The Return of Team Travis and Maria

Our friend Travis is finally back from a long deployment (8 months!) and has reunited with his lady, Maria. We love to spend time with them and last night was the first time since October that we have gotten together for the inevitable food and drink extravaganza.

Had some great lunch over at their palatial penthouse apartment, not the least of which was a fantastic corn and langoustine soup. He'll have to start his own website so we can all get our hands on that one.

After pub crawling our way from their place to ours, we eventually made our way around to getting dinner going. Fortunately, two of the three courses were already prepped and chilling. The main called for brill, but they had just sold out of it at the fish market. I used turbot instead, which is a WONDERFUL fish that I had never cooked with before. Great stuff. Followed by another fine dessert by Vanessa.

Starter: Spicy Melon and Grapefruit Salad

1 cantaloupe, ripe
1 grapefruit, ripe
12 mint leaves
pepper
½ cup wine, dessert, such as Sauternes or Late Harvest Semillon

Cut the melon in half and seed. Using a melon baller, scoop out the melon flesh and place into a mixing bowl. Using a serrated knife, peel the grapefruit and remove the white membrane around each segment; remove the seeds.

Add the grapefruit segments, 4 mint leaves, black pepper and dessert wine to the melon balls. Gently combine all ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Divide the salad among 4 bowls. Spoon the liquid over the fruit and garnish each serving with 2 mint leaves.

Main: Herb-Crusted Fillet of Turbot with Minted Jersey Royals

4 large turbot fillets
250 g cherry tomatoes
2 shallot, finely sliced
1 small bunch basil, plus extra for garnish
4-6 slices bread, stale, made into crumbs
150 g Parmesan cheese, grated
1 medium bunch parsley
500 g new potatoes, Jersey Royals, if available
small bunch mint leaves
25 g butter
200 g green beans, topped
2 shallot, finely sliced (to go with beans)
olive oil
sea salt and pepper

In a blender, thoroughly mix all the herb crust ingredients together (bread, Parmesan and parsley), season and set aside.

Fill about 2/3 of the volume of water up in a medium saucepan and a small saucepan. Scrub the potatoes and cut larger ones in half. Put the potatoes into the medium saucepan over high heat, salt the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Put the small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. When boiling, add a good little handful of salt. When the potatoes are done, drain them, slice, then set aside.

Meanwhile, place the brill fillets on a plate and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a hot pan and sauté the fish for approximately 1 minute on each side, or until they’re golden brown. Remove to rest on a baking tray.

To make the salsa, chop the tomatoes in half and finely slice the shallots. Add a little more olive oil into the now empty fish pan, heat and add the tomatoes and shallots. Sweat them off together and season. Pick the basil leaves, roll them together and chop before adding to the tomatoes and shallots. Cook for a further 2 -3 minutes until the tomatoes are just beginning to break down.

Spoon the tomato salsa lightly over the fish, spreading it out evenly over the fillets. Next take your breadcrumbs and spoon them over the tomato. Bake in the oven at 350F/170C for 8-10 minutes until the crust is golden and the fish is cooked.

Heat a little butter in a pan with a spoonful of water, roughly chop the mint leaves and add to the butter/water emulsion. Add the potatoes and sauté until lightly golden.

Meanwhile, blanch the beans in the small saucepan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Sauté the shallots in hot olive oil until soft. Drain the beans thoroughly and add to the shallots, sauté for 2 -3 minutes.

Place the fillets in the centre of the plates, drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar around and serve with the potatoes and shallots. Garnish the fish with an extra pinch of basil.

Dessert: Lemon Posset

900 milliliters double cream
250 g sugar
juice of three lemons

Boil the cream and sugar together in a pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the lemon juice and mix in well. Leave to cool slightly then pour into six glasses and leave to set in the fridge. The pudding is now ready. It is nice to pour a little more liquid cream on top before serving.