♥︎Sea bass fillet with tomato & caper salsa

For ➍ 

4 large sea bass fillets with skin

1 fennel bulb,  4 slices of ½ cm, keep the fennel tops aside

2 tomatoes on the vine, peeled, without seeds, cut into cubes

4 tbs capers

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 handful of fresh thyme

6 tbs good olive oil

1 tbs lime zest

1 handful of watercress

pepper and salt

Fry the fennel, garlic and thyme in some olive oil until al dente.

For the salsa, mix the rest of the olive oil, capers, lime zest and tomato together and season with some salt and pepper.

Pat the pieces of sea bass fillet dry with kitchen paper and mark the skin of the fillets lightly with a small knife.

Fry the fish in a hot pan with a non-stick coating until nicely browned on the skin side, for about 3 to 4 m, turn off the heat and leave the fish in the pan for another 1 m.

Serve the fish skin side up together with the fennel, salsa and watercress.

Season everything with some coarse pepper and sea salt and the fennel tops.

Serve with fried potatoes.

Thai fish soup

For ➍
1 tbs cooking oil
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 ts fresh ginger, grated
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
½ red chilli pepper, sliced (optional)
1 stalk lemongrass, bottom stalk only, bruised (substitute with peel of lemon or lime)*
4 kaffir lime leaves, torn (substitute with peel of lemon or lime)*
40 cl can coconut milk
2 dl vegetable broth
juice of ½ lime
1 tbs fish sauce
175 g shrimps, peeled & deveined
220 g salmon, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
assorted vegetables, such as spinach, snow peas, kale, tomatoes, bell pepper, etc.
1 tbs minced cilantro/coriander

In a wok or soup pot over medium high heat, add cooking oil and swirl to coat. When hot, add in the garlic, ginger, red onion, chilli pepper, lemongrass, kaffir and gently cook for about 2 m to release the aromas and flavors.
Pour in the coconut milk and broth and let simmer for 15 m. Remove the lemongrass, kaffir (or the lemon/lime peel if using)* and discard. Season broth with fish sauce and lime juice to taste.
Add shrimp, salmon, vegetables and cilantro. Cook for 3-4 m or until the shrimp and salmon is cooked through.
Add 250 g cooked dried rice noodles to turn the soup into a light dish.

*When substituting with the peel of a lemon or lime, use a vegetable peeler to get thin strips of peel  and give each strip a good bruising or twist to release the oils.
**Eventually, add some fresh tomatoes, cut into wedges.

Couscous with halloumi & fried red pepper

For ➍

4 red peppers, cut into strips

335 g whole grain couscous

40 g raisins

40 g almonds, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped

20 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

2 limes

250 g halloumi, cut into 1-2 cm cubes

125 g fat yogurt

70 cl vegetable stock

3 tbs olive oil

4 tbs extra virgin olive oil

pepper & salt

Grate the zest of the lime. Squeeze the lime.

In a salad bowl, mix the couscous and raisins with the stock and allow to soak, covered, for 10 m. Then stir with a fork.

Heat ½ of the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the pepper strips 7 - 9 m. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in another frying pan over medium heat and fry the lime zest and garlic for 30 s.

Add the cubes of halloumi, fry for 3 - 4 m until crispy. Then remove them from the pan.

Fry the soaked couscous 1 - 2 m in the same pan in the lime-garlic oil.

Mix the coriander with the couscous and season with the extra virgin olive oil, pepper and salt.

Divide the couscous over the plates and scoop the bell pepper strips on the side. Drizzle the couscous with the lime juice and garnish with the halloumi and almonds. Serve the yogurt separately, so that everyone can add it to their own taste.

Cod on stewed cucumber

For ➋

400 g potatoes

2 cod fillets (140 g each), raw 

2 tbs fresh lime juice (or lemon) 

2 ts Dijon mustard 

1 medium cucumber 

40 g ham, raw or smoked 

1 ts oil 10x cl miso (or vegetable) stock 

(100 g cream cheese, light)* 

1 bunch of dill, chopped

Wash the potatoes and cook (with their skins on*) for 20 m until tender. (Or cook without peel*). 

Rinse the cod fillets, pat dry, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with lemon juice. Brush with mustard and leave to soak briefly. 

Peel the cucumber, halve lengthwise, remove the seeds and cut into slices. 

Cut the ham into strips. Heat the oil in a pan, fry the ham until crispy and remove from the pan. 

Add the cucumber to the pan, deglaze with stock, (stir in the cream cheese*) and season with salt and pepper. Place the cod fillets on the cucumber and cook for 10 m with a lid on the pan. 

