Easy Lemon Butter Fish

Works with any tender, flaky, mild flavored white fish

Ingredients:

• 4 good-sized firm white fish fillets, about 6 inches long, 1-inch thickness (cod, halibut, or mahi would work well.)

• 3 TB melted butter (I use salted, but unsalted is fine)

• Juice and zest from 1 medium lemon

• 1 tsp coarse salt, plus extra to taste

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 3 TB olive oil

• freshly chopped basil or parsley leaves, for garnish and flavor

• extra lemon slices for serving

Method:

1. Use paper towels to thoroughly pat-dry excess moisture from fish fillets – this step is crucial for fish to brown nicely in pan. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine melted butter, lemon juice and zest, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Stir to combine well. Taste and add a bit more kosher salt, if desired.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Evenly press spice mixture onto all sides of fish fillets.
4. In a large, heavy pan over medium high heat, heat up the olive oil until hot. Once your oil is sizzling,  cook 2 fish fillets at a time to avoid overcrowding (allows for even browning.) Cook each side just until fish becomes opaque, feels somewhat firm in the center, and is browned – usually 3-4 mins each side. Lightly drizzle some of the lemon butter sauce as you cook, reserving the rest for serving. Take care not to over-cook, as that will result in a tougher texture.
5. Serve fish with with remaining lemon butter sauce, basil or parsley, and lemon wedges.

Source: http://www.chewoutloud.com/2017/06/06/easy-lemon-butter-fish-15-minutes/

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Did this at Jenny and David's with the vac pack beef they sell at Waitrose. Worked well. The finishing in the oven was definitely necessary. Only problem is that I now can't remember which of their slow cookers we used, and they vary in temperature significantly.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1½ kg rolled beef brisket
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 sticks of celery, chopped
• 2 parsnips, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 80g button mushrooms
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp English mustard
• 500ml red wine
• 250ml beef stock

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a large pan. Dust 1½ kg rolled beef brisket with 2 tbsp plain flour and season well with salt and pepper
2. Put 3 chopped carrots, 3 chopped celery sticks, 2 chopped parsnips, 1 chopped onion and 80g button mushrooms in the bottom of your slow cooker and turn it to Lo
3. Sear the beef all over in the hot pan then place it on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.
4. Add the 2 bay leaves, 2 crushed garlic cloves and 2 tsp English mustard then pour over 500ml red wine and 250ml beef stock. Cover with the lid and cook for 7 hours.
5. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Carefully take the beef out of the slow cooker and place it on a baking tray then roast it in the oven for 20 mins.
6. While the beef is in the oven, carefully ladle the cooking liquid out of the slow cooker into a shallow pan. Boil rapidly on a high heat to reduce to a rich gravy.
7. Serve the beef sliced with roast potatoes, the softened vegetables, gravy and wilted greens, if you like.

Source: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/slow-cooker-pot-roast

Aubergine Dip

Ingredients

• 1 aubergine
• 1 clove of garlic
• ½ - 1 fresh green chilli
• ½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ lemon
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4. Pierce the aubergine a couple of times with a knife, then roast for 45 minutes until blackened, softened and collapsing. Leave to cool.
2. Peel and crush the garlic, deseed and finely chop the chilli and pick and finely chop the parsley.
3. Scoop the cooled insides from the aubergine into a food processor. Blitz with the garlic, chilli, oil, a good squeeze of lemon juice, the parsley and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, oil and lemon as needed. Place in a dish and sprinkle with paprika. Serve with flatbreads.

Source: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetable-recipes/aubergine-dip/