Crispy-skin salmon with chorizo and red pepper stew, served with baby potatoes, and a caramelized balsamic sauce

This is a quick and easy recipe that follows the formula of: simple ingredients+common sense=deliciousness. The rule of thumb is: you do not need to be precise to the ounce, but you do need to understand ratios and flavour combinations to cook well. This recipe is an example of the universal fish+tangy flavour combo: fish and TANG belong together: fish and lime, fish and lemon, or fish and vinegar, you may have noticed acidity is applied to many fish dishes, no matter where the cuisine comes from. The smokey chorizo sausage improves the flavour profile of the dish, taking it up a notch.

Ingredients (for 4 hungry adults):
- 4 salmon fillets, with skin on. The skin gives an extra 'dimension' to the texture of the dish, when crisped up
- 1 large smoked chorizo sausage, sliced thinly
- 16 baby potatoes, washed and skin on (or however many you feel like, really)
- 4-5 red capsicums (for this recipe, red capsicums work better than green ones, as they are sweeter)
- A handful of rocket leaves for garnish
- 1 large leek, finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Olive oil (standard virgin olive oil for cooking, and extra virgin olive oil to dress the dish at the end)

- 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed (we do not want the garlic to overtake, so it is better to just 'crush' the garlic cloves)
- Caramelized balsamic vinegar (I got a bottle of 'Little Fish Cafe' caramelized balsamic vinegar from a friend who brought it back from Port Macquarie in Northern NSW. If you do not have it, just use balsamic vinegar, but a little less of it, or it would be a bit more acidic).

Method:

1. Rub salt and pepper on the salmon fillets. NOTE: ensure the skin side is salted. Leave on kitchen bench for a few minutes to allow the seasoning to penetrate. Pat dry the fillets with kitchen towel. These steps ensure that excess moisture in the skin is drawn out, so it becomes crispy when pan-fried
2. Wash the potatoes, and cut them in half. Wash and cut the capsicums into thin strips. Wash and cut the leek into fine pieces. Crush the garlic cloves
3. Heat a good quality non-stick pan on low to medium heat, and add sliced chorizo. Render the fat off the sausage and cook until crispy. Set aside the cooked sausage and leave the fat in the pan
4. Rub a little olive oil on the fish fillets to prevent sticking. Fry the salmon fillets skin-side down in the chorizo fat. Add a little olive oil if needed. NOTE: do not overcrowd the pan so the fish 'fries'. Cook until the skin becomes crispy and golden brown. Turn over to cook the other side. NOTE: the best way to check if fish is cooked on the inside is to poke a bamboo stick in the fillet, and if the white 'protein foam' comes out, then the inside is cooked
5. Boil the potatoes to 90% done. To check, poke a knife in the potatoes, there should be some 'resistance'. This way, when the potatoes are cooked again in the pan, they retain their 'structural integrity'. Drain well
6. Set the cooked fish aside. 'De-glaze' with leek, crushed garlic and capsicum strips. Season with salt and pepper to draw the moisture out of the vegetables and speed up the cooking process. Cook the vegetables until soft and tender. Drizzle a generous amount of caramelized balsamic vinegar over the vegetable mixture and toss in the baby potatoes. Mix well to coat the potatoes. Cook for a couple of minutes, or until the potatoes are 100% tender. Toss the cooked chorizo back into the pan. Check for seasoning
7. Garnish with rocket leaves and drizzle a little virgin olive oil over the top. Serve and enjoy the more-ish crispy-skin salmon on a bed of tender baby potatoes, creamy leek and sweet stewed capsicum, topped with the crispy, sweet and smokey chorizo. The vegetables are well integrated into the slightly smokey, sweet and tangy sauce, and the rocket adds a peppery twist. I don't know about you, but I sure am starving!

Fish taco-modern mexican

Fish Taco-'Tex-Mex’ 

Ingredients (serves 4-5):

• ·        For the fish and marinade

      4-5 firm white fish filets, boneless (I use hoki in this recipe)
2-3 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Pinch of salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp of cayenne pepper powder

1 tsp of cumin powder

1 clove of garlic, minced

• ·         For the cabbage salad

      1 red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup coriander, coarsely chopped
2 cups freshly shredded white cabbage

• ·         For the sauce

      1 cup light sour cream
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder (or to taste)
1 tbsp lime juice
Pinch of salt and pepper (to taste)

• ·         For the salsa and dressing

      1 cup chopped red tomatoes
½ cup chopped red onion
Minced jalapeno (to taste)
½ cup chopped coriander

Half a can of corn kernels

4 red radishes, diced finely
Juice of 1 lime

1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of salt and pepper (to taste)

• ·         4-8 flour or corn tortillas (depending on how hungry you are)

• ·         Avocado, sliced

• ·         Tabasco sauce.

