Boulliabess (sp?) & Ribs.

[Fallow Buck]

Hi All I'm on a photo run!! Since I've got the computer up and running at home again I seem to be taking pictures of everything!!









Rgds,
FB

[jenny_haddow]

Looks good FB,

Do you have a recipe for the bouillabaisse perchance?

Jen

[Fallow Buck]

Hi Jenny,

I don't often follow recipes, as I take ideas from them and then improvise.(Roughly) here's what I did.

I bought the following from the fishmongers:

1 largish Red Mullet
3 Calamari, about 6-8 inches long
Small peice of monk fish (8-10oz)
20 Medium sized uncooked shell on king prawns
1 packet of smoked mackerel.

I filleted the red mullet and put the bones in the stock pot

I washed the calamari, split the heads in half and cut the tubes into rings. Set aside the rings and put the trimmings into the stock pot. Make sure you rub the tentacles to remove the little rings from the suckers.

Dice the monkfish (1") and set aside.

Take the heads off the prawns and put them into the stock pot. Set the prawns to one side.

Put the 2-3 sides of smoked mackerel into the stock pot.

Add to the stock:

3 litres of water
1 tsp black pepper corns
pinch of saffron
Large shot of gin.
Large shot of Congnac
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of half a lemon
salt

(Instead of the gin, I would have added a tiny bit of Pastice/Ouzo if I had it , or a start anise)

Boil the stock for an hour or so, and if you can get any other fish trimmings from the fish monger then it will all help, (you can also add a glass of white wine too. You'll need to skim any foam/scum off of the top.

In another pan sweat off 1 onion in quarter moons in some olive oil, then add 3 good sized ripe tomatoes. Cook this on a low heat with the olive oil untill the tomatoes have reduced to a paste. It might take upto 15-20mins.

When the stock is strengthened, you can starte to ladel it into the tomato mix through a fine seive. Keep the tomoato pan on quite a high heat, and add the stock a ladle at a time quite slowly.

When the stock is seasoned to taste and simmering add a few baby corn cobs split down the middle and half a dozen baby potatoes cut into long quarters. . After a 3 or 4 of minutes, add the prawns and monkfish. then the calamari. I laid the Mullet fillets on top to poach for 2 minutes.

Take the fillets out carefully and reserve on a plate. then stir through a handfull of fresh parsely leaves just before serving. Using a slotted spoon, pile some of the fish mixture into a bowl and lay the mullet fillet on top. ladel over some of the stock and get stuck in!!

I think I remembered everything but I might edit if anything comes to me later.

Next time I do it I'll probably do some mussels or clams in a seperate pan (avoids the grit getting into the soup), and would like to add some crab claws with the prawns. Mullet is also really to expensive for what it is and I think a bit of smoked haddock would be perfect served on top.

I'd be really interested in seeing photo's of what you coeup with as I think a recipe like this really lends itself to personal interpretation.

Rgds,
FB

[aris]

How did you do the ribs?

[jenny_haddow]

Thanks FB, I'll keep the camera in the kitchen when I do my rough approximation of the recipe. It will be another use for the smoked haddock I did in the Bradley. I've made some interesting dishes using that, including a rissotto that was surprisingly good.

Cheers

Jen

[Fallow Buck]

Hi Aris,

Ribs wereWashed and dried then I made a Rub Up.

I used
3tbsp Brown Sugar
1.5 tsp Sea salt
3Tsp Paprika, (I used the hot one by accident!!)
1tsp Ground Corriander
1tsp ground Bay
1tsp Mixed Herbs
half tsp Cinnamon
Half Tsp Cumin

Rub the ribs really well with the mixture and then leave at room temperature for an hour or so, for the mixture to really dissolve into the surface of the Ribs. Put them on a roasting rack in the oven for 4 hours at 120C, basting withthe juices from the pan every 30mins or so. For the last 40mins-1hr, mix a little of the basting juices with 2pbsp Honey, and 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika and brush over the ribs and turn the oven upto 140C

I was surprised at how tender and moist they came out. I didn't cover them at all

FB

[aris]

That sounds pretty much how I made mine - except I didn't use spare ribs I used belly ribs (nice and meaty). I also added a bit of smoke powder.