Let's get a move on!

Weekend suppers should be special but not involve hours of prep and stress. Everyone has a favourite “comfort” ingredient and mine has to be potatoes. Probably my favourite indulgent potato dish is Gratin Dauphinoise - the only trouble is it's a lot of work and takes a long time to cook.

Here's my solution – cheat!

Dauphinoise – the cheats way

3 large jacket potatoes, baked, cooled then

peeled and sliced thinly – as a guide 500g

I used Maris Piper potatoes, they become waxy in texture when baked and are easy to slice thinly and become sticky - easy to arrange.

a sprinkle of celery salt and black pepper

two roasted cloves of garlic

large knob of unsalted butter for greasing

400ml double cream

You'll need a heavy earthenware or cast iron

serving dish

Alfredo Sauce

double the quantities given in the original recipe

50g unsalted butter

400ml double cream

100g freshly grated Parmesan

freshly ground black pepper

Gently heat the butter and the cream together, stirring until the butter has melted, then add the Parmesan.

Slowly bring to a gentle boil, turn down the heat and simmer, stir continuously for a minute or so until you have a smooth, creamy sauce, season.

This sauce can be made ahead, cooled, boxed and fridged or you can freeze it.

You can adapt this to a plant based recipe using:

50g Flora Plant unsalted butter

400ml Elmlea 100% Plant Double Alternative

to cream

100g Parmesan alternative – for example

Violife Parmesan style

The simple things in life are the best!

To illustrate ...

Mie Goreng

 On the other hand you may prefer noodles – hold that thought - here is Mie Goreng - the noodle version of the Nasi Goreng.

Mie Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, finely sliced

Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or tsps of paste

2 carrots, finely sliced (you could use cooked leftovers)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pinch of ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red chilli, seeded removed and finely diced

1 tsp sambal paste

250g medium egg noodles, cooked

30ml dark soy sauce

60ml kecap manis

100g beansprouts

350g cooked prawns, defrosted

100g chopped roasted peanuts to garnish (optional)

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add a drop of oil. Add the onion and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and carrots and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent drying out.

Add the sambal paste, coriander and cumin and fry for 20/30 seconds – again you can add a drop of water if required. Add the cooked noodles, spring onions, beansprouts and prawns – turning until warmed through. Add the dark soy sauce and the kecap manis and repeat.

Serve straight from wok or spoon into individual bowls and garnish with the omelette strips and peanuts.

Serving suggestions

For a vegetarian version, substitute with 300g of shredded Chinese cabbage – aka bok choy or pak choi. Sweet baby peppers – red, yellow and orange – would work well too, de-seeded and finely sliced.

You could add sliced water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.

You could serve the Rendang Sauce with any of The Gorengs.

Rendang Curry Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

Anything goes – whatever leftover veggies or cooked chicken or meat – finely dice and make it your own!

Coming up … the final fish idea … for the moment!

An every day fish pie ...

This recipe is flexible – deliberately using a key ingredient already baked, from your stash of ready cooked baked potatoes – if you're organised! You can make the sauce ahead and bake the fish too, enabling you to pull each element together without effort!

Fast Fish Pie

Serves 4

2 large baking potatoes – stab carefully with a

paring knife, wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour at

180fan/200c/Gas 6 – already done!

Set aside to cool then slice thinly – skin on or

off – personal choice

500g of fresh fish, wrapped in foil and baked for

15 minutes

If you want to cook ahead you could bake your

fish for the last 15 minutes of your potato baking

time – don't forget to use your timer!

Cool the cooked fish and then place in a sealed

container ready to use

Your fish can be a mixture of whatever you choose – for example, mix smoked haddock or cod with salmon and prawns – it's whatever floats your boat – pardon the pun. If you're using cooked peeled prawns as part of your 500g of fish then don't add them until you're assembling your pie.

Next up the sauce for your fish :

Mornay Sauce

Serves 4-6

40g unsalted butter

40g plain flour

600ml of milk – I use semi skimmed

150g mature Cheddar cheese

(or a combination of Cheddar and Gruyere)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and black pepper

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour. Cook gently for a minute, stirring and add the mustard – make sure you don't brown the mixture. Gradually add the milk whisking constantly and eventually bring to the boil, whisking until it's smooth and thick. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the cheese and season. I'd taste before you add salt – there's salt in the cheese – adjust accordingly. Your sauce should be a stiff consistency.

