Chortizo and Feta Stuffed Squid with Samphire.

 Chop your cooking choritzo into slices and cook in enough white wine to nearly cover them - flip the slices over half way through cooking.

Drain and allow the slice to cool - then remove the skins and chop into small pieces.

Add the copped feta cheese and mix.

Three quarter fill your squid tubes with the mixture, (the squid will shrink when cooking so don't over fill) and secure the ends with a cocktail stick.

Heat a little oil and butter in a oven proof pan and cook the squid on a med high heat on each side for 20 - seconds to colour, add a small splash of white wine and then place the pan in the oven to cook the squid through - this will be 3-5 mins or so depending on the size of the tubes.

As the tubes are cooing in the oven saute the tentacles and the samphire in a little oil and butter adding a good grind of pepper - no salt as this will make the dish to salty - add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice when cooked and then plate and serve.

Mussels with Garlic and Herb Butter.

First make your garlic and herb butter by finely chopping a selection of fresh herbs - go lightly on very strong flavoured herbs like tarragon and mint and use the softer fine tips of herbs like rosemary and thyme.

Crush a few cloves of garlic in a mortar and pestle with some rock salt and milled pepper - add a little olive oil to help the process along.

When the garlic is pulped add to a pat of softened butter along with the finely chopped herbs and mix thoroughly - a splash of pastis is also good for the flavour.

De-beard and clean your mussels, discarding any that don't close when tapped.

Add half a glass of white wine to a large heavy lidded saucepan and bring to the boil - drop the mussels in and put the lid on.

After 30 seconds or so give the pan a good shake and cook on for a further 30 seconds or so until the mussels open - don;t over cook them at this stage as they will go rubbery.

Remove from the heat and strain - reserve the juices.

When cool enough to handle remove the empty half of the shells and discard.

Add some of the cooking juices to a oven proof dish - make sure the juices only come half to three quarter up the shells, then add the mussels in the shells to the dish.

Spoon the garlic and herb butter into all the shells and put in a very hot preheated oven.

Once the butter has melted remove and serve with good crusty bread for mopping up all the juices.

Walnut and Radish Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing.

 

Crush half a clove of garlic some salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle.

Add a teaspoon of dijon mustard, a splash of sherry vinegar and some pieces of blue cheese - I used Oxford Blue but any good blue is ok.

Crush all the ingredients into a paste and slowly add extra virgin olive oil as you mix to form an emulsion.

Place your salad leaves in a bowl with chopped radishes, walnuts and pieces of blue cheese and then dress with the blue cheese dressing and serve.

Mackerel with Fennel, Celery and Orange.

 Finely slice a bulb of fennel and refresh in ice cold water.

Slice a couple of celery sticks and add to the fennel.

Cut the skin and pith off an orange and cut out the segments - do this over a bowl to reserve the juice.

In a mortar and pestle pound a garlic clove with a little salt and pepper and a small dash of sherry vinegar until it turns to pulp.

Then slowly add extra virgin olive oil and half the reserved orange juice while continuing to pound so the dressing emulsifies.

In a pan heat some oil and a lillte butter and when hot place the mackerel fillet in skin side down - let the fillet cook 3/4 of the way through and for the skin to become crispy, before turning to finish off the other side.

While the fish is cooking drain, spin and dress the salad of celery and fennel and add the orange segments and any fennel fronds.

Plate up and place the mackerel fillet on top - return the pan to the hob and on a high heat pour in the remaining orange juice and quickly reduce to a syrup.

Drizzle over the fish and serve.