oooLaLa

yes - can leave out the wine - but I wouldn;t do this in a slow cooker - all the fish would fall apart!

Quick Fish stew  - preparation - 10 minutes, cooking time 5 minutes First make the mayo: juice & zest of 1 lemon, good handful of fresh basil - chopped up small, few drops of tabasco (optional), 3-4 tbls of mayo. Mix all of the above together and set aside Cook some rice - I do basmati as follows: Equal quanity of rice & water bring to boil simmer for 1 minute with lid on turn down to lowest heat possible for 8 minutes take off heat and leave for another 7 minutes should be perfect For the fish stew: A collection of your favourite fish cut up into chunks. I use: 250g of mussels, 250g of white fish (cod/haddock/bass/bream) 250g of salmon, handful of prawns, maybe some monkfish or scallops if you are feeling posh. add some smoked fish if you like. The only rule is that they should all be filleted with no bones 3-6 inches of chorizo (optional) diced 1 onion - diced 1 (or maybe 2) tins of chopped tomatoes - if making loads, then you'll need two tins. 1 large glass of white wine diced cooked new potatoes - again a handful Handful of fresh chopped flat leaf parsley gentrly fry the onion & choizo until the onion is soft in a little olive oil turn up the heat and add the wine, potatoes, all the fish and the tin of tomatoes put a lid on it and cook for about five minutes - the fish will be cooked and the mussels will have opened. If using cooked prawns, add these after 4 minutes so that they only heat through. Throw the parlsey over so it looks lovely I take all things to the table and let people help themselves - you may want some crusty bread handy Put the rice on a plate, spoon over the stew and top with the basil & lemon mayo. all my kids love this (although not all of them eat mussels) Very health and almost fat free, particularly if you leave out the chorizo OhLaLa! [kiss] Variation: You can use squid - but as it can easily go tough, add the squid when you add the wine/toms. Keep the spuds & rest of the fish back and simmer gently for about an hour with the lid on. then turn up the heat and carry on..  

Mains: Roast Monkfish - with dried ham bit chef-y this one.. but well worth it.  get some cling film Get a whole monkfish, get rid of the membrane, then take off the two fillets. turn them top to tail so that you have a cylinder of fish - cut into 5inch lengths (the cylinder, so probably 2 or 3 depending on size of fish) get some cling film and lay it out on a board (GG - about 14 inches worth) in the middle of the cling film, lay two pieces of parma ham (or local french stuff) next to each other, and sprinkle over 1/4 tsp of chinese five spice. now put the fish in the middel and wrap the ham around the fish. Wrap the cling film around it all and then start to roll the whole thing on the board, using the ends of the cling flim. Think a xmas cracker. you should have a sausage like thing now. Roll it really tight with the clingfilm, then stick in the fridge for 8 hours - this will set the shape when you come to cook it. When ready toi cook, Oven to 180c/GM4, need heavy pan that will go in the oven get pan hot, add a spash of oil, then add the monkfish sausage (having taken off the cling film) colour all over, then put in the oven for 7 minutes. take out and let rest for another 7 minutes. slice in half on the diagonal, plong on top of the garlic/rosemary beans with the red-pepper compote around the outside. have bread ready to mop up. This looks great and tastes fantastic.. Oo La La! [kiss]

Mains: Roast Monkfish - with dried ham bit chef-y this one.. but well worth it.  get some cling film Get a whole monkfish, get rid of the membrane, then take off the two fillets. turn them top to tail so that you have a cylinder of fish - cut into 5inch lengths (the cylinder, so probably 2 or 3 depending on size of fish) get some cling film and lay it out on a board (GG - about 14 inches worth) in the middle of the cling film, lay two pieces of parma ham (or local french stuff) next to each other, and sprinkle over 1/4 tsp of chinese five spice. now put the fish in the middel and wrap the ham around the fish. Wrap the cling film around it all and then start to roll the whole thing on the board, using the ends of the cling flim. Think a xmas cracker. you should have a sausage like thing now. Roll it really tight with the clingfilm, then stick in the fridge for 8 hours - this will set the shape when you come to cook it. When ready toi cook, Oven to 180c/GM4, need heavy pan that will go in the oven get pan hot, add a spash of oil, then add the monkfish sausage (having taken off the cling film) colour all over, then put in the oven for 7 minutes. take out and let rest for another 7 minutes. slice in half on the diagonal, plong on top of the garlic/rosemary beans with the red-pepper compote around the outside. have bread ready to mop up. This looks great and tastes fantastic.. Oo La La! [kiss]

Sides: Got this recipe from a South African estate agent when looking at placves around Tarbes.. Tarbes beans - ok - you can't all get these - so local white beans or just drain a couple of cans worth. If from fresh - cook the beans first then: heat oven to 180c/GM4 get an earthenware dish chuck in the cooked white beans add 4 cloves of shopped garlic add 3-4 twigs of fresh rosemary - chopped up fine add 3-4 tbls olive oil season stir stick in oven for 30 minutes, turning every 10 These are lovely with Delias Piedamont Peppers (left to cool, skins taken off and chopped up) If you don;t have Delia handy: Serves 4 3 red peppers, halved through the stalks, seeds taken out to each "boat" add: 1/2 chopped anchovey, 1/4 skinned & de-seeded tomatoe, 3-4 thin slices of garlic, 1 dessert sp olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes or until the skins look black. Let them cool, then skin them over a bowl, add some fresh basil and chop up. These are lovely with the beans, great with a steak or.. with the mains I'm about to post.. Oo La La![kiss]

Mains: Duck breasts... 15 minutes... if you like 'um tough maybe.. Trim as much fat off as you can. then score what's left in a diamond pattern. Heat the oven to 180/GM4 use a heavy pan that'll go in the oven. - heat the pan for a goiod five minutes. Season breasts, put in skin side down - they will smoke like buggery. once coloured, flip over and colour the meat side for 30-45 seconds. turn back on to skin side and stick in the oven for 7 minutes for med-rare, 8 for medium - anything above that - you're in the wrong country! take out and put on a warm plate and rest for at least 5 minutes - THIS IS IMPORTANT. then slice before plating up OK - fab sauce - not very french - but the french i served it to loved it! Mango, ginger & passion fruit sauce put into a pan: 1 mango - skinned and chopped large glass of white wine 3 balls of stem ginger in syrup - chopped up - plus the syrup that covered them. (get some one coming out from the UK to empty the shelves of their local Tesco) simmer until the mango is soft blend add 3 passion fruit (obviously not whole) blend again put through a sieve back into a pan (it can be frozen at this point in an ice cube tray and whipped out when ever you have friends round) warm through season with black pepper - no real need for salt. Put the sauce on the plate, put the duck on top serve with garlic green beans lovely carrots and spuds - i par boil new spuds for 5 mins, slice in half, brush cut-side with oil, season and stick in the oven for 25 minutes Oo La La! [kiss]