You can make the sauce ahead, fridge or freeze.

Assembly, plus hints and tips up next …

Notes and hints & tips!

Russian Fish Pie is very similar to Coulibiac – also Russian in origin. The original pie consisted of cod in a stiff parsley sauce placed in the centre of a puff pastry square, “glued” with egg wash and brought together to form four triangles all in one. My preference is to use a mornay sauce and to use a variety of fish.

Russian or not it's really moreish and the portions are generous so think carefully about what you would serve with it – a spot of fusion as an idea – a winter coleslaw I think would go very well – the rich pastry and filling with a crispy, crunchy fresh slaw – you could even kid yourself that it's healthy – ish!

In reality it's about as far from Russia as you'll ever get. The recipe probably came from Coulibiac as mentioned above – a dish consisting of salmon, rice, mushrooms, onions and dill encased in pastry – so a variation on a theme!

Notes :

It's important that the fish and sauce mixture is cooled, nay chilled before you place it on the pastry.

I always make more mornay sauce than required for the fish – it's an indulgence to have extra to pour over the pie.

An optional extra is to add chopped hard boiled eggs.

If you are using cooked, peeled prawns don't add them until you are mixing your sauce with your cooled cooked fish.

A treat or even a supper party dish – just the job for Autumn!

Next up, an every day fish pie ...

Fancy something fishy?

Fish doesn't have to be boring – here's a crowd pleaser – with “comfort” thrown in, hints and tips too to make life easier. A truly scrumptious pie!

Here it is :

Russian Fish Pie

Serves 4

1 x 500g packet of puff pastry

Pre-heat oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4

Approximately 500g of mixed fish –

smoked cod loin, salmon, and prawns.

¾ pint/450 ml milk

¼ pint/150 ml cream (you don't have to use

cream, increase to 1pint of milk if preferred)

salt, 8 black pepper corns

bay leaf

50g unsalted butter

50g plain flour

1 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard

150g (75g each) Red Leicester and Mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Roll out your pastry into a large square (approximately 24cm x 24cm) and place on a non stick (or greased and lined) baking sheet.

Poach your fish in the milk and cream, season with salt, black peppercorns and bay leaf on a medium heat for 5/10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Remove the fish, flake, allow to cool and set aside in a large bowl. Strain the liquor.

Melt the butter and add the flour to form the roux and cook for 2/3 minutes then gradually add the poaching liquor and cook the sauce on a low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens (it should coat the back of your spatula) add grated cheeses and mustard. The sauce should be stiff. Set aside to cool.

Tip half the sauce over the flaked fish, add the prawns and fold gently so that all your fish is coated. Reserve the remaining half of the sauce to pour over the pie.

Using a slotted spoon place the mixture in the centre of the pastry. Egg wash the edges and pinch together to form 4 triangles in a square. Egg wash the completed pie and bake in the oven for 40 minutes – check after 30 minutes. Cut into 4 individual triangles and serve.

Yum!

Notes on the pie coming up ...

The sauce recipe

 

Sauce Supreme

15g unsalted butter

15g plain flour

250g cold chicken stock

½ tsp Dijon mustard

200ml double cream

salt and black pepper

Melt the butter, take the pan off the heat, add the flour and whisk. Return to the heat and cook out the flour for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously making a roux sauce – do not walk away.

Tip your cold stock straight into the roux and whisk until smooth, then cook on a low heat for 20 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Add the mustard and the cream and simmer for 5 minutes.

You can freeze the sauce if it's more convenient – it's every bit as good from the freezer.

You have choices for your pie lid. I'm using the potatoes I've already baked and have stashed in my fridge.

You could use the ever popular puff pastry sheet, again taken from your freezer stash.

Add the mushrooms to the chicken and then fold through the sauce. Pour the filling into a casserole measuring 23x23 cms approximately or, in my case, a foil tray - layer the sliced potatoes over the top, add a little salt and pepper and a dot or two of butter . Place in the oven for 25 minutes and serve.