Drain the potatoes (and peel them*). 

Sprinkle the cod and cucumber with dill and serve with the crispy ham and potatoes.

Cauliflower steaks

For ➍ 

1 large cauliflower 

5 tbs olive oil 

¼ lemon + lemon zest, grated 

½ lime + lime zest, grated 

1 garlic clove 

pinch paprika powder s

alt to taste 

fresh coriander, chopped 

Mix the olive oil with the juice of the lemon and lime together with the crushed garlic clove. Set aside. Remove the leaves from around the cauliflower, leaving the stem intact. Cut the cauliflower into 4 slices about 2 cm thick. Work from the center, the core section will help hold it together. Brush the slices with the olive oil/lemon-lime mix and sprinkle both sides with paprika, salt and grated lemon and lime zest. Heat a griddle pan or barbecue and cook the slices for 6m on one side until grill marks appear. Turn the slices over and cook the other side for another 5 m. Place the cauliflower steaks on a baking tray and cover the tray with aluminum foil. Place the baking tray ± 25 m in the oven at 190°C.  

Serve the cauliflower steaks on a plate and sprinkle with some extra lemon juice and fresh coriander.  Serve if necessary. with grilled haloumi slices.

Seared tuna on spicy risotto

For ➋

1  garlic clove, peeled & crushed

2 tbs olive oil

2 x 200 g tuna steaks

2 tbs olive oil

300 g risotto rice

5 spring onions, chopped

6 chestnut mushrooms, chopped

2 pinches chilli flakes

2 pinches  curry powder

20 cl white wine

80 cl fish fumet or chicken stock

sea salt & pepper, freshly ground

10  cherry tomatoes

2 tbs olive oil

1 lime, quartered

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the tuna and turn over several times to coat in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until required.

For the risotto heat the oil in a wok until it is smoking, add the risotto rice, spring onions and mushrooms and fry for 4-5 m. Add the chilli flakes, curry powder and wine and bring to the boil, when the wine has been absorbed slowly add the stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer and gradually add the fumet or stock continuously stirring for 18-20 m until the rice is creamy and tender.

In the meantime, place the tomatoes into a roasting tin, drizzle over the oil and season. Roast in the oven for 6-8 m.

Sear the marinated tuna in a hot chargrill pan for 1 m on each side or until browned all over and pink in the middle. Remove from the pan to rest.

To serve, spoon the spicy risotto into a shallow bowl and place the tuna steak on top. Arrange the roasted tomatoes over the tuna and garnish with half a lime.

Seared tuna on risotto with samphire & tomatoes

For ➋

tuna:

1 lime (juice only) 

1 garlic clove (peeled & crushed)  

2 tbs olive oil      

sea salt & pepper (freshly ground) 

2 x 200 g tuna steaks

risotto:  

2 tbs olive oil 

200 g risotto rice

50 g leek, chopped  

20 cl white wine  

80 c fish fumet    

sea salt & pepper (freshly ground) 

10 cherry tomatoes  

150 g samphire 

1 tbs Parmigiano

1 lime (quartered)

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, olive oil and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the tuna and turn over several times to coat in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator until required.

Heat the fish fumet.

Heat some olive oil. Add the leek. Cover and cook mildly on moderate heat for 10-15 m. 

Add the rice until coated in the oil.

Slowly add the wine, and stir it through the rice.

Add most of the fumet. Cover and cook on moderate heat for 10-15 m, depending on the rice. Add some more fumet if needed.

Meanwhile, half the cherry tomatoes, and bake them in some oil.

Bring some of the fumet to boil and cook the samphire for 2-3 m.

When the risotto is soft and creamy, add 1 tbs Parmigiano. Add the tomatoes and samphire. Cover and let stand for 1 m. Spoon the risotto on plates

Bake or grill the tuna for 1 m on each side. Cut the tuna in nice slices and add to the plates. Serve immediately with quartered lime.

Salmon in lime broth

For ➋

30 cl chicken or vegetable stock*

1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, peeled, white part finely sliced 

2 shallots, peeled, finely sliced 

1 mild fresh red chili, finely sliced 

100 g mushrooms (oyster mushrooms or fresh shiitake), finely sliced 

1 ts sugar** 

1 tbs vegetable oil 

2 150 g fresh salmon fillets, with skins, bones removed 

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 

100 g (baby) spinach leaves 

1 tbs (Thai) fish sauce 

1 tbs fresh lime juice 

Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the lemongrass, shallots, chili, mushrooms*** and sugar. Reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 m. ***

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan. Sear the salmon fillets, skin-side down, until the skin is crisp. Turn once and cook briefly on the other side, leaving the inside slightly pink. Remove from the heat and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Boil the spinach in the hot broth for 5 s, remove with a slotted spoon and arrange in warmed shallow soup bowls. 

