Teriyaki Salmon with a Mango and Papaya Rice Noodle Salad.

Ingredients for the Salmon

600grms Salmon Fillet cut from the middle of the fish with the skin left on.
4 Tablespoons of Teriyaki Sauce
1 Tablespoon Dry Sherry
1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
1 Clove of Garlic Crushed
2cm of Root Ginger Grated

Method

To make the Marinade put the Teriyaki sauce, sherry, oil, garlic and ginger into a bowl and whisk. Transfer the marinade to a shallow container big enough to marinade the salmon.
Cut the salmon fillet into 16 thin strips then take four pieces and thread them onto 2 bamboo skewers, repeat this until you have 4 equal portions
Put the salmon portions into the marinade skin side up and leave in the fridge for 30minutes.

Ingredients for the Dressing

4 Tablespoons of Ground Nut Oil
1 Tablespoon of White Wine Vinegar
¼ Teaspoon of Wasabi
½ Teaspoon of Toasted Sesame Seeds
½ Teaspoon of Black Onion Seeds
Juice of 1 Lime
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Coriander
Pinch of Caster Sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients for the Salad

300grms of Cooked Rice Noodles
½ Ripe Mango cut into small dice
½ Ripe Papaya cut into small dice
1 Shallot finely chopped
100grms Mixed coloured peppers cut into small dice
4 Chicory Leaves

Method

Mix the noodles, peppers, shallot, mango and papaya together then pour the dressing over and toss. Serve in a bowl garnished with the chicory leaves.

To Serve

Remove the salmon from the marinade and fry skin side down in sunflower oil until the skin is crisp. Turn the salmon fillets over and continue to fry until completely cooked. Take the marinade and transfer to a pan and bring to the boil. Place the cooked salmon onto a plate, spoon a little of the hot marinade over the fish and serve with the salad.

Birthday Treat

Scrambled Eggs in Smoked Salmon

Ingredients for 2

4 Slices of Long Sliced Smoked Salmon.
2 Slices of Either White or Wholemeal Bread.
4 Free Range Eggs.
25grms Butter.
30ml Double Cream.
Salt.
Freshly Ground White Pepper.

Method

Cut 2 large circles from each slice of bread. Melt half the butter in a shallow frying pan and gently fry the bread on both sides until brown and crisp.

Crack the eggs in to bowl and whisk lightly.

Melt the remaining butter in a heavy based sauce pan, add the eggs and stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Continue to cook the eggs until thick and creamy. Do not allow it to look like a chopped up omelette.

Once the eggs are cooked add the double cream this will stop the eggs from cooking any further, season with salt and  pepper.

Place the croutes onto 2 plates, arrange the smoked salmon on top with half the salmon hanging over the edge.

Top the salmon croutes with the scrambled eggs and fold over the salmon to form parcels, serve immediately with a glass of chilled Champagne.

Conwy Mussels

At one minute past midnight on the third Thursday of each November and from little villages and towns, over a million cases of Beaujolais Nouveau begin their journey through a sleeping France to Paris for immediate shipment to all parts of the world. Banners proclaim the good news: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! "The New Beaujolais has arrived!" One of the most frivolous and animated rituals in the wine world has begun. By the time it is over, over 65 million bottles, nearly half of the region's total annual production, will be distributed and drunk around the world. It has become a worldwide race to be the first to serve to this new wine of the harvest. In doing so, it will be carried by motorcycle, balloon, truck, helicopter, Concorde jet, elephant, runners and rickshaws to get it to its final destination. It is amazing to realize that just weeks before this wine was a cluster of grapes in a growers vineyard. But by an expeditious harvest, a rapid fermentation, and a speedy bottling, all is ready at the midnight hour.

Here in Conwy we celebrate our own arrival: Le Moule est arrivé! Its Conwy’s oldest industry and unlike the Beaujolais it does not arrive on a set date. The weather plays an important role in the timescale for the harvesting of mussels. Mussels have been gathered in the Conwy estuary since Roman times. They were primarily collected for their pearls and Conwy was once one of the most important pearl fisheries in the country. In the 19th Century over 4 kilos of pearls collected from Conwy mussels were sent each week to jewellers in London. Nowadays the mussels are collected in considerable quantities for human consumption, they are a popular delicacy but the season for gathering them only lasts during the winter months when the tourists have gone! Mussels grow in clusters, attaching themselves by means of a “byssus” which are numerous threads, produced by the mussel its self that allows the mussel to cling to rocks or other supports such as jetties, pier’s and gravel beaches.

Trevor Jones and his “musselmen” use 25ft long rakes to trawl the mussel beds and once harvested the mussels are put into purification tanks for 2 days before they are sold to restaurants and hotels all over Wales and the UK.

Every year I look forward to the start of the Conwy mussel season. I never use any other mussels and I’m sure once you have tried them for your self you will agree they are the best.

Pan seared scallops with a butternut squash risotto and parmesan crackling

• 12 Scallops Cleaned
• 1 Medium Butternut Squash
• 250 grms Risotto Rice
• 1 Large Shallot Finely Chopped
• 1 Clove Garlic Crushed
• 600 ml Chicken Stock
• 50 grms Butter
• 50 ml Double Cream
• 60 grms Grated Fresh Parmesan
• Salt
• Pepper
• Nutmeg
  
• Micro Greens
• Basil Oil

Method

1. Peel the butternut squash and cut out 16 cubes. Roughly chop the remaining squash and cook separately in salted water.
2. Refresh the cubes in cold water and keep to one side.
3. Drain the roughly chopped squash in a colander and place in a food processor with a good knob of butter and puree. Season with salt pepper and nutmeg.
4. Sprinkle half of the grated parmesan into small circles on a non stick baking sheet and bake in the oven for 4-5 minutes until crisp.
5. Sweat the shallot in a little butter with the garlic until soft, add the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6. Slowly add the hot stock a little at a time letting the rice absorb it before adding more, keep adding the stock until the rice is almost cooked.
7. Add the butter, the remaining parmesan, double cream and some of the squash puree. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Heat a cast iron or non stick frying pan and lightly rub with a little oil, pan fry the scallops on both sides for 2-3 minutes.

To Serve

Place the risotto onto the plates and dress with a little puree and some squash cubes. Place the scallops on top of the risotto and garnish with the parmesan crisps and some micro cress and basil oil.