Editor's February Pick #7 - Fishcake Foto Guide

Editor's note: It's quite on trend these days to rice anything and everything if it isn't nailed down. I mean cauliflower rice? Surely just eat the vegetable! I'm a traditional kinda guy and I think a ricer is for potatoes! What a satisfying sight - lump-free potatoes ready to transform into fab fishcakes. Feast your eyes on these!

Fishcake foto guide

There are quite a few fotos, here goes :

Finely chopped onion with the spices

Fluffy mashed potato, riced

The ingredients, ready to form into cakes

The cakes before flouring and frying

The cakes fried, ready to bake

Three different sizes of cake

The appetiser size of cake with rendang sauce

and topped with mango chutney

A size to suit every occasion!

Editor's February Pick #6: Your recipe reservoir - Spiced Asian Fishcakes

Editor's note:  There isn't much I wouldn't eat when you've added Rendang sauce to it, and these fish cakes are definitely on the fab side of that scale. For something that looks fantastic (the taste needs no introduction) it's a remarkably straightforward recipe. Like a lot of the recipes on the blog it's practical in that it can be done in stages whenever you've got the time. Worth a shot!

Your recipe reservoir

Everyone has their own favourite recipes, for me the success of any recipe is the frequency I use it and its versatility. I'm sure you've already got your own reservoir but there's always room for more!

It's the working week suppers that are the most tedious, so here are a few more ideas that will give you back your evenings. My next addition to your collection is a “fish supper dish” and lends itself to prep ahead whilst you're in the kitchen cooking and your oven is on.

Spiced Asian Fishcakes … with a sauce and a side

The Ivy fishcake recipe is the best I've ever used. This is my version - Spiced Asian Fishcakes with some added bits and pieces.

(makes 8 – freeze what you don't use)

800g dry mashed potato, no cream or butter added

650g salmon fillets

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tsp anchovy essence

3 tsp English mustard

salt and black pepper

1 medium onion, finely chopped – use a

sweet variety if possible a Spanish if not

1 tsp each of ground coriander, curry powder

and garam masala

drop of rapeseed oil

Plain flour for coating

This is one recipe where I'd recommend using a ricer to give you a lump free mashed potato. It's definitely worth the effort. It can be made ahead, boxed or bagged and fridged.

I bake my salmon fillets, tightly wrapped in foil on a baking tray – 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 15 minutes. Leave wrapped to cool then flake the salmon then box and fridge until ready for use.

Sauté the onion in a drop of rapeseed oil and add 1 tsp each of coriander, curry and garam masala – 2/3 minutes on a medium heat. Cool and set aside, box and fridge until ready for use.

When you're ready to roll gently mix together the potato, salmon, ketchup, anchovy essence, mustard, onions and seasoning. Mould the mixture into 8 round cakes and refrigerate.

When you're ready to serve preheat the oven 180fan/200c/gas 6. Lightly flour the fishcakes and fry them until they are coloured on both sides. Bake for 10/15 minutes.

Editor's February Pick #5: Chocolate Bark Photo Guide

Editor's note: These photos were too good not to show them off. There's the reference to Jackson Pollock but it really does look like edible art! I call this one "Licence to Stick My Head In the Fridge When No-One Is Looking". Honestly, give it a go. Pipe out a design in the middle of it, use it as a cake decoration. Make a sack of them for sneaking into the cinema. The world is your sweet treat!

the baking tray, oiled and lined

with cling film – you can see it's not moving

the melted chocolate poured onto

the tray

the “Jackson Pollock” moment

the chards of bark

I don't expect it will last too long but you could freeze a box. Here's a thought – need a fast summer dessert – a scoop of home-made ice cream, seasonal fresh berries – strawberries and raspberries top of the list at the moment - topped off with a chard or two of chocolate bark.

What I like about the mini versions of the fudge and honeycomb is that they are just that – mini - so in reality you only get tiny bits in your sweet treat.

