Languine with chilli, and crab

2 gloves garlic

1 scant tbsp salt

1 large chilli (red)

200g white crab meat

100g brown meat

125ml extra virgin oil

juice and zest of 1 lemon

500g linguine

handfull of chopped fresh parsley

Put on a large pan of water to boil the pasta.

In a large pestle and mortar pulverise the peeled garlic cloves with the salt into a smooth paste. Add the chopped and seeded crab meat, breaking it up gently with the fork, and pour in the oil. Zest the lemon into the mortar then add the juice.

Mix together using a fork. Cook the pasta. Drain and tip into a serving bowl, pouring over the crab sauce. Toss the pasta to coat in the sauce and throw in the chopped parsley, and toss again.

This was not as fantastic as I had expected (or perhapes hoped). For my taste there was a little too much oil, and the flavour of it bebecame over poering in the dish. Should I make this again I'll cut the oil down to 100 ml's and try and find a hotter chilli!!

Spiced Prawns

Fry one sliced onion, in olive oil until golden. Stir in 2tsp grated fresh ginger and 1/2tsp ground cumin, and 1/2tsp of crushed coriander seeds. After a minute stir in 1/2tsp of turmeric, pinch of dried chilli flakes and 250g raw prawns. Stir for a few minutes until the prawns turn pink. Add 250ml (approx) of roast tomato sauce (see post below), and heat. Serve on a bed of steamed rice, sprinkled with coriander.

Prawn and Chorizo Jamalaya

150g dice chorizo
1 each, small red pepper and yellow pepper, diced
1 onion finely chopped
2 celery sticks finely sliced
2 garlic gloves chopped
1 red chilli chopped finely
200g long grain rice
227g chopped tomato, tinned
700ml vegetable stock
1/2tsp tabasco sauce
200g raw tiger prawns, peeled
Cook the chorizo in a wide deep frying pan. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

To the pan add peppers, onion, celery, garlic and chilli, stirring occasionally, cook for 5 minutes. Stri in the rice, cook for 1 minute, add the tomatos, stock and tabasco sauce and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in the chorizo and prawns and cook for a further few minutes.
You might like to garnish with spring onions and lime wedges.

Lobster Thermador

4 lobsters, about 1-1/2 Lb each
1/3 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 cup single cream
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
1 quartered lemon

Heat 3-4 gallons water to boil in a stockpot, over a high flame. Plunge lobsters headfirst, into boiling water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from pot and drain well. Remove claws and legs, leaving body intact. Remove flesh from claws and legs, and set aside. Cut thin undershell from tail with shears and gently remove flesh from tail shell. Cut flesh to large dice and combine with flesh from claws. Wash shells well and drain. Heat butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour, salt and nutmeg. Heat and stir until bubbly. Whisk in cream and wine. Add lobster and stir to coat well. Remove from heat. Invert shells onto a baking sheet and fill with lobster mixture. Top with grated cheddar cheese. Place in oven briefly to melt cheese and brown lightly. Remove to a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve hot!

I actully used a cooked frozen lobster, but included the instructions for those brave enough to "kill" their own.

If you haven't tried lobster before I urge you too!! This was delicious, my only regret is that I served it as a starter, (so half a lobster each) and I think we'd have all enjoyed a whole one as a main!!

Scallops and Chorizo

110g chorizo sausage
400g small scallops
juice of half a lemon
4tbsp chopped parsley

Slice the chorizo into rounds. Dry fry until crisp on either side. Remove the chirizo to a bowl and fry the scallops, in the oil released from the chirizo, for about 1 minute per side.
Return the chirizo to the pan, add the lemon juice and let it bubble for a few seconds before arranging on a serving plate and sprinkling with parsley.

Mussels

Once regarded as the poor relation of the shellfish family because of their small size and relative abundance, mussels are now very popular and fairly cheap.

The most common Blue or European mussels have sleek, shiny shells and tender, nutritious flesh. Like oysters, they are indiscriminate feeders and must be gathered from unpolluted waters. It is because of this that most mussels that you find in supermarkets and fishmongers are farmed.

Peak season for fresh mussels is October to March.

You can buy mussels in their shells year-round from the chiller cabinet, or, ready shelled versions come frozen, smoked and bottled in brine or vinegar.


Try not to choose mussels that have chipped, broken or damaged shells. Fresh mussels tend to be tightly closed. Allow about 500g per person for a main meal, and half that amount for a starter, or if they are to be added to pasta or soup.

To clean mussels, scrub in plenty of cold water to remove barnacles or sand. Discard any that float to the top. Give any open mussels a sharp tap with a knife and discard any that fail to close (they are dead). Remove the 'beard' - a fibrous clump of hairs that sprouts from the shell - by giving it a sharp tug towards the hinge end of the mussel. Place cleaned mussels in a fresh bowl of cold water until ready to use. Change this water two or three times to remove any salt or sand that the mussels may expel.

Mussels are highly perishable and should be eaten on the day of purchase.

Orecchiette with Carbonara and king prawns

For the carbonara sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
3 slices pancetta
1-2 tbsp double cream
1-2 tbsp fresh parmesan, grated
1 egg yolk
Bring a large pot of salty water to the boil.

For the carbonara, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan, over a moderate heat.
Add the slices of pancetta to the pan, and fry for 2-3 minutes, on each side, or until crisp and golden.
Meanwhile, place the double cream, parmesan and egg yolk into a small bowl. Stir well. Add the prawns and heat through.
Cook the Orecchiette as per packet instructions. When the pasta has cooked, combine with sauce. Serve with black pepper.

Orecchiette is the most typical pasta shape of the Puglia region. It takes its name from the shape which is said to resemble little "orecchio" (ears).

Baked King Prawn Rice

6 thin slices of chorizo

2 finely chopped cloves garlic

1 small onion, finely chopped

300g long grain rice

2tsp paprika
750ml chicken stock75g peas

300g raw king prawns

Preheat oven gas 5.Finely slice the chorizo (as thinly as possible).Put the shredded chorizo, onion, and garlic in a flameproof casserole, cook for 5 mins until softened. No need to add oil.Add the rice and paprika, stir for 30 secs and add the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and bake for 20 mins. Stir in the peas and prawns and return to the oven, approx 6-8 mins, until the prawns are pink and cooked through. Serve hot.