Patrimonio Santiago Graffigna Viognier 2005

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This flavoursome soup from New England is a real winter warmer. Serve it with crusty bread for a hearty lunch.

Serves 6

Total time: 35 mins
Cooking time: 15–20 mins

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
200g streaky bacon, chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp flour
500ml hot milk
350g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm chunks
375ml fish stock
grated zest of 1 lemon
100g canned sweetcorn kernels, drained
500g boneless firm white fish (such as cod or haddock), cut into chunks
24 mussels, scrubbed and beards removed (optional)
150ml whipping cream
snipped chives, to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the bacon over medium heat until it starts to crisp. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Then add the celery and garlic and cook until softened, about 1–2 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Pour in the hot milk and add the potatoes, stock and lemon zest. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the sweetcorn and fish, then cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the fish becomes opaque. If you want to include mussels, add these during the last 2 minutes of the cooking time.
4. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened, then stir in the cream, season well and heat through. Serve in deep bowls, sprinkled with chives.

Top tip

Leave to cool, then freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge, then heat through very gently on the hob to avoid overcooking the fish.

Perfect partner

Grand Gaillard Sauvignon 2008
Drink this popular and refreshing wine with this filling chowder to create a special lunchtime treat.

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Enjoy a taste of summer all year round with grilled salmon in a Mediterranean-style marinade. When in season, new potatoes make the perfect accompaniment, but creamy mashed potato is just as delicious.

Serves 4

Total time: 20–25 mins, plus marinating and chilling
Cooking time: 8–10 mins

Ingredients

600g salmon fillets
40g fresh basil leaves
grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 red chilli, deseeded and diced
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato purée
2 egg yolks
pinch of caster sugar
250ml mild olive oil

1. Arrange the salmon in a large, shallow dish. Roughly chop half the basil and place in a bowl. Add the grated lemon zest and most of the juice, the chilli and tomato purée. Mix well and spread over both sides of each fillet. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, to make the basil mayonnaise, place the egg yolks, sugar and salt to taste in a food processor. Blend and, with the motor running, gradually add about half of the oil in a steady stream. When the sauce thickens, add a little of the remaining lemon juice.
3. Continue adding the remaining oil in a slow, steady stream. Season. Add the remaining basil and pulse until just chopped. Cover and chill.
4. Prepare and light the barbecue, or preheat the grill to hot. Grill the fish for 4–5 minutes on each side, or until just cooked. Serve at once, with the basil mayonnaise.

Top tip

Thin cuts of salmon tend to dry out more quickly while cooking than thicker ones. To check for they are done, insert the tip of a sharp knife in the thickest part of the salmon and pull slightly. When cooked, the salmon will appear opaque and will flake easily.

Perfect partner

Le Marronnier Pinot Noir 2006
Break the rules and try a red with fish – this is a great choice with barbecued salmon.

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Fresh white fish in a luxurious creamy sauce, topped with mounds of fluffy mashed potato, must be the ultimate in comfort food! This dish is perfect for supper with family or close friends.

Serves 6

Total time: 45–55 mins
Cooking time: 25–35 mins

Ingredients

1kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
25g butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
550g cod or haddock, boned, skinned and cut into chunks
150g smoked haddock, boned, skinned and cut into chunks
200g baby spinach leaves
2 tsp mustard
500ml crême fraîche
handful fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp hot milk

1. First, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 15–20 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile, heat the butter and garlic in a large flameproof frying pan until the butter starts to foam. Fry the fish in batches over high heat for about 1–2 minutes each side, or until just cooked. Remove and keep warm on a plate. Return all the fish to the pan when cooked and spread the spinach leaves over the top.
2. Mix the mustard with the crème fraîche in a bowl, then spoon over the fish. Allow the mixture to melt into the fish and spinach without stirring – it will look quite liquid at this stage. Add the parsley and stir gently until the spinach wilts. Preheat the grill to hot.
3. Thoroughly drain the cooked potatoes. Add the hot milk and mash until smooth. Roughly spoon the mashed potato over the fish.
4. Place the pan under the hot grill for 3–5 minutes, or until the potato is golden. Serve at once.

Top tip

Maris Piper are the best potatoes to use in this recipe.

Variation

You could vary the flavour of the filling by using dill or tarragon in place of the parsley.