A perfect meal for when there's a chill in the air!

Fresh ideas for a fishcake!

If you want a neat idea for an appetizer or a starter, how about a smaller scale of fishcake with a generous drizzle of rendang sauce, topped with mango chutney – a spot of fusion with small tortilla wraps or flatbreads to mop up the leftover sauce and chutney – outside the box I'd say!

There's a foto in the Fishcake foto guide if you wanted inspiration, in the meantime here's the recipe for the rendang curry sauce :

Rendang Curry Sauce

100 ml coconut cream

50ml water

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and

serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

If you like your curry hotter then you can use a medium or hot version of the curry powder – either way to suit your palate!

A few fotos for you ...

Stick blender mayo

This is the most delicious mayo, made easy and simple with a stick blender – it knocks the spots off shop bought!

Stick blender mayonnaise

1 egg

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

pinch of salt

juice of half a lemon – 2 tbsp

350ml of grapeseed oil

Break an egg into the stick blender jug. It's important that the yolk doesn't break. Add the mustard, salt and lemon.

Add the grapeseed oil again being careful not to break the yolk. Insert the stick blender, be sure that the blades completely cover the yolk.

Blend – after a couple of seconds you'll see white ribbons rising through the oil. Slowly pull the blender up through the oil so it amalgamates and push down again to incorporate all the oil.

Serve!

Variations on a theme :

For a French mayonnaise swap the lemon juice

for white wine vinegar, keep the remaining ingredients

Smoked mayo – stir in a few drops of Liquid Smoke flavouring

to the mayo – substitute 1 tbsp of cider vinegar for the

white wine vinegar. Add a few drops of maple syrup

on each dollop of mayo. Fab on fries!

There's Japanese, Salsa verde and Thai -

check out Matt Preston's essential tips for

making mayo at home.

You'll get 425g of mayonnaise and it will keep in the fridge for 3 days or so – if it lasts that long.

As I said – delicious and perfect with the fishcakes!

Alfredo photo-guide

 

Heat the butter and the cream

together

Add the Parmesan and heaps of

black pepper

The bowl

The bowl with petit pois

I didn't have any fettuccine in my pantry but I did have spaghetti – if you're not fond of “ribbony” types of pasta just choose your favourite.

You can adapt this to a plant based recipe using:

1 tbsp Flora Plant unsalted butter

200ml Elmlea 100% Plant Double Alternative

to cream

50g Parmesan alternative – for example

Violife Parmesan style

The simple things in life are the best.

Now for seasonal strawbs!

The ultimate treat!

I made a passing reference to Alfredo Sauce in the Galli – Hints and Tips. This is my absolute favourite – admittedly without the chicken.

I know the immortal words “keep it simple” aren't mine but it's so true.

A word of warning – this is definitely not what you'd describe as “fat-free” and so a treat!

Fettuccine Alfredo

Here are the bits of information that I always find interesting . Fettuccine Alfredo was invented by Alfredo di Lelio who had restaurants in Rome in the early to mid 20^th century. Traditionally the dish was cooked at your table. As the dish became more popular it appeared in the USA. I was in Vermont when I sampled my first bowl – it was without doubt, the finest bowl of pasta and sauce I've ever eaten and the only one I've ever finished. That was a long time ago – yikes 1997! Since that time my quest has been to find a recipe as near as I could to that bowl of magic, here it is :

1 tbsp unsalted butter

200ml double cream

50g freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Gently heat the butter and the cream together, stirring, until the butter has melted, then stir in the Parmesan. Slowly bring to a gentle boil, turn down the heat and simmer, stir continuously for a minute or so until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.

This sauce can be made ahead.

The above recipe would be sufficient for two servings – enough to coat 225g uncooked pasta. Traditionally there are no additions to Alfredo although I've had it served with petit pois. If you've never tried it you're missing out!

The sauce is so good and tasty it lends itself to other dishes and particularly leftovers.

There's a photo-guide …

Spiced Salmon Frittata … another treat

If you want something different, with bags of flavour thrown in, try this variation on a theme!

You can marinade and bake the salmon ahead, ready to roll when you are.