I don't feel quite so guilty now!

P.s. I should have said – the salted caramel fudge and honeycomb came from Aldi and each cost 85p for 100g.

Editor's February Pick #4: Chocolate Bark

Editor's note: Whilst we're talking about sweet treats it's time to take it up a notch with this next piece. If you're entertaining this has that wow factor that will enhance any table. It's along similar lines to the Rocky Road recipe but don't be deceived. Either zhuzhing a pudding. eating on its own or with some ice cream (see above!) it will go with everything and even makes me look like I know what I'm doing. At least it did until I got sous and Sioux mixed up and apparently it wasn't appropriate kitchen attire. The jokes aren't the best, so sous me - sorry!

A little bit of what you fancy …

does you good – that's my excuse!

Here goes :

Chocolate Bark

420g

You'll need :

A baking tray 32x22cms – 12½”x 8½” approximately in old money! You'll also need a drop of oil to wipe onto the tray and a sheet of cling film.

A handful each of the salted caramel fudge pieces, honeycomb and mini marshmallows. It occurs to me that a handful really depends on the size of your hand, to be more specific, 60g of the fudge and 30g each of the honeycomb and marshmallows.

Line the baking sheet with cling film. You will find the cling film easier to control if you oil the baking sheet first.

Break 300g of dark or milk chocolate into pieces and put in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and melt. You choose the balance of dark and milk – I used 200g dark and 100g of milk chocolate. You need to bear in mind you're adding sweet elements and so more dark will give you a better balance but not too bitter.

When the chocolate has melted pour it onto the cling filmed sheet.

Scatter the fudge, honeycomb and marshmallows randomly over the chocolate. Wearing a disposable glove use the flat of your hand to press your scatterings into the melted chocolate. Do not panic, it will stick to the glove but will lift the chocolate and create a drizzled effect.

Leave to set for 4 hours before breaking into chards. You can snap it into irregular pieces or cut it using a chef's knife.

I realise that this “treat” is definitely not healthy, nor is it meant to be consumed in large quantities – sometimes a little bit of what you fancy does you good – keep it fridged and that way you have to work harder to enjoy it. You could offset the unhealthy with a handful of finely chopped nuts of your choice and/or chopped fruit – apricots work very well with dark chocolate.

Photos up next …

Editor's February Pick #3: Easter Rocks AKA Rocky Roads

Editor's note: Last week, one of the recommendations was the piece about the chocolate melting pot, and using that to make dairy-free chocolate more interesting. So to go along with that, I (re-)present the MiamMiam Rocky Roads. Combine this with the chocolate pot, maybe even splodge some peanut butter in there too and you are in for a real treat. The hobnobs absolutely make this for me, there's a reason that the instructions are to "roll" the rolling pin, not use it as a weapon and bash away. Tried it, the bag split. So definitely roll!

Easter rocks!

I realise that this is not a traditional Easter Egg but hey does it really matter so long as it's chocolate?! What I love about this treat is it's easy and makes heaps so whilst it sounds like it could be expensive if you've lots of treats to give then you'll find it's great value too.

Rocky Road

250g dark chocolate

150g milk chocolate

175g soft butter, unsalted

4 x 15ml tbsp golden syrup

200g hobnobs

*150g shelled Brazil nuts

*150g red glace cherries

*125g mini marshmallows

Put the biscuits into a freezer bag and roll with a rolling pin until you get a mixture of rubble.

Chop the Brazil nuts into different sizes.

Chop both sorts of chocolate into small pieces, or use chocolate buttons made for melting and then put them into a heavy-based saucepan to melt with the butter and syrup over a gentle heat.

Take the pan off the heat and add the biscuit and nuts, cherries and mini marshmallows. Turn carefully so that all the ingredients are coated with the syrupy chocolate.

Tip into a foil try (I use a tray bake size), smoothing the top as best you can, although it is meant to be uneven.

