - lb.cod or haddock
(including a small amount of smoked haddock if wanted) *
herb of choice - parsley, corriander, thyme - chopped
Seasoning

Method:
1. Saute the onion and celery until just softened
2. Add the milk,stock and potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked.
............ you can liquidise the soup at this stage - (or once the fish is added).
3. Add the fish - - and simmer until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through.
This shouldn't take very long. (5 mins? depending on the thickness of the fish)

**Taste for seasoning and serve, garnished with fresh chopped herbs of choice.

You could also add some sweetcorn, peas and/or throw in a few ready-cooked prawns. The prawns work well.

*use recipe with prawns/shrimp instead of cod or haddock or a mix of cod and shrimp.
**Liquidise the soup to make it smooth.

Add a little cream to serve.

Little Tip: If you have lots of shells left from the prawns - dont throw them away - you can use these to make lovely fish stock.

Oven Fried Fish and No-Fried Potatoes

Oven: 200deg. C
Ingredients:
4 skinless salmon fillets 
2 tblspns. (approx.) Olive or Sunflower Oil or Rapeseed Oil
3 tblspns. Green Pesto
800g Potatoes (peeled if wanted), sliced into rounds
1 stock cube
1 egg white
100g fresh breadcrumbs, matzot meal or fine cornmeal

1. Put the pots into a large saucepan of water with the stock cube, bring to the boil and cook for a couple of minutes then drain and leave to cool a little.
2. Put the egg white into a bowl and whisk until frothy, add the potatoes and oil and transfer to your baking tray.  Bake for 25 mins or until crispy.

3. Spread the breadcrumbs on to a plate and brush each salmon fillet with a thin layer of the Pesto. Dip into the breadcrumbs until evenly coated.
Transfer to a greased baking tray and cook in the oven for 7 - 8 mins (or little longer until the fish is cooked through.)

Serve with the potatoes, a nice green veg or salad and mayo - on the side.

Quick Crab Cakes/Patties

there are only 4! as I ate one before taking the pic!

 

 Ingredients: enough for 5

1 tin of white crabmeat (121 g.)

1 beaten egg

about 1 tablspn. melted butter

fresh breadcrumbs

small amount of chopped fresh corriander

lemon zest

little salt, black pepper

flour

groundnut oil

This is a really basic recipe, and are very nice plain,  but you could add your choice of herbs or other stuff ........ if you keep tinned crabmeat in your larder, they are a good standby.

1. In your food processor, blitz the crabmeat, beaten egg, melted butter.

2. Put this  mixture into a bowl and add some breadcrumbs and seasoning. Mix well together and add more breadcrumbs to make a nice pattie-texture - (not too wet, not to dry!)

3. Season to taste, adding the lemon zest.

4. Heat a few inches of groundnut oil in your wok/pan

5. Make the mixture into patties or balls, roll in flour, once or twice - depending how 'wet' they may be, reshape again. 

I put mine into the oil with a slotted spoon, and just pat them down a little.

6. Fry in the hot oil, but (try and) wait until they are just brown before turning them over.

They only need frying for a few minutes on each side.

Drain them on kitchen paper - nosh!

Fish Pie - quick 'n easy

forgot to take a photo - so this is not my fish pie pic - but mine looks very much like this one :)
 There probably look like a lot of instructions here, but this dish is pretty easy to make.  
You can completely cheat and use all ready-made/bought in ingredients to make it even quicker.

This dish can be made in advance and kept in the fridge.  

Preferably use the same day as the sauce may separate.

Ingredients:
Fresh Salmon - enough for 4
2 pkts. of smoked trout (approx. 4-6 ozs.)
1 pack of prawns - frozen or fresh - amount to your own taste
8ozs. chestnut mushrooms

1pt. milk (full cream milk is nice but not essential)
large knob of butter, and small amount of oil for frying mushrooms
salt and black pepper
few bayleaves - dried or fresh
dried or fresh herbs - oregano, small amount of basil and thyme
Approx. 3 packs (enough for your amount of people) of bought-in mashed potato - (or home -made)
2 tablespoons plain flour
1-2ozs. butter

1. Saute the sliced mushrooms in some oil and a little butter, add a small pinch of thyme - set aside. Reserve the liquid to add to the white sauce*.