Spiced Salmon Frittata

Serves 4

For the spiced salmon marinade :

Marinade

2 x 4oz Salmon fillets

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp powdered star anise or one star anise

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Mix together the marinade, pour over the salmon fillets, turning to coat thoroughly, cover and leave in fridge for an hour or so – preferably in a foil tray – much easier to transfer straight to the oven later.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. If you've used a foil tray to marinade the salmon then wrap it in foil and bake it for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. When the salmon has cooled flake it into small pieces, ready to add to the frittata.

For the frittata :

1 large cooked baked potato – peeled if

you prefer – cut into small pieces

5 spring onions, finely chopped

tiny drop of rapeseed oil

100g/4oz mature cheddar cheese, grated from your stash

4 large eggs

salt and black pepper

Whisk four eggs in a large mixing bowl, add the cheese and whisk again. Add a touch of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Sauté the potato and onions until softened then sprinkle in your flaked salmon, add the egg and cheese mixture.

Follow the frittata method to complete the dish. You could drizzle the residual marinade from the salmon over the the top of the cooked frittata.

Method

Using a non-stick frying pan – as a guide 28cms/11” in diameter. Heat a tiny drop of rapeseed oil, add the chicken, roast potatoes and veggies - sauté until softened, then pour in the egg and cheese mixture. Cook on your hob for 2/3 minutes to set the bottom. Transfer the pan to the grill - cook for 2/3 minutes REMOVE USING OVEN GLOVES – SEE WARNING!

Words of Warning!

Pre-heat your grill – BEFORE YOU TURN IT ON ENSURE THAT THE FRYING PAN YOU'RE USING WILL SLIDE EASILY INTO THE SPACE LEAVING AT LEAST TWO INCHES GAP BETWEEN THE PAN AND THE GRILL ITSELF, OTHERWISE YOU'LL BURN THE TOP AND THE MIDDLE WON'T BE COOKED.

Using a fish slice gently flatten down the frittata so that you break the top – you may find that the

mixture is still not quite cooked. Place back under the grill for another 2/3 minutes and check – it should be golden brown but if your preference is for a darker colour carry on to your desired

taste.

Minimum effort – maximum taste.

Here's a thought - you could use this recipe for a canapé!

I used a straight sided cutter measuring 6cms/2½” in diameter and you should get 12-14 canapés depending on how careful you are cutting out. A frittata is excellent served cold in whatever guise - so easy … so tasty – who needs a pre-packaged recipe box!

Next up ... the beetroot sides – hot or cold

The sauce that goes with!

Simple and delicious ...

Tomato Sauce

500g sieved tomatoes or the equivalent in cans of chopped tomatoes

1 medium/large onion, chopped finely

garlic clove or tsp of minced garlic

1tbsp olive oil

knob of butter

vegetable stock pot and 250ml of boiling water

oregano or garlic Italian seasoning

black pepper

1 tsp caster sugar

Melt the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, add the onion and fry gently until soft then add the garlic. Add the oregano or garlic Italian seasoning and black pepper. Then add your stock pot and boiling water so that it melts, add the tomatoes and sprinkle on the tsp of sugar. The sugar is meant to balance out the acidity that one sometimes gets with tomatoes. Simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes.

N.B. If you want to add extra depth you can add a tbsp of tomato paste. I would suggest that you taste your sauce before you simmer for 20 minutes. If you add paste then the simmering process will cook it out and its important that you do this - it tastes horrid if you don't. A lot depends on personal taste and how good your tomatoes are.

Cool and fridge until you're ready to use.

Alternatively you could make an version using the Indian style koftas recipe and the rendang sauce which I featured in January – so you have choices.

There's an idea ...

The curry sauce!

This is a middle for diddle curry sauce, it won't blow your head off erring on the mild side – you could ramp it up by increasing the strength of the curry powder to your taste, if you prefer!

I use this all the time – it's quick, easy and above all it's yum!

Rendang Sauce

160 ml coconut cream

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat for 3/4 minutes

and serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

Cool, then set aside alongside the koftas until you're ready to serve.

If you're a fan of “sides” here are two of my absolute favourites!

A marinade and a stir fry

If, like lots of people you're not fond of fish you might like to give this recipe a go. Many people find salmon boring and the magic is the marinade!