Method: 

1.  Place the fish fillets in a large, shallow dish and brush with olive oil. Pour over lime juice, add a sprinkle of salt, chopped coriander, garlic, cumin and cayenne pepper. Allow the marinade to infuse the fish for 30 minutes - 2 hours in the fridge
2. In the meantime, toss the cabbage salad ingredients together - shredded cabbage with red onion and coriander
3. For the salsa, mix the chopped tomato, onion, corn, radishes, chilli and coriander together in a large bowl. Mix garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper and olive oil until the mixture emulsifies.  Dress the salsa with the mixture. Add a pinch of cumin and hot pepper powder, and stir through. Mix well and set aside
4. For the sauce, in a small bowl, mix together - sour cream, yoghurt, chilli and cumin powder, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside
5. Preheat a grill pan to medium to medium high. Sprinkle more olive oil on the fish and place the fish seasoning side down to cook. Sprinkle a little more cayenne pepper on the top side of the fish and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side or until the fish is cooked through (when the white protein comes out of the fish, that is a sign the inside is cooked)
6. Remove the fish to a clean platter, allow it to rest 5-10 minutes and then slice into thick strips 
7. Heat the tortillas by placing them on the barbeque grill for about a minute each side
8. To serve, for each taco, place a warm tortilla on a plate, add a few chunks of fish, drizzle with the creamy sauce, and add a handful of salsa and cabbage salad. Oh, almost forgot to mention, there is no ‘elegant’ way of eating a soft taco, so open wide!! :-D

Teriyaki salmon with Japanese coleslaw

Ingredients (serves 4):

·         1 part light soy sauce

·         1 part mirin

·         1 part cooking sake

·         1/3-1/2 part caster sugar (to taste)

·         1 clove garlic, bruised/lightly crushed (optional)

·         4 salmon fillets (around 800 g)

·         Vegetable oil

·         Grated diakon and/or shredded shallots for garnish

Method:

1. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, cooking sake, sugar and garlic. Note: the quantity depends on how much sauce you want to make. The important thing is the ratio of the sake, mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Leave the salmon to marinate in the mixture for 15-30 minutes (note: the longer you leave it in the marinade, the more intense the flavour will be). Meanwhile, thinly slice the shallots lengthways. Transfer to a container of iced water. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes or until the shallot curls (optional)
2. Heat lightly-oiled heavy-based non-stick pan on high. Pan-fry the salmon (if with skin on, cook skin down first) on both sides, brushing occasionally with teriyaki marinade until cooked as desired. Note: when the white protein comes out of the fish, that is when the fish is cooked through. Set aside the cooked salmon
3. Pour in the reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until sauce becomes glossy, luster and thickened
4. Serve salmon with garnish, steamed Japanese rice (sushi rice or any short-grain rice) and Japanese coleslaw (see recipe below).

Ingredients for the Japanese coleslaw (serves 4-6):

Ingredients:

·         1/6 of a small red cabbage, shredded

·         1/6 of a small white cabbage, shredded

·         1 carrot, shredded

·         1 shallot, chopped finely

·         1/6 of a Spanish/red onion, shredded

·         Japanese mayonnaise to taste

·         fresh orange juice

·         Salt and white pepper to taste

Method:

1. Mix the shredded cabbages, carrot and Spanish onion and finely chopped shallot in a salad bowl
2. Whisk Japanese mayonnaise and orange juice together in a bowl to form a salad dressing consistency. Note: a lighter salad dressing would suit the rich teriyaki sauce, so make sure not to overload with mayo. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add to the cabbage mixture and toss to combine. Voila!

Sushi and Onigiri-how to apply a firm yet gentle touch to cooking

Sushi rolling is based on a simple yet philosophical principle: one needs to apply firm, yet gentle force in order to produce the best outcome. The secret to making beautifully-rolled spiral sushi comes down to one's ability to be patient, organised, assertive and gentle-food for thought while you enjoy a home-made sushi roll?