Place the salmon on top. 

Add the fish sauce and lime juice to the broth, and spoon it around the salmon.

* Use a miso based broth instead (use 1 tbs miso paste for 30 cl water)

** Optional

*** Add mushrooms for the last 3-4 m for a meatier mushroom

Lebanese fattoush salad

For ➍
2 loaves pita bread
extra virgin olive oil
½ ts sumac, more for later
salt & pepper
1 heart of Romaine lettuce, chopped
1 (seedless)cucumber, chopped
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
5 green onions (both white and green parts), chopped
5 radishes, stems removed, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
lime vinaigrette:
1½ lime, juice of
7 cl extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
1 ts ground sumac
¼ ts ground cinnamon
scant ¼ ts ground allspice

Toast the pita bread in your toaster oven until it is crisp but not browned.
Heat 3 tbs of olive oil in a large pan. Break the pita bread into pieces, and place in the heated oil. Fry briefly until browned, tossing frequently. Add salt, pepper and ½ ts of sumac. Remove the pita chips from the heat and place on paper towels to drain.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions with the sliced radish and parsley.
To make the lime vinaigrette, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil and spices in a small bowl.
Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss lightly.
Add the pita chips (and another generous pinch of sumac, if you like) and toss one more time.

Grilled fennel with citrus dressing & goat cheese

For ➍
2 fennel bulbs
4 clementines
50 g walnuts
120 g soft goat cheese
1 tbs olive oil
pepper & salt
dressing:
2 dl clementine juice
1 dl lime juice
2 tbs sugar
1 cardamom pod (or try ginger)
2 star anise
3 cloves

Make the dressing: mix the spices & sugar with the juice of clementines and lemons. Heat the seasoned juice and reduce to ½.
Cut the fennel bulbs lengthwise in (not too) thin slices, and drizzle with olive oil. Keep some fennel leaves on the side for finishing.
Heat a grill pan. Grill the slices of fennel and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the grilled fennel on plates, drizzle with the citrus vinaigrette and crumble the goat cheese on top. Peel the clementines and cut into thin slices.
Put slices on top. Add the coarsely chopped walnuts and a few tufts of fennel leaves far.

French Japanese cheesecake

For ➍ cakes
180 g milk
260 g Philadelphia cream cheese
240 g egg yolk
4 g zest of lime
80 g patisserie flour (T45)
80 g potato starch
530 g egg white
160 g granulated sugar
butter

Heat the milk with the Philadelphia, add the egg yolk and the lime zest.
Sift the flour and the potato starch, stir into the milk mixture. Beat the egg whites with the gradually added sugar into meringue. Gently stir it into the milk preparation.
Butter 4 small baking tins, sprinkle with flour. Fill each dish with 400 g of the batter, bake for 90 m at 140°C.
Remove from the mold, immediately cover with kitchen foil.

A variation on Japanse cheesecake by French chef Yannick Alléno.
Classic Japanese cheesecake recipes here.

Slow cooker chicken pumpkin curry

For ➍
40 cl coconut milk
2 tbs Thai red curry paste
1 tbs fish sauce
1 tbs soy sauce (or tamari)
1 tbs brown sugar
450 g sugar pie pumpkin (cubed)
600 g boneless skinless chicken breast
1 ts salt
1 red bell pepper, sliced
700 g baby spinach, fresh
1 lime, juiced
steamed rice
lime wedges
coriander
cashews, toasted

In the bowl of your slow cooker, stir the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar. Add the pumpkin and chicken. Nestle the pumpkin and chicken until it is submerged in the liquid. Cook on low for 8 h or high for 4 h. Switch the cooker to high if it’s not already, and transfer the chicken to a bowl. Season the liquid with salt. Add the spinach and bell peppers to the top of the liquid. Use two forks to shred the chicken (it will shred very easily) and return to the cooker. Cook the curry for 10-15 m longer, until the spinach is cooked and beginning to wilt. Add the juice of 1 lime. Serve over steamed rice with extra lime, cilantro and cashews.

Read tip on slow cooking.

