Masala Fishfinger Sandwich

This recipe comes from one of my favourite blogs. This sandwich is also really tasty. I served it in a pitta bread with mango chutney and yoghurt. I never realised that you could use batter without deep frying, so I'm really pleased to have discovered that! I loved the lightness of the batter with the firmness of the fish.

Masala Fish Fingers (from The WW Foodie)
(Serves 2)

2 thick fillets white fish, cod loin or monkfish
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp fennel seeds
100g flour
1 tbsp cornflour 
1 thumb of ginger, finely grated
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
100ml beer or lager

Combine the spices with the cornflour, half the flour, and plenty of salt and pepper. 

Cut the fish into strips.  Toss well in the spicy flour and then set aside.

Put the rest of the flour into a bowl with the ginger, garlic and beer and stir well to make a batter. It should be the consistency of double cream.

Put the floured fish fingers into the batter and coat well. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the fish for a couple of mins on each side, so that the batter crisps up and the fish cooks through.

Serve in a bun with mango chutney, raita and lettuce.

Jamie's 12 Hour Rabbit Bolognese

This makes a lot of sauce! I made half the recipe and got 6 portions out of it! It is however absolutely delicious and takes very little effort just very long slow cooking.

12 Hour Rabbit Bolognese (from Jamie Oliver)
(Serves 12)

1 tbsp oil
3 rashers smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 whole rabbit, skinned, including offal
1 bulb garlic, left whole, white skin peeled away
2 leeks, washed, topped and tailed
2 carrots, washed, topped and tailed
2 red onions, halved
20g dried porcini mushrooms
2x400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
500ml light smooth beer/ale
2 tbsp tomato purée
salt and pepper
1 whole nutmeg
½ lemon
few sprigs of fresh thyme

Optional serving method: serves 6
500 g dried pasta , optional
Parmesan or Cheddar cheese , optional
extra virgin olive oil , optional
a few sprigs of fresh thyme , optional

Preheat the oven to 110°C. Put your largest casserole dish on a medium heat and add the oil and the chopped bacon. Once it’s lightly golden, add the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs and lay the whole rabbit and the offal on top. Drop in the whole garlic bulb, leeks, carrots, celery and onions, then add the dried mushrooms, tinned tomatoes, beer, tomato purée, and just enough water to cover everything (roughly 1 litre). Bring to the boil, and season with salt and pepper. Finely grate in half the nutmeg, put the lid on. Put the casserole into the oven and leave to cook for 12 hours.

Once cooked, let the stew cool down. Using your hands pick through small handfuls of the stew at a time, taking out any bones or vegetable skins. Discard the herbs, and flake the meat off the bones. Scrunch the vegetables and offal in your hands as you go and break them into smaller pieces. Pour any juices left behind back into the pan, then go back in and have another rummage to make sure you haven’t missed anything. Finely grate in the zest of half the lemon and pick in a few thyme tips.

To serve, reheat the sauce and serve over cooked pasta with some grated parmesan.