recipe: crab cakes

The brown crab (Cancer pagurus) is a UK seafood powerhouse, thriving along all British and Irish coasts from rocky intertidal shores down to offshore depths beyond 100 meters. As nocturnal predators, these crabs inhabit reefs, boulders, and soft seabeds, where they feed on molluscs and smaller crustaceans.

While brown crab underpins one of the UK’s most abundant and valuable inshore shellfish fisheries — available year-round via static pots (creels) — this abundance shouldn't be mistaken for infinite availability. Maintaining healthy stocks and protecting their delicate marine habitat requires responsible management, including regional minimum landing sizes to safeguard breeding populations.

I got these from the fishmonger whose pitch is next to mine. He always has a massive queue of people that trails right across my pitch. By the time they finally get to him, they're quite often munching on some arancini, a couple of slices of tortilla, or a scotch egg from my stall. Anyway, I digress! On this particular day, there happened to be some brown crab left — pretty unusual — so I snagged them in exchange for some scotch eggs!

Using freshly dressed brown crab makes all the difference in achieving a rich, authentic flavor for these luxury crab cakes.

crab cakes

luxury golden crab cakes

IngredientsMakes: 510g (6)

400g	(3)	crab meat
20g		lemon juice
200g		eggs
55g		spring onion
6g		aromat
3g		vegetable oil

Method

Mix all the ingredients and leave to infuse for 30 mins in the fridge.

Put a tablespoon of mix into a hot non stick pan and flatten into a pattie.

Cook on a medium high heat until golden turn once.

Don't crowd the pan, two batches of three at a time.

For extra crisp dust them with a mix of 50/50 corn flour plain flour, and glaze the pan with oil or butter before cooking.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: large maki roll trout & chives w/ carrot rice (Japanese inspired sushi roll)

large maki roll trout & chives w/ carrot rice

large sushi roll w/ low carb carrot & sesame rice - trout, chives

IngredientsMakes: 200g (8)

2.2g		nori
125g		carrot and sesame sushi rice 400	(recipe below)
75g		trout
8g		chives

carrot and sesame sushi rice 400

low carb low cal sushi rice substitute

IngredientsMakes: 730g

150g		sushi rice
26g		vinegar
230g		water
20g		sugar
4g		salt
400g		carrots
10g		sesame seeds

Place all the ingredients into a rice cooker and stir so everything is evenly distributed.

Set to white rice and wait until cooked ~20mins.

Use wet hands when handling the rice so it doesn't stick to your hands.

100-150g for large rolls - full size maki rol.

50-70g for small - half size maki rolls.

Serve w/ soy & wasabi, and if there are other types of roll, pickled ginger too.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

visual recipe: large maki roll trout & salad w/ carrot rice (Japanese inspired sushi roll)

trout fillet cut along the centre & folded over - remove the skin & blood line - seen here in the middle

cut into maki roll pieces - the lengths don't have to be in once piece

assemble with your favourite filling - I made 5 different types this time

trout & salad, trout cucumber & ginger, trout & red pepper, trout & home grown yellow cherry tomatoes

trout & salad - 6 cut - 8 works well too

Serve w/ soy sauce or ponzu & wasabi, and if there are other types of roll, pickled ginger too.

lets eat!

visual recipe: cauliflower mash

cauliflower mash - cauliflower steamed & charred, garlic & hotdog onions - pureed

slice the stem with a mandolin - danger VERY sharp - use guard

boil in water w added vinegar

and leaves

steam the cauliflower curds above

steamed cauliflower

boiled & soused cauliflower stem

let the steam come off - minimise water content - maximise favour

butter

melt some butter in the pan

slice cauli - place sliced face down & char

charred cauliflower

add some hotdog onions

and some garlic & blend

a touch of butter to finish

cauliflower mash - add cumin seeds at the charring stage (w/ the butter) for a great humous / humus sub!

 

recipe: smoked haddock & tomato vlini w jamon serrano

The garden is starting to give now, and this is leftovers thrown together with bits - three cherry tomatoes & a courgette - from the garden. The cauliflower mash was leftover from a cauliflower humous experiment. A caramelised onion humous is a pretty good replacement - and would save making the hotdog onions & cauli-mash, which takes a little time!! Anyway a nice light lunch from bits & pieces. Smokey from the ham & the fish, sweet acidity from the tomatoes, base notes from the cauli-mash and fragrant light notes from the oregano and a touch of heat from the black pepper. All brought together with the sweet ginger chilli & yogurt symphony of the kimchogu . . . .  hmm.

