All dishes that take on multiple personalities depending on the chef and the price of the restaurant.
These variations have been simplified to suit my kitchen abilities and budget, which unfortunately, when it comes to fresh fish and lamb, is being stretched.
Ceviche tostadas
Make your tostadas in advance (they should keep in an airtight container for a few days), for a fresh, no-cook lunch or light dinner, or pile the fish mix on to round corn chips for snacks. Look out for Tio Pablo tostadas if you prefer not to fry.
Serves 4
Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
8-10 small corn tortillas
500g white fish, sliced in to small pieces
½ cup lemon juice
½ tsp salt
⅓ cup chopped coriander
3 tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely chopped
½-1 red chilli (depending on heat), finely chopped
2 Tbsp finely sliced red onion
4 cups shredded lettuce, sliced
1 avocado, sliced into small cubes
Method
Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Cook tortillas, one at a time, until crisp then drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
Combine the fish and lemon juice and leave, covered, in the fridge to marinate for 20 minutes. Mix in salt then gently fold in the coriander, tomato, chilli and red onion.
Top fried tortillas with lettuce, ceviche and avocado.
Creamy spinach and mushroom baked eggs
I find this dish a more relaxing way to feed a breakfast crowd than trying to poach eggs individually. Quantities are easily increased and can be made in a large baking dish after frying bacon and mushrooms in a pan before adding them to the dish, followed by the spinach and cream mix.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 bacon rashers, halved
100g mushrooms, chopped
2 cups baby spinach
1 tsp lemon zest
½ cup cream
2-4 eggs
¼ cup parmesan, plus extra to serve
Flat-leaf parsley, to serve
Method
Heat oven to 180°C. Heat the oil in an oven-proof frying pan over a high heat.
Fry the bacon and mushrooms for five minutes or until browned. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Add the spinach, lemon zest, cream and salt and pepper to taste and cook for one minute.
Remove pan from the heat. Scatter in the mushrooms and bacon. Crack in eggs, spaced around the pan and sprinkle with parmesan.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until eggs are just set. Sprinkle with parsley and extra parmesan and serve with toast.
Greek barbecued lamb
With the light and warmth now fading early, why not make this a late lunch/early dinner. Rug up and dine outdoors before we really have no desire to do so.
Serves 4
Marinade
1 cup thick Greek yoghurt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp chopped rosemary leaves
2 tsp thyme leaves
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Zest of 1 lemon
Lamb and potatoes
650g-1kg butterflied lamb leg
4 medium-sized agria potatoes, peeled, cubed and pre-boiled
1 sprig rosemary
2 cloves garlic, sliced in half
Oil for frying
Yoghurt sauce
Mix ½ cup thick Greek yoghurt with ½ crushed garlic clove, 1 Tbsp chopped mint, a good squeeze of lemon and a good pinch of salt.
Method
Mix the marinade ingredients well in a non-reactive dish that will hold the lamb. Place the lamb in the dish and coat with marinade. Leave overnight or for at least four hours.
Barbecue the lamb for 20-30 minutes until cooked to your liking, turning half way through.
Fry the potatoes with rosemary and garlic in hot oil in a frying pan on the barbecue hotplate at the same time as the lamb is cooking on the grill.
Allow the lamb to rest for 10 minutes before slicing to serve with yoghurt sauce, hot potatoes and a salad.
