Soba, cucumber stuff, fresh fish, yum....

A previous dialogue was about a beautiful cucumber soup with raw fish from the Australian Gourmet Traveller magazine (intended for tuna but the most spanking fresh fish here over these few days have been Koffer, in the bream family and pretty much exclusively from the Arabian sea).

I kept the solids (i.e. strained dregs) of the chilled cucumber soup from 2 days ago in the fridge.  I hate throwing out good stuff.  Cooked and chilled soba noodles, additional fish (again Koffer were the best today), a bit of extra acidity (lime juice) and a teeny touch of salt to counteract the addition of soba.  A little bit of cucumber for bite, some coriander and well actually I cannot fault this which I say rarely with what is essentially "leftovers".  Oh I left the skin on the Koffer this time round.  It's such a fine delicate skin and a very difficult fish to deskin which I learnt two days ago but really the texture is melting even raw so if you're reading this and are in the Arabian Gulf region eating raw Koffer (what are the chances?) keep the skin on!

Hot cross buns that are very fine indeed!!!

I made these beauties this Easter using my sensational sourdough starter as the raising agent.  I added Chinese 5 spice and a touch of cinnamon for the spice element.  Chinese 5 spice is an incredible spice mix for sweet component spice recipes, very much similar to Pain d'espices mix from Alsace.

No goopy cross mix either, simply a cut in the buns as you might bread just before they go into the hot oven.  The fruit (my taste here) was currents and Italian sweet citrus along with brown sugar and salt (don't forget the salt!).  Icing sugar on top just before the oven to give it the sticky element.

Beautiful texture, taste, colour and quite frankly up there with the best (if not THE BEST) we've eaten even in Germany which does mean hot cross buns!  I've repeated this already.  Same result... very yummy.

Sea bream with lemon saffron risotto and broad beans

Simply a take on Daniel Boulad's recipe making the risotto into croquettes (or arancini as they are in Italian).  I simply made the rice as a risotto in it's own wright as it is very piquant which complements fish superbly (in this case gilt head or sea bream).

Chilled cucumber soup with raw fish Japanese style

I'm making a note to self on this one.  An Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe.  I used local Koffer fish instead of tuna as it was as fresh as fresh and I know it's beautiful fish.

I used half the rice vinegar and half sushi vinegar (i.e. with sugar, salt rice vinegar sushi rice style).  I added a teaspoon or so of sesame oil.

I also made some of the cucumber soup into wee jellies for a different texture.  Cold is the only way to serve raw fish so chill the plates, serve everything as cold as poss.  Next time on a black plate and a disk of something, (rice maybe?) to stabilise the jelly on the raw fish centre.

I'll be making it again.

Poussin with crispy skin, roasted tomatoes and Egyptian bread

This is a favourite simple dinner.  I get French free range poussin (they are really well priced here) and simply cut them down the centre.  I sprinkle the skin liberally with salt and then leave them UNCOVERED in the fridge for a day or two.  The skin goes completely dry. 

I then drizzle them with a little bit of olive oil and bung them in a hot oven for about 20 - 25 minutes. They are impossible to overcook (pretty much) done this way, all the moisture stays in and that skin is as crisp and delicious as chicken skin can be.

Served on a flat piece of Egyptian bread simply with roasted tomatoes and herbs it's an absolute winner of a dish.  Chewy and crunchy and sweet and chicken.  Yummy.  Oh and no that's not too much salt for this...it sits on the top due to the dried skin so seems like more than it is.   Chicken needs to be well seasoned in my opinion.

Potato and leek ravioli, roasted potato skin sauce, leek powder.

This recipe was in the Australian Gormet Traveller and appealed to me immensely.  The roasted potato skin sauce?  What a brilliant idea and the leeks were roasted till brown and dry then ground into a fine powder for a slight bitter note which added immense complexity to this delicious and rather creative dish.  The ravioli were filled with a delicious concoction of parmesan, potato, butter and leek.  Can't go far wrong with that foursome.

I talked Andy into making it.  This is the result....and it tasted DREAMY.  

Japanese dressed noodles, toasted sesame seeds, miso marinated salmon

Again, a light fresh and absolutely delicious way to serve salmon.