2. Place the salmon in a buttered oven-proof dish, pour over the milk, add some knobs of butter, seasoning, and the bayleaves, cover and bake for approx.20 mins.

Baste - if the milk doesn't completely cover the fish.

Oven: 180/190 C.  (The fish can of course be cooked in the micro)

Remove fish from the oven, reserve the milk for the sauce, let it cool, remove the skin from the fish and discard, and put the pieces of fish into another buttered oven-proof serving dish.

3. Cut the prawns into pieces and scatter on top of the salmon - same with the smoked trout and  mushrooms.  Add some dried herbs and season - (salt to taste).

4. Make the *sauce: (in the micro) - stirring frequently -

In a large Pyrex jug (or other) pour 1pt. of milk - (using the milk from poaching the salmon and the mushroom liquid, if there is any) -  adding more milk to make up to a pint, if necessary.

approx. 2 ozs. of butter.

.... mix a small amount of this milk with

2 tablespoons of plain flour, salt and pepper (not too much salt as the trout may be salty) then add the creamy smooth mix to the larger amount of milk.  Stirring it in well.

Zap in the micro. Stir frequently until

The sauce is a nice, 'thickish' consistency - let it cool then pour over the cooled fish mix.

5. Place the mashed potato on top**, dot with some knobs of butter and

bake until the potato starts to colour on the tips, and you can see the sauce is bubbling. (approx. 180/90 C for at least 1/2 hr.)

Turn the heat down slightly while keeping warm.

**You can add grated cheese to the top of the potato, but I dont usually do this.
You can also add some lovely chopped corriander in with the fish.  I prefer this to parsley.

Salmon Pastie - - - or saumon en croute :)

This is an easy and fairly adaptable recipe - apart from the pastry -

the quantities are not really crucial.  It is good eaten either hot, warm or cold

(with some mayo on the side)

 

Oven: 180/90 deg. F

Ingredients:

Pastry:

4ozs. (125g) self-raising flour - you can use Plain Flour, but I like a slightly softer pastry.

pinch of salt

Add 2ozs. (55g) cold butter - cubed, and 'breadcrumb' together

Add approx. 3 tbls. cold water and make a nice, slightly soft pastry.

 

I usually make my pastry in the food processor, (otherwise by hand).  You don't really need to leave this to chill. 

Roll out pastry and cut out a large circle using a dinner plate - place pastry on a greased baking tray. Prick over with a fork and sprinkle a little cornmeal or semolina on lower half of the circle.

 

Filling:

Leftover cooked salmon or a tin of good salmon

75g approx. cream cheese (Philadelphia or similar is good)

100g approx. crème fraiche

1 or 2 slices of bread (or brioche) - crusts removed + small amount of Milk to soak the bread in

Chopped fresh Coriander
Small amount of dried Oregano

Salt and Pepper

small amount of finely chopped Spring Onion (scallion) if wanted

1 beaten egg - for sealing and glazing.

 

1. Squeeze the milk from the bread and mix with the cream cheese, crème fraiche, coriander, oregano and seasoning.  Taste.

2. Flake the fish roughly and place on lower half of the pastry circle (leave a small border). Sprinkle on a very small amount of salt and pepper.

3. Place the cream cheese mix on top

4. Brush the lower pastry circle edge with the beaten egg and fold over to a pastie shape (as above) - crimp edges - or use a fork to press the pastry down and seal. 

5. Brush with the beaten egg.  Make a small hole in the top with a skewer (don't go all the way through the pastie) and bake until golden brown. 

You don't need to overbake this as the fish is already cooked - bake for just enough time to cook the pastry.