smoked haddock & tomato vlini w jamon serrano

smoked haddock & tomato vlini served w/ jamon serrano

IngredientsMakes: 321g (1)

295g		smoked haddock & tomato vlini	(recipe below)
26g		serrano

smoked haddock & tomato vlini

thin discs of raw courgette w/ cauliflower mash topped w/ diced courgette kimchogu, smoked haddock & tomato

IngredientsMakes: 295g (5)

65g		courgette
35g		cauliflower mash	(recipe below)
125g		diced courgette kimchogu	(recipe below)
40g		smoked haddock
30g		yellow cherry tomatoes
0.2g		oregano
0.5g		black pepper

cauliflower mash - visual recipe

cauliflower mash w/ a light hint of cumin

IngredientsMakes: 460g (4)

25g		butter
1g		cumin seeds
520g		cauliflower
70g		hotdog onions	(recipe below)
10g		lemon juice
35g		butter
2g		salt

Method

Put the onion on to start.

Steam the cauliflower until soft but not falling apart then char it in a smoking hot oil glazed pan. Rub a stick of butter all over the pan, dust it w/ cumin seeds and quickly place the cauliflower flat side down in the pan.

Blend everything together until a smooth puree is formed.

hotdog onions

slow cooked thick cut onions - soft & slightly charred

diced courgette kimchogu

IngredientsMakes: 125g (1)

55g		courgette
70g		kimchogu	(recipe below)

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.

recipe: lemon chicken w/ kimchi

lemon chicken w/ kimchi

golden crispy skinned chicken w/ a hint of lemon topped w/ kimchi & garlic & herb sauce

IngredientsMakes: 525g (2)

400g		chicken wings
20g		lemon juice
1g		lemon zest
200g		water
15g		garlic roule
60g		hm kimchi	(recipe below)

Method

Break down chicken putting aside breasts, legs, thighs & wings for another dish.

Cut the remaining pieces into wing drumstick sized pieces.

It says chicken wings in the recipe because that about the right bone to skin to meat ratio!

Plus this will work just as well with chicken wings cut in halves.

Season the skin and place them skin side down in a hot oil glazed pan.

Put the lid on and turn down min, leave for ~6mins to crisp the skin.

Turn the heat up high again.

Zest one half of a lemon onto the chicken, cut the lemon in half & squeeze the juice of the zested half in.

Put the lid on and leave for another 4 mins.

Then remove the lid & add about 200ml of water to deglaze & the roule stirring it in until it has dissolved.

Finally stir to coat and let the sauce thicken.

Use tongs to put the chicken pieces onto hot plate, top w/ the kimchi and pour the sauce over that.

Lush keto-ish snack.

hm kimchi

classic Korean fermented vegetables w/ ginger garlic & chilli

IngredientsMakes: 1750g

510g		red cabbage
300g		cabbage
260g		carrots
215g		red peppers
32g		spring onions
26g		garlic
250g		7.5pc brine	(recipe below)
21g		chilli flakes
50g		ginger
3g		smoked paprika
1g		sriracha chilli sauce
20g		sugar
30g		7.5pc brine	(recipe below)

Method

Make the brine the night before so any chlorine in the water evaporates - better for fermenting process.

Make 3L of 7.5% brine - 225g salt 2775g water.

The 240g in the recipe is approximately what finally ends up in the jar.

Shred the veg & garlic - all ingredients up to the brine - & cover w/ brine.

Put plate on top to keep veg submerged.

Leave for 12hours / over night. Remove from brine - keeping the brine.

If the veg is not salty enough return to brine for longer. If too salty rinse w/ fresh water & drain.

To make the flavouring sauce simply mix the peeled & chopped ginger w/ the chilli flakes, smoked paprika, sriracha chilli sauce, sugar & brine.

Mix this w/ the drained veg until it has mixed completely.

Pack the mix into a Kilner jar and top w/ brine. Insert a gauze to keep the veg submerged.

7.5pc brine

7.5% brine - salt solution

IngredientsMakes: 3000g

2775g		water
225g		salt

Method

Add the salt to the water and stir until it has dissolved.

Depending on what you are using the brine for it's often best if any chlorine in the water has been allowed evaporate off.

You can leave the water to stand in an open bowl for 24hrs, or you can bring the water to the boil and then let it cool down.

Pretty simple stuff really.

I think it was this recipe that gave me the idea for Kimchogu.

If you are in Hereford check out Growing Local on facebook/meta they currently have all sorts of seasonal veg available grown right here in Hereford using organic practices!
Sign up for veg box here / or for wholesale here.