Ingredients:

1.       Sushi rice

o       6-7 cups sushi rice

o       1-1 ½ cup (around 150ml) sushi vinegar (alternatively, you can use 1 cup of rice vinegar, dissolved with around 2 ½ tbsp sugar and 1tsp salt)

Wash rice well in cold water and soak in fresh water for 30 minutes to get rid of the excess starch.  Steam the rice in a rice cooker for best results. When cooked, cover with a damp cloth and leave to cool for 15 minutes, or until rice is just warm. Spread the rice in a large, flat-bottomed bowl or tub (preferably wood). Use a rice paddle or a plastic spatula to slice through the rice to break up the lumps and separate the grains. Gradually pour the sushi vinegar evenly over the rice (note: not all the sushi vinegar may be required, as the rice should not become too wet or mushy). Mix in well with a cutting action, being careful not to squash the rice. Fan the rice until it is almost cool. The cooled rice should have a glossy appearance, and the rice grains should be slightly sticky but still separate. The rice should take on a mild sushi vinegar flavour. Keep the rice covered with a damp cloth to stop it from drying out while other ingredients are being prepared.

2.       Nori (roasted seaweed sheet)

3.       Fillings

·         Marinated pork belly (note: pork belly is best for Onigiri, as the fat keeps the meat moist)

o       Pork belly, thinly sliced

o       1 part soy sauce

o       1 part sugar

o       Grated garlic to taste

·         Japanese omelette

o       6-7 large eggs, beaten

o       50ml dashi stock (dissolve dashi powder in boiling water)

o       1-2 tbsp sugar

o       1-1 ½ tbsp light soy sauce

o       1 tsp mirin

Mix the dashi, sugar, mirin and soy sauce in a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour in with the beaten eggs.

Pour in ½ of the egg mixture in a non-stick pan (ideally a square non-stick pan). When the egg mixture is set, push the cooked egg mixture to the side and pour in ½ of the remaining egg mixture. When the second batch is cooked, roll the first batch of the mixture over the second batch, and push to the side. Pour in the remaining egg mixture and repeat the same process. The end product should be a layered omelette ‘roll’. Use a bamboo sushi mat to shape the omelette, cut off the ends, and cut into thick slices.

·         Cooked shitake mushrooms

o       10 dried shiitake mushrooms

o       1.5 tbsp sugar

o       3 tbsp soy sauce

o       1 tbsp sake

Soak dried mushrooms in warm water until soft. Slice thinly. Pour 50ml of the soaking liquid into a pot. Add soaked mushrooms, sugar, soy sauce and sake and cook until all the liquid evaporates.

·         Cooked prawns, butterflied

·         Cucumber, de-seeded and cut into batons

·         Canned tuna, drained

·         Japanese mayonnaise

·         Wasabi

·         Avocado, peeled and cut into strips

·         Pickled daikon, cut into batons

4.       Pickled ginger to serve

5.       Soy sauce and/or wasabi for dipping

Spiral rolls method:

1. Place a nori sheet lengthways across the bamboo mat, shiny-side down.
2. Wet hands with vinegar and spread a layer of rice evenly on the nori sheet without squashing the rice grains (note: do not overload with rice, or the sushi roll would burst). Leave a border of 1-2cm along the long edge of the nori sheet, on the opposite side
3. Place fillings of your choice in the centre of the rice (note: do not overload, or the sushi roll would burst)
4. Wet the exposed nori edge with vinegar to moisten slightly (optional)
5. Use the bamboo mat to roll tightly, applying firm but gentle pressure, into a cylinder. Wet a shape knife and slice into rounds
6. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and/or soy sauce.

Tuna mayonnaise and pork belly Onigiri (Japanese rice ball) method:

1. Mix drained canned tuna with Japanese mayo and wasabi, set aside
2. Grill the marinated pork, set aside
3. Place sushi rice on the palm of your hand, put a dent in the centre, and have the filling of your choice rolled inside. Form the rice ball into a flat round shape and wrap the rice ball with a long strip of toasted nori. Onigiri comes in different shapes and sizes, and there is plenty of room for your imagination!

Prawn handmade sushi method:

Mould the sushi rice into a small oval, then hand press a butterflied prawn on top. Note: the size of the oval should be bite-size, as sushi should always be eaten whole, in one piece.