 

That's more or less it - just eat either hot, warm or cold.

PS: My 'crimping' is a bit heavy-handed - I'm sure you could do much better :)



Monkfish & Smoked Haddock Fish Balls (or patties)

While clearing out the freezer of stuff, to make room for more stuff for Christmas, I found some monkfish and a bit of smoked haddock - which I had to cook off once it had defrosted, and ended up with some lovely, light, fish balls. I then decided to buy some more monkfish and haddock to make another batch!  Ah well!   .....    This recipe doesn't really have exact amounts of ingredients - you can just wing it!

Ingredients:
Piece of Monkfish (approx. 1 lb.)
Small piece of yellow smoked haddock (4-6 ozs.)
1 packet of ready cooked prawns (a few handfuls or or as many as you fancy)
Milk, pepper, couple of bayleaves
1 or 2 eggs
olive oil about 1 tbls.
Small onion (shallot)
PAXO breadcrumbs or similar
Seasoned Flour to coat

1.  Place fish in a buttered oven dish, and almost cover (about 3/4 way) with milk, few knobs of butter,  bayleaves and a little pepper - dont add salt, as the smoked haddock is usually pretty salty.
Bake it in the oven (about 180deg.C).  Basting it from time to time.
You could certainly poach it on your hob - but keep an eye on it so the milk doesnt burn.
2. When the fish is cooked, drain off the milk and retain*.  Let the fish get cold. 
You can leave it like this in a dish in the fridge for a few days - covered with klingfilm.

3. When ready to use, put the fish (skinless), few drops of oil, and prawns into a food processor and whiz until just mushy (or very mushy if you prefer). Taste for seasoning.
4. Place fish in a bowl and add chopped onion, little pepper if needed, beaten egg/s and enough breadcrumbs to make a nice mix, so you can roll into balls.

5. Wet your hands and make the fish patties or balls and coat them in flour.  You can reshape them a little at this stage.
6. Fry in a good, hot,  vegetable oil - suitable for frying - (groundnut is v.good)
7. Drain the balls on kitchen paper and put in a pretty bowl :)

I like mine cold, which would be good as part of a buffet meal too.

*You can use the milk as fish chowder with some cooked, chopped potato and sweetcorn - adjust seasoning if necessary. It probably wont make more than a couple of small bowls, but will taste good.

Potato & Sorrel Soup & Tuna Patties - a quick and easy supper or lunch

Ingredients for Potato, Onion & Sorrel Soup: (serves 4)

2 large baking potatoes - peeled and roughly chopped

1 large white onion - peeled and chopped

a few sorrel* (or spinach) leaves

1 clove of garlic - crushed, salt and pepper,

sunflower oil, chicken stock powder

small amount of sweet pouring cream

* sorrel has a lemony taste and just adds a bit of zing to this soup.  If you use spinach (or not) - you can add a squeeze of lemon to the soup.

Place your

potatoes and onion,

garlic, salt, pepper,

couple of teaspoons of chicken or veggie stock powder,

a small amount of oil - in a microwaveable bowl, mix together, cover and zap until veggies are almost done. 

Add boiling (hot) water to cover and zap again until veggies are soft.

Add the sorrel or spinach.

Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Add more water if needed, zap a little longer, then allow to cool.

Liquidise until lovely and creamy.

Add a little cream to the soup and serve.

Ingredients for fried tuna balls (or patties):

1 can of tuna in brine - drain off the brine -  (makes about 7 balls - (I've eaten one - see photo!) )

a small amount of finely chopped white onion

1 small clove of crushed garlic, if wanted.

2 tablespoons of matzot meal (or fine cornmeal)

1 beaten egg

salt, pepper, and peanut oil* for frying

Mix all the ingredients together (except the oil), wet your hands a little, and make into either patties or balls.

Fry in hot oil until golden. Fry on one side until golden, then turn them over.  (I tend to use my wok, so you wont need so much oil.)