Tortilla with endives & raw milk goat cheese

For ➍
1 shallot, chopped
1 zucchini (or 100 g peas, frozen), cubed
4 heads of chicory, cored cut in strips
2 large flowery potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 tbs finely chopped chives
6 eggs
150 g raw milk goat cheese
baking butter
pepper & salt
rucola salad

Boil the potatoes in salty water.
Bake the shallot in a little butter until glassy. Add the pre-cooked potato cubes and fry for a while. Add the zucchini and chicory and let it bake. Season with pepper and salt.
Beat the eggs and pour them over the vegetables. Crumble the goat cheese over the mixture. Put the lid on the pan and let it cook on a low heat for 10 m.
Turn the tortilla and let it cook for 2 m.
Finish the tortilla with the chopped chives and serve with the rucola salad.

Rucola salad

For ➍
100 g rucola
150 g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 scallions, cut into rings
2 tbs chopped walnuts
juice of ½ lime
olive oil

Mix the cherry tomatoes, the spring onions and the walnuts under the arugula. Season the salad with the lime juice, olive oil, pepper and salt.
Serve with endives tortilla, or omelet.

Chicken with curry dressing & steamed vegetables

For ➍
4 chicken fillets
2 ts curry powder
4 tbs sunflower oil
1 bunch carrots, peeled
200 g sugar snaps
½ small cucumber
½ lime
1 ts stock powder
2 scallions in rings

Rub the chicken fillets with salt pepper and ½ of the curry powder. Then brush with 1 tbs of oil. Place the chicken fillets in a steam basket.
Place the carrots and sugar snap juices in the other steam basket. Boil a water in the steam pan. First place the steam basket with chicken on the pan and then put the steam basket with vegetables on it. Put the lid on and steam the vegetables and chicken for 15 m.
In the meantime, cut the cucumber in 2 halves and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the cucumber halves diagonally into 1 cm pieces. Add the cucumber pieces to the vegetables in the steam pan and steam the vegetables for another 5 m.
Thinly grate the green zest of the lime and squeeze the fruit. In a small bowl, dissolve the broth powder in 10 cl of boiling water. Beat the broth with the remaining oil and curry powder into a dressing. Stir in the lime zest and spring onion and add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the vegetables and chicken fillets over 4 plates and spoon the dressing over the vegetables. Delicious with boiled potatoes.

Kaukswe (Burmese chicken curry soup)

For ➍-➏
for the soup:
650 g boneless chicken thighs
1 tbs dried ginger
1 tbs dried turmeric
1 tbs ground coriander
1 tbs neutral oil, such as grapeseed
2 cloves garlic
2.5 cm piece ginger, peeled
1 shallot, peeled
1 dried hot chilli
1 bunch fresh coriander
5 cl unrefined coconut oil or a neutral cooking oil, such as grapeseed
400 g cubed sweet potatoes
40 cl chicken stock
40 cl unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbs fish sauce
2 limes, 1 juiced &1 quartered
salt, to taste
for the crispy shallots:
1 peeled shallot, sliced thinly
20 cl neutral cooking oil, such as grapeseed

In a food processor, mince the garlic, ginger, shallot, dried chilli, and the roots and/or stems of the bunch of coriander.  Cut the chicken thighs into about 2.5 cm pieces. Marinate overnight with the dried ginger, turmeric, coriander, and 1 tbs of neutral oil. (Or toss the chicken pieces with the spices before you start cooking.)
In the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil. Then add the cubed sweet potato. Fry until golden brown on at least 2 sides of each cube. Scoop out of the pan, leaving the oil, and set aside.
Add the chicken pieces (a few at a time so you can brown them without having them cool the pan down) and let them begin to brown. Season with a pinch of salt. When they are mostly browned, add the minced mix, stem mixture and let cook out a little.
Add a couple tbs of the chicken stock and let reduce until the mixture is soft and cooked. Add the rest of the chicken stock and the reserved sweet potatoes and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile fry the crispy shallots (this can also be done as much as a week ahead of time, as the shallots will keep in a closed container at room temperature for a week at least). In a sauté pan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the shallots and stir frequently. As the oil continues to heat, the shallots will start to color. When they get golden brown, scoop them out of the oil and drain on a paper towel. You want to pull them out of the oil a little before dark brown, as they'll continue to cook and crisp up on the paper towel.
Simmer the soup for about 30 m, until the chicken and sweet potatoes are close to tender. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, and coconut milk and bring up to a simmer. Stir in a quarter cup of coriander leaves and taste for salt.
Serve garnished with the crispy shallots, a couple of sprigs of raw coriander, and the lime wedges. Add some noodles if you want.