Perfect partner

Domaine Dampt Vieilles Vignes 2008
Try a crisp white Chablis with the fail-safe fish pie – you won’t be disappointed.

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Oatmeal-coated smoked mackerel and herb fishcakes served with a lightly poached egg make an elegant breakfast or brunch.

Serves 4

Total time: 1 hour, plus cooling
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients

450g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
350g smoked mackerel, skinned and flaked
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped chives
½ onion, very finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp French mustard
125g flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten, plus 4 eggs for poaching
225g medium oatmeal
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 15–20 minutes, or until soft. Drain well and leave to cool. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the mackerel, herbs, onion, garlic and mustard. Add the potatoes and mash until thoroughly combined. Season well.
2. Divide the mixture into 8 and shape into fishcakes. Put the flour, beaten eggs and oatmeal into separate bowls. Dip each cake in flour, then egg and finally roll in oatmeal, coating them evenly. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the fishcakes, in batches, for 5–6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, for the poached eggs, bring a pan of water to the boil and add a pinch of salt and the vinegar. Break each egg into a small bowl, then carefully lower into the pan of gently boiling water. Once the egg is sealed, reduce the heat and cook for 2 minutes, until lightly set. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
4. To serve, arrange the fishcakes on serving plates and top with the poached eggs.

Variation

Use smoked peppered mackerel or smoked kippers instead of plain smoked mackerel.

Perfect partner

Split Rock Sauvignon Blanc 2006
This aromatic Sauvignon is a real crowd-pleaser. A perfect accompaniment to fishcakes.

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Quick, easy and healthy – what more could you want from a recipe? Try serving it with steamed asparagus or green beans.
Serves 6

Total time: 25 mins
Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients

oil, for greasing
75g fresh white breadcrumbs
50g fresh parsley leaves
2 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
35g walnuts, toasted
4 tbsp walnut oil
6 x 150g white fish fillets (such as haddock or sea bass)

1. Preheat the grill to medium and the oven to 180ºC/Gas 4. Lightly grease a baking tray.
2. Place the breadcrumbs in a food processor with the parsley, shallots and garlic. Process to combine. Add the walnuts and pulse briefly. Drizzle in the walnut oil and process until combined; the texture should still be rough and the crumbs moist.
3. Arrange the fish fillets on the baking tray and spread the breadcrumb mixture on top of each fillet, pressing down well.
4. Place the tray under the preheated grill and cook for 2 minutes, until the crust is just golden. Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 6 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked. Arrange on plates and serve at once.

Top tip

Walnut oil is available from delicatessens as well as some good supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute extra virgin olive oil.

Perfect partner

Steendrift Fairtrade Viognier 2009
Match sustainable line-caught fish with this knockout Fairtrade Viognier.

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Marinate seafood kebabs in a combination of lime zest and juice, coriander, garlic and ginger for a delicious starter. If you are at all squeamish about seafood, ask your fishmonger to prepare the prawns and scallops for you.

Serves 6

Total time: 25 mins, plus marinating
Cooking time: 6 mins

Ingredients

juice of 2 limes and grated zest of 1
2cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp groundnut oil
18 raw, shell-on tiger prawns
18 scallops, without roe

1. Soak 6 bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning on the barbecue. Meanwhile, to make the marinade, mix together the lime juice and zest, ginger, garlic, coriander and oil. Set aside.
2. Remove the prawn shells but leave the tail end intact. With a sharp knife, make a small slit down the back and pull out the digestive cord.
3. Thread 3 prawns and 3 scallops alternately onto a skewer and lay in a shallow dish that's long enough for the kebabs to lie flat. Repeat to make 6 kebabs. Brush the marinade over the kebabs, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
4. Preheat the barbecue or a non-stick frying pan until hot. Remove the kebabs from the dish, reserving the marinade. Cook the kebabs for about 3 minutes each side, or until the prawns are pink and the scallops opaque, basting with extra marinade as they cook, but stop doing this about 2 minutes before the end of cooking time so the marinade has time to cook through. Serve at once.

Serving suggestion

Add rice or couscous and French beans or a green salad to transform this dish into a main course.

Perfect partner

Domaine Daniel Reverdy 2008
These kebabs look as fabulous as they taste, so pair them with a striking Sancerre.