Drain on kitchen paper, cool slightly or eat cold.

Serve with a good mixed or green salad
+ vinaigrette:
4-6 tbls. olive/sunflower oil
1 tbl. cider vinegar, wine vinegar or lemon juice
salt, black pepper
large teaspoon of dijon mustard
clove of crushed garlic
- place all ingredients in a screw top jar, shake well to combine and use. 
I make a larger quantity of this and it will keep really well in your fridge for some time.

*peanut oil is excellent, but otherwise use another oil which will take a high temperature for frying.

Scotch Eggs - with smoked haddock

This recipe is from BBC Good Food - (slightly adapted).

FOR THE SCOTCH EGGS

• 400g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 400g skinned smoked haddock , cut into large chunks
• 8 eggs (or 16 quails eggs)
• 25g butter
• 2 tbsp milk
• 50g plain flour
• 2 eggs beaten
• 100g breadcrumbs
• sunflower oil , for frying

FOR THE WATERCRESS MAYONNAISE

• 100g bag watercress
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 150ml mayonnaise 

1. Bring the potatoes to the boil and place the haddock and eggs in the same water.  Cook until the potatoes are soft and the haddock begins to flake.  
2. Cook the eggs for 3-4 mins. (2 mins for quails eggs).  Remove the eggs, running them under cold water, and peel. 
3. When cooked, drain the fish and potatoes.  Mash the fish and potatoes together with the butter and milk, till you have a thick mash.
4. Peel the eggs and when everything is cool, mould the 'mash' around the eggs.
5. Dip into flour, egg and breadcrumbs.  Chill for at least an hour (or overnight).
6. Then: heat a good layer of Sunflower Oil in a frying pan and fry the eggs until crisp on all sides. Drain on kitchen paper.
7. For the Watercress Mayo : blitz the watercress with the lemon juice until finely chopped, stir in the mayo.   
8. You can also serve this dish with Asparagus.

Potted Prawns - an easy starter

Ingredients: 
Serves: 8  - can easily be made a day or two in advance and kept refrigerated.    

300g (approx. 10 ozs.) unsalted Butter and a good large pinch of Cayenne and Nutmeg
900g ( almost 2lbs.) cooked shelled prawns
1/2 - 1 lemon - juice (taste and add extra if necessary)
approx. 3tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley or corriander
freshly ground black pepper       
Small amount of smoked salmon strips to decorate plus one or two coriander/parsley 
leaves.  

1.  Lightly grease with a little of the butter, 8 ramekins or pretty small dishes.

2.  Mix together, in a large bowl, the shelled prawns, lemon juice, parsley/coriander and a good grinding of black pepper. Taste.

3. Press some of the mixture gently into each of the ramekins.

4. Melt the butter, over a lowish heat, with the spices, cool slightly and pour some over each filled ramekin.

If you want to make Melba Toast to serve ............

Toast some sliced bread on both sides. 

Cut through each slice between the two toasted sides, 

so you end up with eight very thin pieces. 

Scrape any soft bread from the surface. Spread with butter and toast again. 

The toast will then curl up. 

 or

Serve with lovely home made soda bread and butter or a good sliced brown bread, 

buttered and  toasted - - if you fancy :) ........ Can also serve with cornichons/small gherkins, small white onions, and watercress salad with a little vinaigrette.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - Foil-baked Trout

Ingredients:

1 lovely trout - cleaned and gutted
Granary Bread - for croutons
bayleaves, thyme, chives, onion - peeled and sliced
Little white wine (lemon juice or water)
Double Cream (small amount)
S & P
Foil
Oven: 220C - 20 mins for a 500g fish or 45 mins for a 2kg. fish

Tear 2 sheets of foil (little longer than the fish), place on top of each other and smear well with butter.
Scatter the herbs on the foil and place the fish on top.
Smear a little more butter on the fish, a few more herbs.
Place a bayleaf and onion slices inside the fish.
Season.