Asian Spiced Salmon

Serves 2

Marinade

2 x 4oz Salmon fillets

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp powdered star anise or one star anise

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Mix together the marinade, pour over the salmon fillets, turning to coat thoroughly, cover and leave in fridge for an hour or so.

When you are ready to cook, pre-heat your oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4.

If you wish to serve the salmon with a stir fry, here's a recipe :

Sauce

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 bunch of spring onions, sliced

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp Chinese rice wine (dry sherry will do)

1 tsp chilli sauce

150ml water

2 tsp cornflour

Vegetables

4oz petit pois, defrosted

1 can (225g) water chestnuts, sliced

2 medium egg noodle nests

150g beansprouts

A tip – ahead of the game soften the noodle nests – I use my wok – pour over boiling water 2/3rds level and leave to steep for a few minutes - then turn and loosen and repeat for a few minutes more. Drain the noodles and set aside, ready to rock and roll. Wipe out the wok so that it's ready to use.

Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a preheated wok or large frying pan. Reduce the heat and place the salmon fillets, skin side down for two minutes, turn and repeat, place on a baking tray in the oven. Reserve the marinade. On the basis that your stir fry only takes minutes, your salmon will only need to be in the oven for 5 minutes or so – don't overcook it!

If you've used a whole star anise in the marinade, remove it!

Add the onions to the wok with the remains of the marinade, add the soy, sherry, chilli sauce and 100mls of the water. Blend the cornflour with the remaining water and stir into the wok. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sauce thickens. Tip the sauce into the dish that you've had the marinade in and set to one side.

Heat the remaining oil in the wok, add the peas, water chestnuts, noodles and bean sprouts, heat through, then add your sauce, stir fry until all the vegetables are coated. Serve in bowls with salmon fillet on the top.

If you don't want to serve the salmon with a stir fry, you can marinade and cook the fillets as above but tip the remaining marinade over the fillets when placing in the oven and serve with new potatoes and a salad or steamed vegetables of your choice.

I can also confirm that any leftover cooked salmon is really excellent cold – with a slaw, in a wrap or tucked inside pitta bread – a great lunch!

Or do you want a warm sauce?

Here's an old favourite – tasty and comforting with a capital “c”. It's versatile – you can divide the quantity of sauce and fishcakes separately to freeze if you prefer – so batch cooking if you like! It's also perfect with smoked fish and hard boiled eggs – sounds a little odd but it works.

Mornay Sauce

Serves 4-6

40g unsalted butter

40g plain flour

600ml of milk – I use semi skimmed

150g mature Cheddar cheese

(or a combination of Cheddar and gruyere)

salt and black pepper

½ tsp Dijon mustard - optional

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour. Cook gently for a minute, stirring – make sure you don't brown the mixture. Gradually add the milk whisking constantly and eventually bring to the boil, whisking until it's smooth and thick. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the cheese, mustard and season. I'd taste before you add salt – there's salt in the cheese – adjust accordingly.

It's not compulsory to make 4-6 servings of the mornay sauce, halve the recipe if you prefer – personally I don't see the point of going to the bother of making a good sauce when you can freeze what you don't need for another day.

Serve with the fishcakes, drizzle generously with the mornay sauce, new potatoes and samphire – delicious!

Next up – a marinade and a stir fry with a leftover lunch ...

A relish not a sauce!

This recipe is one of my favourites and I use it all the time – anywhere you want a relish or a side it fits the bill and again it lends itself to the fishcakes.

I've used an organic vac pack of beetroot - it's easily available and ideal for the purpose of this relish and it's quicker!

Bazzin' beetroot relish

300g of cooked beetroot

peeled and cut into small cubes

1 sharp eating apple, peeled, cored and cut

into small cubes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

75g soft dark brown sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and black pepper

Don't forget to use gloves when prepping your beetroot!

Mix well and place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan – 16cms in diameter. Simmer on a low heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until all the liquid has been absorbed.

Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool. Box up and fridge until ready to use.

I like the flexibility of this beetroot relish – it's not complicated or fussy and you can make it any time you've got half an hour to spare!

