Marmite fish sub with marie rose sauce (pictured above)
This sandwich is inspired by both the Baja Mexican fish taco and the New Orleans po’ boy, but with the very British additions of Marmite and marie rose sauce. Prep 10 minutes Cook 30 minutes Makes 4 300g hake fillet or mushy cod or sustainable cod, skinned Salt and black pepper 350ml vegetable oil 4 soft white hot dog buns or torpedo rolls For the coleslaw 100g white cabbage, finely chopped, ideally with a mandolin 1 red chilli, stem removed, the rest cut into thin rounds, seeds and all For the rose marie sauce 50g tomato ketchup 50g mayonnaise 20g English mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon Tabasco 2 teaspoons brandy or vodka 10g dill leaves, coarsely chopped 50g gherkins, chopped, plus 1 teaspoon gherkins brine for coleslaw For the batter 1 tablespoon Marmite 150ml sparkling water 1 tablespoon brandy or vodka 175g plain flour 100g coarse polenta 1 teaspoon baking powder Spread the fish on a baking sheet, sprinkle evenly with a quarter teaspoon of salt, then refrigerate for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place the cabbage and chili in a medium bowl with an eighth of a teaspoon of salt and the pickled cucumber. Use your hands to toss everything together so the cabbage softens, then set aside. Then we make the sauce. In a medium bowl, mix the first six ingredients with half the dill and all the gherkins and set aside. Now for the batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the marmite and sparkling water, then add the brandy, 125g flour, 50g polenta and all the baking powder and whisk until it becomes loose and porridge-like. In a second large bowl, mix the remaining 50 grams of flour and polenta. Remove the fish from the fridge, pat with a kitchen towel to remove any moisture, then cut into 2cm wide slices. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat until it reaches 170C (or when a drop of dough simmers as soon as it falls). Toss the fish in the dry flour and polenta mixture to coat, then toss half of it into the wet batter and turn to coat evenly. Carefully drop the fish one piece at a time into the hot oil and fry for three minutes, turning once halfway through. Transfer to a tray lined with kitchen towel to drain, then pierce each piece of fish with a knife to release the steam: this will help it stay crispy. Repeat with the remaining fish and dough. To serve, open each bun lengthwise, being careful not to cut all the way through. Generously coat the insides with the sauce and top with some fried fish. Mix the remaining dill into the coleslaw, place some on top and serve.
Sauté with strawberry and mascarpone
One of the many joys of this is that it is made without an ice cream maker. All the work is done in a food processor (and the freezer and the time), making homemade ice cream something anyone can do. Both ice creams keep for a month, as do the sauce and banana crumble. As with all ice creams, use the best quality eggs you can. Prep 20 minutes Cook 70 minutes Freeze 24 hours Serves 8-10 For the mascarpone ice cream 4 eggs 125 g powdered sugar 225 g single cream 225 g mascarpone 25 ml cognac or rum 60 ml honey For the strawberry ice cream 150g caster sugar 450ml double cream 450g strawberries, peeled and halved 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar For the strawberry sauce 200g strawberries, peeled and halved 100g caster sugar 50ml red wine vinegar For the banana chips 100g sweet banana chips 25g unsalted butter, melted ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon caster sugar For the mascarpone ice cream, place the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed for five minutes, until doubled in volume, pale and fluffy. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the cream, mascarpone, cognac and honey by hand for one minute, until slightly foamy. Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest setting, then gently fold in the cream mixture. Pour into a container, cover and freeze overnight. Now for the strawberry ice cream. Put the sugar and 200 ml of cream in a medium saucepan. Whisk well, then place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for four minutes, until the sugar dissolves and steam begins to appear. Meanwhile, put all the remaining strawberry ice cream ingredients, including the remaining 250ml double cream, into a blender, pour in the hot cream mixture and leave to cool for five minutes. Beat for a minute, until very smooth, then pour into a container, cover and freeze overnight. In a medium saucepan put all the ingredients for the strawberry sauce and with the back of a fork press the fruit to pop slightly. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for five minutes, until slightly softened and syrupy. Place a small colander over a small bowl and line it with a clean towel. Pour the strawberry mixture into the center of the towel, then tie two of the corners together and gently weigh the contents with a form. Allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. In a food processor, blitz the banana chips to a coarse crumb. Pour into a large bowl the melted butter, cinnamon, sugar and half a teaspoon of salt and mix. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the banana chip mixture evenly on top. Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a deep golden colour, then remove, let cool, pour into an airtight container and seal. Once the mascarpone ice cream is frozen solid, working quickly, take it out of its container and put it on a board and cut it into 5cm cubes. Put them in a food processor and pulse for three or four minutes, until the mixture is melted light and have the texture of smooth peanut butter. Return to container, cover and freeze again. Repeat with the strawberry ice cream. After another six to eight hours, both ice creams will be ready. To finish the strawberry sauce, discard the puree and pour the strained liquid into a small jug. To serve, scoop a scoop of each ice cream into small bowls or glasses, drizzle with a little sauce and sprinkle generously with banana crumbles.
White sangria with elderberry, lemongrass and kiwi
This is a portable and less messy way to jazz up glasses of wine or bubbles on the beach. Simply pour the syrup into a bottle or old jam jar and take it with you, ready to top it off with the wine of your choice. Prep 5 minutes Cook 5 minutes Cool 40 minutes Makes 4 2 lemongrass stalks, chopped and thinly sliced 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 1 lemon – zest to get 6 thin strips of peel, the fruit thinly sliced 100ml elderberry cordial 2 tablespoons caster sugar 750ml dry white wine (ie, a standard bottle of white wine) or Cointreau soup sancubla (or other fruity liqueur like Grand Marnier) 1 kiwifruit, thinly sliced, skin and all Put the lemongrass, peppercorns, lemon peel, cordial, sugar and 100 ml of wine in a small saucepan and beat with a fork to incorporate. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and set aside to infuse and cool completely – this will take about 40 minutes. Pour the syrup through a fine sieve and into a jar or bottle with a lid. Add Cointreau and seal. Either collect the syrup and take it to the beach to mix with more wine, or enjoy it right away by doing the following. Pour the syrup and the remaining 650 ml of wine into a large glass jug, add the lemon and kiwi, pour plenty of ice and serve very cold.