Gently lift the package, scrunching it so you can pour in the wine without it spilling.
Lay the foil parcel on a baking tray and seal the package well - like a Cornish Pasty.

When the fish is almost done,
cut a slice of malted granary bread (slightly stale is best), cut into small cubes and fry for a couple of minutes in hot oil until well browned and crisp.
Drain the croutons on kitchen paper.

Remove the fish from the oven and open the foil,
pour the juices into a small saucepan - checking to see the fish is cooked through* then re-wrap the fish and place back in the oven till the sauce is made.

Bring the sauce juices to the boil and add a tblspn. of double cream
Bring gently to the boil, stirring, and add some chopped chives to the sauce.
Remove the fish and lift the fillets away from the bone, place on your plate and spoon over the sauce, and scatter the croutons. Serve with some plain boiled new potatoes and some wilted spinach.
Delicious!

* slip a knife laterally into the thickest part of the flesh - if it's still translucent and sticking to the bone, re-wrap it and cook for a few more minutes.
Recipe taken from The River Cottage Year

Fish Chowder - very easy - made in Micro.

Ingredients:

2 tbls. approx. olive or sunflower oil

1 small onion - peeled and chopped

(thinly sliced white part of leek, if wanted)

2 celery stalks - peeled and chopped

approx. 2 medium sized potatoes - peeled and chopped

28fl.ozs. milk & fish stock mixed (again approx.)

couple of bayleaves, clove of garlic - chopped

approx. 12 ozs. cod, haddock, (white fish) - incl. a small amount of smoked haddock if wanted - cut into chunks (use skin for soup, but remove once cooked.)

Season - not too much salt - if you use fish stock cube and smoked haddock.

knob of butter

handful of cooked prawns

fresh corriander - chopped finely

Method:

Put the onion, celery, (leek), garlic and oil into a large bowl.

Zap for a few minutes until just softening.

Add the milk/stock, bayleaves, potatoes and fish and knob of butter.

Zap until the potatoes and celery are soft by which time the fish should certainly be done.

Add the prawns and micro for another couple of minutes.

Remove the bowl from the micro, taste for seasoning and leave for the flavours to 'meld' :).

When the soup is cool, discard the skin.

Keep aside some of the fish, prawns and potato pieces, and liquidise the soup until a nice, creamy texture is achieved.

Add the fish, prawn and potato pieces back in, and add some chopped corriander.

This is a pretty approximate recipe, but if you add more or less of anything, it's easy to correct and tastes good anyway!

If you find it is too thin, just add a little slaked arrowroot or cornflour once the soup is reheated and this should thicken it.

This is really nice as a light meal with a chunk of good bread and butter - you can also throw in a handful of cooked peas.

Salmon and Prawn Fishcakes

I'm sorry if this recipe is a little vague on amounts, but it really doesn't matter, as it's a pretty easy recipe and will work out nicely with whatever combinations of potato/fish/prawns you use. You could also use any leftover fish you may have - with or without the prawns, but you will need a small amount of liquid to help bind the mixture.

Ingredients for Patties: - should make about 4 (2 per portion)
1 (flat) pack of fresh prawns - sauteed in little oil and knob of butter - cooked until just pink.
2 tail end salmon fillets - sauteed unil just cooked through.
Leave both to cool slightly, then remove skin from the salmon fillets.
Small amount of cooked mashed potato salt & pepper + large pinch of dried oregano Small amount of Thai fish sauce and some Mirin (rice wine OR sherry)

Coating: In separate plates:
Seasoned flour,
1 beaten egg and
matzot meal or breadcrumbs.

(have ready some good frying oil)

Place the pattie ingredients into a food processor and whizz until blended together.
Taste.
Using wetted hands, make into patties, and dip into flour, then egg, then the matzot meal - (or breadcrumbs).
Shape into patties, and at this stage you can leave them, covered with klingfilm, in the fridge for minimum of about 1/2 hr.
Fry them in hot oil until nicely golden on either side.

They wont need too much cooking as the ingredients are already cooked.
These are really easy and quick to make and can serve with a lovely mixed salad.

Fish Chowder - very easy

Check out my fish chowder recipe - it's comfort food - and very tasty!
It makes a nice light meal.

Fish Chowder - very easy

Ingredients: serves 4

couple of tblspns. of Olive oil or oil and a knob of butter
1 small onion peeled and chopped
(thinly sliced white part of a small leek if wanted)
1 stalk of celery - peeled and chopped
1/2 lb.potatoes (250g.) - peeled and roughly chopped
approx. 14 fl. ozs. Fish stock - home-made preferably but stock cube is fine
approx. 14 fl.ozs. milk
couple of bayleaves, small clove of garlic - crushed

approx. 12 ozs. - lb.cod or haddock (including a small amount of smoked haddock if wanted)
herb of choice - parsley, corriander, thyme - chopped
Seasoning

Method:
Saute the onion and celery until just softened
Add the milk,stock and potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked.
Add the fish - - and simmer until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through.
This shouldn't take very long. (5 mins? depending on the thickness of the fish)
Taste for seasoning and serve, garnished with fresh chopped herbs of choice.

You could also add some sweetcorn, peas and/or throw in a few ready-cooked prawns. The prawns work well.

Fish Pie

This recipe is tweaked from a Marco Pierre White recipe:
(is delicious and - - easy) ..... It does work out quite expensive, but you can, of course, change the selection and quantities of fish ........

You can make up all the components in advance, cool them, keep in fridge, then put them together before baking, or make up the whole dish and keep covered in the fridge until ready. I made this on the same day, but would imagine it could keep for one more day, but I definitely wouldn't keep it longer.

Ingredients:
(serves 6 to maybe 8).
Oven 190 deg. C

1lb. (500g) cod fillet (all fish skinned and cut into chunks)
1/2 lb. (250g) smoked haddock fillet (undyed pref.)
1lb. salmon fillet
small pkt. of frozen or 3 large fresh scallops (plus roes if wanted)
1/2 dz. fresh prawns - peeled and cut into several pieces

Few sliced mushrooms, fried gently.

1 large leek - white part only - sliced finely and blanched
3 or 4 hard boiled eggs - chopped and mixed with the sliced leek

400ml. double cream (or less, adding some creme fraiche instead)
100 ml. fish stock
or
100 ml. milk (heated) adding 2 fish stock cubes - cool before adding cream

250g. cheddar cheese - grated

Creamy mashed potatoes. (made from about 5 or 6 King Edwards or Maris Pipers)

Method:
1. Butter a large ovenproof dish and layer in the raw fish pieces - season, but not too much salt.
2. Add the mushrooms, then the leeks and egg mix. on top
3. pour over the cream mixture
4. Sprinkle over the grated cheese -
5. Add the mashed potato on top and smooth over gently.

I started the pie off at 190 for 1/2 hr., then turned it down to 150 until nicely cooked through and the potato was beginning to brown a little on top and the creamy mixture was bubbling around the edges.

You can test the fish with a skewer to make sure it's cooked. It doesn't matter too much if this is overcooked as it will still be good comfort food, but it's best - - - - just timed right!

Fishcakes/Patties - quick & storecupboard

Ingredients:
1 tin of Red Salmon - 418 grms.
1 Spring Onion (scallion) peeled and chopped
1 small-med. handful of fresh Corriander - chopped - (or dried mixed herbs, but fresh corriander is nicer)
2 tbls. Cornmeal plus some extra, in a small bowl - for coating
1 beaten Egg
Salt and Black Pepper

Corn Oil for frying
Greaseproof paper
Mayo to serve

What you do:
Drain the liquid from the tinned salmon and carefully remove the small central bones.
Break the salmon up with a fork - till fairly unlumpy and smooth.
Add the rest of your ingredients and mix well.
Form into small patties (or balls) and coat in the extra cornmeal.
Shallowish fry, turning them once or twice, until a nice golden colour.
Drain on the greaseproof or kitchen paper.
Serve with a good Mayonnaise.

These are lovely made as little balls and served as part of a buffet, or just eat as a quick snack with salad.

Seafood Pie - very quick and very easy

This is a pretty basic and easy recipe, without anything fancy added.
Most of the ingredients you will have in your fridge/freezer or storecupboard.
(You can add your own fancies!)

Ingredients: - (quantities to your choice).
Mixed frozen seafood (packs) - (you dont need to defrost this)
Tinned salmon - fish only - not the liquid
Enough (whole) milk to cover the fish
Butter
Seasoning
Preferably home-made mashed potato for your topping
Some nice grated cheese
Cornflour to thicken.
(Chopped parsley if wanted)
- Hot oven -

Place your frozen seafood mix into a saucepan and add enough milk to cover well.
Add a large knob of butter.
Dont add any seasoning yet, as the fish may be quite salty.
Bring gently to the boil and simmer until the fish is just cooked through.
Drain, keeping the milk aside. Taste this for seasoning.

Place your fish in a buttered ovenproof dish and crumble the contents of a tin of salmon on top - (do check for bones here!)
Thicken the remaining milk on a gentle heat, with some slaked cornflour - (small amount of cornflour plus a little water mixed till smooth),
- add to the milk and stir until it has begun to thicken and look creamy.

Pour this creamy (seasoned if necessary) liquid over the fish - enough to cover,
Top with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle some grated cheese over the top and place in a hot oven until liquid is starting to bubble up through the potatoes (around the edges) - and the cheese is becoming browned.

This is really simple to make and pretty tasty.

Salmon & Prawn fishcakes - quick and very easy!

This is a variation on the Salmon & Scallop Fishcakes recipe. This is much quicker and pretty easy. You can buy almost everything ready-prepared.

I used the following products:

Ingredients:
Scottish Lochmuir Salmon Flakes 120 gms. (from M&S - UK)
King Prawns (Organic) 140g. (M&S)
small amount of mashed potato
some chopped fresh corriander, and dried oregano
Seasoning (S & P),
1 beaten egg and small amount of seasoned flour (on 2 separate plates)
little milk if necessary.

Put all ingredients - (except beaten egg and flour) - into your food processor and whizz together till combined.
Wet your hands and make into patties, coat in beaten egg and seasoned flour.
Fry in shallow amount of groundnut oil, (or similar).

I prefer these cold, but they can be reheated in the micro and would be nice with a fried egg on top - as a little snackette! Very tasty!

Salmon & Scallop Fishcakes

Ingredients: - makes 4 - 5
1 salmon fillet
about 6 scallops taken from a Pack of frozen scallops - or fresh
small knob of butter
Mashed potato*, seasoned but no added milk or butter
Chopped fresh parsley or corriander
Milk, seasoning,
Beaten Egg and flour for coating (I used Gram flour)
Oil for shallow frying (grape seed, rape seed, groundnut or coconut oil)

Poach the salmon and scallops in seasoned milk - adding a small knob of butter.
(I place the fish & milk in a Pyrex dish and cover with another plate, over a saucepan of boiling water, on a medium heat).
Poach until the fish is cooked through and will flake easily. Test the scallops, as these may need a little longer to cook through. Keep the milk.

Flake the salmon, chop the scallops fairly finely, and add the mashed potato with a little of the milk. Add the chopped parsley or corriander. Combine well until you get a nice thickish mixture. Taste - and season well.

Put the beaten egg and seasoned flour into two separate plates and
Using wet hands, make your mix into patties, dip them into the beaten egg, then coat with flour and fry over until lightly golden. Leave on greaseproof paper or wire rack until cooled.

we like to eat these cold with a salad.

* you can use up leftover jacket or roast spuds but you will probably get more of a knobbly texture to the pattie as these will probably have to be chopped rather than mashed ......... still nice though!