Refrigerate until firm enough to cut, which will take about 1½-2 hours. Take the set block out of the tray. With the long side in front of you cut 6 slices down and 4 across so that you have 24 squares.

This is the basic Rocky Road recipe. The three ingredients marked “*” can be swapped to suit your own personal taste. You can choose any of the ingredients given on your “Design your own Rocky Road” sheet attached.

Make ahead tip:

Make the Rocky Road and refrigerate to set, cut into bars or bite size pieces and then store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week.

Freeze for up to 1 month.

Editor's February Pick #2: Granola Gravel Accompaniment

Editor's note: Once again, my original plan has been lost as I carried on scrolling and found the accompanying piece to go with the Granola Gravel. The best finds are the ones you're not looking for and this is a fantastic recipe for a faff-free ice cream - all the more so because at my local B&M, I've recently discovered vegan condensed milk. Now with most things I buy on impulse, I think "Hurray!" and then later "What the hell do I do with it". So this is very fortuitous and I see some ice cream in my near future! PS, this - 1.6 litres equaling 18 scoops - isn't a serving suggestion. I must not eat 18 scoops in one go. In other news, Amazon does sell Rennies. 

Granola Gravel … nil desperandum

For those who aren't familiar - “never say die”

I'm going to make a batch of vanilla ice cream, cut the gravel into smaller pieces and fold it through to make a Granola Glacé – ta dah!

The transformation :

A quick recap of the recipe :

Vanilla ice cream

Prep – 5 minutes

Total time – 5 minutes

plus freezing at least 6-8 hours

or until firm

Gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream is equal

to 18 scoops

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

1. Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream.**

2. Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof container and free for at least 6-8 hours or until firm.

** My variation – make a batch of sticky toffee sauce and fold 260g through the ice cream. For the sticky toffee sauce recipe see Sauce label – The ultimate … sticky toffee sauce. You can buy a ready-made version but it's nowhere near as good!

Editor's February Pick #1: Nothing Ventured ... Granola Gravel

Editor's note: For the first editor's pick of the month I was going to lead on from the previous selection but got completely derailed, you'll see why. There is a plethora of sweets on the blog - to get started you've just got to head to the dessert or sweet treat categories. I went on a 'web walk' and got lost amongst some amazing ideas so my original plan went out the window and I'd like to highlight Granola Gravel. I am a huge fan of oats in most things but especially desserts so this is a recipe I was very happy to rediscover. A perfect variation on a theme - have a look at the photos from the accompanying guide at the bottom, so good - cherries and all!

Nothing ventured … nothing gained

Okey dokey, lets get this show on the road, here's my Granola Gravel – Take 1 recipe :

Granola Gravel – Take 1

250g dark chocolate

150g M&M's hazelnut spread

175g soft butter, unsalted

4 x 15ml tbsp golden syrup

350g Granola – mixed sizes

200g glacé cherries

Put the granola into a freezer bag and bash gently with a rolling pin so that you get different sizes.

Break the dark chocolate into small pieces, or use chocolate buttons made for melting and tip them into a heavy-based saucepan to melt with the M&M's spread, butter and syrup over a low heat.

Take the pan off the heat and add the granola and cherries. Turn the mixture carefully so that all the ingredients are coated with the syrupy chocolate.

Tip into a foil tray (I use a tray bake size – 31cms x 8.5cms x 3cms or 12” x 17½” x 1¼” in old money ) smoothing the top as best you can, although it is not meant to be perfectly flat.

Fridge until firm enough to cut, which will take about 3 hours. Take the set block out of the tray. With the long side in front of you cut it into half – set one aside. Slice 6 slices down and 4 across so that you have 24 squares – this will give you a good sized cube – cut smaller if you prefer which will obviously give you more. Repeat with the remaining half.

Freeze for up to 1 month.

If it lasts that long!

Check out the before and after: