Mediterranean Baked Fish

Serves 4

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Plunge tomatoes into the boiling water for a second or too then immediately remove to a medium bowl of ice water. Drain, then remove skins. Chop and set aside. ( It doesn't matter if you want to leave the skins on - just chop up the tomatoes)

3. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, and cook onion until tender. Stir in garlic and oregano. Stir in tomatoes, and cook until softened. Mix in wine, olives, capers, lemon juice and the chopped basil.

4. Reduce heat, mix in Parmesan cheese and simmer until the mixture is reduced to a thick sauce, about 15 minutes.

Directions
Preparation:20min › Cook:30min › Ready in:50min

Salt and Pepper Calamari

Ingredients

• 2 large squid hoods

• 1/4 cup of plain flour

• 1 teaspoon of salt

• 1 teaspoon ground pepper

• 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice

• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (bit less if you don't like it hot).

• Soy sauce, lemon wedges and sliced red chilli, to serve

• 1.5 cups peanut oil (to deep fry calamari)

Method

Split squid hoods length ways and lay squid flat on board. Pat dry squid with paper towel. Score squid diagonally in a criss cross pattern about 5mm between cuts. (take care not to cut through flesh). After scoring, cut squid into 15mm strips then cut strips into 40mm length.

Mix flour, salt, pepper, 5 spice and chilli powder together in bowl. Place squid strips into bowl and thouroughly coat each piece with spice mixture.

Heat oil in wok or pan. When oil is hot carefully add squid to pan. Careful of the hot oil, it will splatter about a bit.

Calamari will turn a light brown and tend to curl up when cooked. It only takes about 45 seconds to a minute to cook.

Serve while hot. Goes great with a bit of lemon juice and soy sauce.

Chilli Mussels

Ingredients

• Olive Oil

• 1 Red onion - sliced

• 3 -4 Cloves garlic - crushed

• 2 - 3 Long red chillies. Add an extra couple if you like it hot.

• 6 Fresh tomatoes - cut into chunks

• 1 Lemon rind

• 1/2 cup white wine - make it the good stuff

• 1 kg Fresh Mussels

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 -2 rashers bacon

• Crusty bread - to serve

Method

1. Clean mussels - If you don't know how to do this, look up on internet.

2. Fry onion and bacon in olive oil until onion is translucent.

3. Add garlic and paprika. Cook for 1 minute

4. Add tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes until soft

5. Add chilli, lemon rind, balsamic vinegar and wine

6. Add mussels and stir

7. When mussels start to open add parsley

8. Serve with crusty bread. (discard unopened mussels.

Bouillabaisse Fish Soup

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.

3 small onions thinly sliced.

2 leeks finely sliced.

1 cup fennel finely chopped.

3 cans 450gm of chopped tomatoes.

5 cloves garlic minced.

1 sprig fresh thyme.

2 bay leaves.

1 large of orange zest.

250gm fresh scallops.

700gm fresh prawns peeled and deveined.

2 dozen fresh mussels

700gm fresh salmon.

1-2L warm water.

2 pinches saffron threads.

Black and White pepper.

Preparation

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onions, leeks, chopped tomatoes and garlic. Cook and stir over a very low heat for a few minutes until all the vegetables are soft.

Stir in the thyme, bay leaves and orange zest then add the scallops, mussels, prawns', warm water and stir add more warm water if needed. Season to taste with black and white pepper. Turn up the heat to high. boil for about 3 to 4 minutes to allow the water and oil to combine.

Add the Salmon and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes or until salmon is cooked. The salmon firm and tender and not falling apart. Add a few mussel shells for presentation.

Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning to taste. Stir in the saffron until combines with soup. Serve immediately in warn soup dishes with fresh bread.

Enjoy with a nice bottle of wine.