Or do you want a warm sauce?

More sauce ideas …

You could serve a more traditional sauce and if you want quicker still, then here's a “sort of” home-made tartare sauce.

You don't have to use Hellmann's – whatever your favourite go-to brand of mayo is!

Quick tartare sauce

Hellmann's mayonnaise – approximately two

heaped tablespoons

Caper paste – 1 teaspoon

Cornichons – two, finely diced

Capers to taste

Mix the caper paste with the mayo and fold in the

diced cornichons and capers

OR you could make a special coleslaw – yum!

Coronation Slaw

110g white cabbage, finely sliced – approximately

one third of a medium size cabbage

1 carrot – peeled and sliced with a

julienne peeler

1 spring onion – 15g finely sliced

salt and black pepper

30g ready to eat apricots, finely diced

30g sultanas soaked in mango and apple juice

50g mayo

50g sour cream

1 tsp mild curry powder

squirt of lime juice

1 tbsp mango chutney

The recipe given will give you a box of slaw – measuring approximately 11cms x 6.5cms x 5cms. One box lasted me a week, a spoonful here and a spoonful there – you'd be surprised how well it fits as a side to the fishcakes!

Then there's beetroot ...

Sauces for fish

This is the easiest mayo you'll ever make – no fuss, no faff – take your time, you don't want to break the yolk.

Stick blender mayonnaise

1 egg

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

pinch of salt

juice of half a lemon – 2 tbsp

350ml of grapeseed oil

Break an egg into the stick blender jug. It's important that the yolk doesn't break. Add the mustard, salt and lemon.

Add the grapeseed oil, again being careful not to break the yolk. Insert the stick blender, be sure that the blades completely cover the yolk.

Blend – after a couple of seconds you'll see white ribbons rising through the oil. Slowly pull the blender up through the oil so it amalgamates and push down again to incorporate all the oil.

Serve!

Variations on a theme :

For a French mayonnaise swap the lemon juice

for white wine vinegar, keep the remaining ingredients

Smoked mayo – stir in a few drops of Liquid Smoke flavouring

to the mayo – substitute 1 tbsp of cider vinegar for the

white wine vinegar. Add a few drops of maple syrup

on each dollop of mayo. Fab on fries!

It does exactly what it says on the tin, here's a photo :

This recipe is an old one but trusted – it came from Matt Preston late of MasterChef Australia and it's delicious with the fishcakes!

Now for the curry sauce …

This is a middle for diddle curry sauce, quite mild – you could ramp it up by increasing the strength of the curry powder to your taste, if you prefer!

It's a curry sauce that I use all the time – useful too and it's quick and easy.

Rendang Sauce

160 ml coconut cream

3 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp curry powder

(I used mild)

1 tbsp kecap manis

(also known as sweet soy sauce)

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat for 3/4 minutes

and serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.

Cool, then set aside alongside the koftas until you're ready to assemble your sub.

If you want to use paneer then add small cubes to the sauce when combined, heat gently for 10 minutes. Take the paneer out of the sauce and set both aside.

You will need … and the extras!

The sauce that goes with!

As I've said, this is an easy, peasy recipe and delicious!

Tomato Sauce

500g sieved tomatoes or the equivalent in cans of chopped tomatoes

1 medium/large onion, chopped finely

garlic clove or tsp of minced garlic

1tbsp olive oil

knob of butter

vegetable stock pot and 250ml of boiling water

oregano or garlic Italian seasoning

black pepper

1 tsp caster sugar

Melt the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, add the onion and fry gently until soft then add the garlic. Add the oregano or garlic Italian seasoning and black pepper. Then add your stock pot and boiling water so that it melts, add the tomatoes and sprinkle on the tsp of sugar. The sugar is meant to balance out the acidity that one sometimes gets with tomatoes. Simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes.

N.B. If you want to add extra depth you can add a tbsp of tomato paste. I would suggest that you taste your sauce before you simmer for 20 minutes. If you add paste then the simmering process will cook it out and its important that you do this - it tastes horrid if you don't. A lot depends on personal taste and how good your tomatoes are.

Cool and fridge until you're ready to use.

There's more … a version with Indian style koftas and a rendang sauce!