Zucchini Cups

These are so simple to make I couldn't believe it. Could be made in advance and served cold in the lunch box, as a quick snack using left overs to hand or dedicated to lunch or an evening meal with salad or veggies.
* using a pealer make long strips of zucchini and line a grease cup cake baking tray. One around the outside and one cut in half placed across the bottom. This becomes your casing and I swear it's delicious and you won't get any complaints at sneaking in and extra veg.
* add anything your family like into the cup as long as it will cook or heat through in about 15 minutes ... I've used finely chopped tomatoe, spring onion and salmon today but any left overs of cooked chicken bacon or roast veggies are great. Get creative!
* then 3/4 fill each one with lightly beaten egg covering your contents.
* finally top with grated cheese and a sprinkle of lemon pepper.
* Bake until golden brown about 15-20 minutes in a moderate oven.

Sweet Potato and Avocado Salad - Pan fried Snapper

Sweet Potato and Avocado Salad

I love the creaminess of this salad as an accompaniment to fish, however you could put it with anything.

Prepare the salad in advance so that the meal is ready to serve as soon as the fish is cooked.

• Dice some Feta cheese and cover this with a vegetable oil and pop in a tablespoon of fennel seeds and 1/2 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns... if you do this the day before this infused oil can be used in your dressing, a truly stunning flavour... I love it and always have infused feta in my fridge on hand... trust me you will wonder how you ever survived without these little seeds in your life before.
• Dice your sweet potato and coat in a little olive oil and bake in a 180 oven until just cooked, then cool.
• Chunky dice a couple of avocado and toss them in a little lime/lemon juice.
• Wash and dry some mixed salad leaves and a large handful of coriander leaves.
• Dressing: Whisk together 1 egg yolk, 2/3 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of a seed mustard and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar ... add to this while whisking about 125 grams of an infused oil of some kind such as avocado oil or try making your own as suggested above... 
• Layer some mixed salad leaves on a platter top with cooled sweet potato, feta, avocado and coriander leaves. Drizzle with dressing and continue to layer.

Pan Fried Snapper

This is my favourite way to prepare fish... everyone in the family will enjoy this especially the kids... not batter so much better for you... shhh! don't tell them it's good for them and they will eat it. 

Quality white fish is essential preferably fresh and not having already been frozen... this is a quick, shallow fry method for cooking fish and in my opinion is best when eaten immediately cooked and straight from the pan.

• Pat dry your fish with paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper.
• Lightly coat in cornflour and then in a lightly beaten egg... one of my dad's favourite ways... gives a really light batter look which pan fries to a wonderful golden colour... it's that simple so don't be tempted to complicate the process.
• A minute or two of cooking on either side until "just" cooked through... always remember that the cooking process continues during the resting time between pan and plate.

Crepes/Pancakes - Sweet/Savoury - Both

Make a batter suitable for a thin crepe...below is my guide  and what I did for this batch...prepared ahead of time and reheated through when filled for tonight's tea.

• 6tbs plain flour, 1 egg and the liquid portion is natural yoghurt, a dash of milk and water made up to 300ml...
• I use a Bessemer pancake pan and bowl system but you can improvise if you aren't lucky enough to own these.Lime juice, sugar and cream... sweet crepe... what can I say other than today's lunch... yum!

• Tea tonight are the same crepe served and presented in a square parcel with a mixture of caramelised onions & figs, pumpkin, mushroom,spinach and feta... topped with dressed salad leaves, avocado and icing sugar toasted heavenly almonds .

Pancakes are eaten today, Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent commences. Pancakes are made from staples that would spoil if not eaten; flour, eggs, cream the consumption of which is traditionally restricted during the self-denial, associated with the 40 days of Lent which starts tomorrow.