Soy salmon & lime tacos

For ➍
4 salmon fillets
3 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs sunflower oil
2 tbs sesame seeds
juice ½ lime
salt & pepper
pinch of garlic salt
easy guacamole:
2 avocados
½ lime
½ lemon
salt & pepper
fresh chilli (optional)
mango & watermelon salsa:
1 mango
¼ small watermelon
¼ red onion
few sprigs of parsley leaves
1 ts honey
garnish:
3 tbs pomegranate seeds
5 tbs sour cream & chives dip
2 radishes
3 tbs dried crispy onions

Place the salmon on a baking tray lined with foil or baking paper and pour over a few glugs of sunflower oil, 2 tbs of soy sauce, a handful of sesame seeds, garlic salt, pepper and a squeeze of half a lime. Making sure both sides are coated with the sauce, bake skin-side down for 20 m until the flakes come away with a fork easily.
Whilst the salmon cooks in the oven, prepare your accompanying ingredients.
-(Guacamole) Halve and stone 2 avocados and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Mash with a pinch of salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon and lime and some chilli, if desired.
-(Salsa) Finely dice parsley, mango, watermelon and red onion for the salsa. Squeeze some lime and a tiny drizzle of honey and mix well.
Place small soft flour tortillas on a dry hot pan for 30 s to warm through.
Assemble salmon taco with guacamole and pomegranate seeds: spread guacamole over the base of the taco spoon over some of the salsa and add some salmon flakes on top. To garnish sprinkle some pomegranate seeds and some chopped parsley.
Assemble salmon taco with sour cream and chives: start with sour cream and chives spread over the taco base, spoon over the salsa and layer salmon flakes. Add thinly sliced radishes and garnish with some chopped parsley.
Serve with corn on the cob cut up into pieces, and quartered fresh limes.

Modern gimlet

For ➊
6 cl gin
1 cl lime juice*
1 cl simple syrup (1:1, sugar:water)
lime wheel for garnish

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker.
Add ice and shake until chilled.
Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. (Add a splash of soda, if wanted).
Garnish with a lime wheel.

*Before fresh juice was standard in cocktails, Rose’s Lime Cordial was the traditional substitute for simple syrup and lime juice. Some still insist that a gimlet is not a gimlet without Rose’s, but we prefer to use fresh citrus whenever possible.

This cocktail was created for English sailors as a way to prevent scurvy. It used Rose’s Lime Cordial, lime juice mixed with syrup, to add vitamine C. This preventative drink turned out to be delicious as well. Modern Rose’s Lime Cordial is a much sweeter concoction than the original and should be replaced by fresh juice. Replace the sugar in the syrup with stevia, if wanted.

Gerookte tomaat-garnaal (smoked tomato with shrimps)

For ➏
2 tbs of wood chips
250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
pepper & salt
2 scallions, chopped
100 g sour cream
1 lime, zeste
olive oil
250 g shrimps
1 head little gem lettuce, finely chopped

Place a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom of a cooking pot. Sprinkle the wood chips over and cover again with a sheet of aluminum foil followed by a (cake) grid. Carefully place the cherry tomatoes on the rack and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover the cooking pot with a lid so that no smoke can escape. Place the pot on a high heat until the smoke circulation starts. Then turn the heat down and let smoke for 4 to 5 m. Carefully remove the tomatoes from the pot and let cool for a while.*
Mix the scallions with the tomatoes and spread in the glasses or jars.
Mix the sour cream with the lime zest, some olive oil, pepper and salt and mix with the shrimp. Put the shrimps on the tomatoes.
Finish with the finely chopped little gems.

*Use grilled cherry tomatoes instead.

Scallop & mango ceviche

For ➍
500 g dry sea scallops, tough white muscle removed*
2 ripe mangoes, peeled & chopped, divided
8 cl lime juice
¾ tsp salt
180 g thinly sliced chilli peppers, such as poblanos or jalapeños
50 g very thinly sliced red onion

Bring 1.2 cm water to a gentle simmer in a large skillet over medium heat. Add scallops and cook until firm and just cooked through, 3 to 5 m. Transfer the scallops to a medium non-reactive bowl with a slotted spoon. (Discard the poaching liquid) Add half the mango to the bowl with the scallops. Puree the remaining mango with lime juice and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour the puree over the scallops.
Add chilli peppers and onion. Gently toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate the ceviche for 1 h, gently stirring halfway through.
Serve chilled.**

*Dry sea scallops differ from wet scallops, which have been treated with sodium tripolyphosphate. Wets are less flavourful, and will not brown properly.
*Try serving this ceviche Peruvian-style, with hard-boiled egg, sweet potato, lettuce and corn. Or keep it simple and serve it on salad greens with tortilla chips on the side.