Fish Trip Cafe

This simple potato dish has a delicious depth of flavour – sweet, savoury and a little kick of heat.

It’s a unique and addictive side dish.

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— Spicy Sweet Miso Glazed Baby Potatoes —

700g baby potatoes

2 tablespoons miso paste (medium-coloured)

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes

2 tablespoons sesame oil

Some flat-leaf parsley, chopped

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Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until just tender, drain and leave to cool slightly.

Combine the miso paste, mirin, sugar and chilli flakes in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat the sesame oil in a large frying-pan, add the potatoes and fry them over a medium heat until golden brown.

Add the miso sauce, gently stir-fly the potatoes to coat well with the sauce for about 2 minutes until the sauce becomes caramelised.

Serve hot and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

This simple deep fried tofu is called “Atsu-age”.

Freshly-made atsu-age has a lovely texture ― crispy on the outside and soft, fluffy on the inside. Yum.

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— Deep Fried Tofu (Atsu-age) —

Tofu

Daikon (mooli) radish, grated

Ginger, grated

Spring onion, finely chopped

Soy sauce

Vegetable oil for deep frying

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Wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel or some layer of kitchen papers, and place a heavy thing (such as a pan) on top of it to force out excess water, then leave it for 30 minutes.

Cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Heat the oil to 350F/180C and deep fry the tofu until light golden. Place them on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.

Top with grated daikon radish and ginger. Garnish with chopped spring onion and sprinkle with a dash of soy sauce.

This is a traditional Japanese dish and it’s called “Kōhaku Namasu”. “Kōhaku” means “red and white”,  this combination of colour is a symbol for auspicious or happy occasions in Japan, and Kōhaku Namasu is one of the festive food for the New Year.

White daikon radish and red (actually it’s orange…) carrot are lightly pickled in sweetened vinegar. It’s a light and refreshing side dish.

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— Rickled Radish and Carrot Salad (serves 4) —

400g daikon (mooli) radish

80g carrot

1 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoon rice vinegar

4 tablespoon caster sugar

A small piece of yuzu citrus or lemon peel, very finely julienned

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Peel the radish and carrot and cut into about 2 inch long thin strips.

Place in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, mix and leave for about 15 minutes. Squeeze well to remove excess water.

Combine the rice vinegar and sugar in a small bowl.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the radish and carrot and mix well. Cover and place in the fridge for few hours.

Just before serving, garnish each portion with julienned yuzu or loon peel.

This is a Japanese home-style dish. Sweet and savoury miso sauce gives the vegetables a very rich and appetising flavour. Serve with steamed plain rice.

Miso is fermented soya bean paste, made from soya beans and normally rice or barley are mixed with salt and koji (a formentation starter) and allow to ferment for six months to five years.
It comes in many colours, creamy white, yellow, red brown and dark brown, etc.
Usually the light coloured miso has light flavour and dark coloured miso has strong flavour.

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— Sweet Miso Stir-Fried Aubergine & Green Pepper (serves 2) —

1 aubergine

1/2 green pepper

1 tablespoon miso paste  (mideum-coloured)

1 tablespoon sake (rice wine)

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

3 tablespoons sesame oil

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Cut the aubergine into bite-sized pieces, immerse in water for 10 minutes and drain.

Cut the green pepper into bite-sized pieces.

Mix the miso paste, sake, sugar and soy sauce in a small bowl.

Heat the sesame oil in a frying-pan. Fry the aubergine over a low-medium heat until softened. Add the green peppers and fir-fry for 4-5 minutes.

Add the miso sauce and stir-fry until the liquid is evaporated.

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— Garlic Bread Salad (serves 2) —

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 loaf day-old crusty bread, cut into chunks

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 and 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and black pepper

10 cherry tomatoes, cut into halves

1/2 cucumber, cut into chunks

150g lettuce leaves

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

10 karamata olives, pitted

Small bunch of fresh basil, chopped

Some parmesan cheese, shaved

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In a large frying-pan, heat the olive oil and garlic over a medium heat. Add  bread pieces and lightly sprinkle with salt. Sauté until golden brown for 4-5 minutes. 

In a small bowl, mix the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and black pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, red onion, karamata olives and basil. drizzle with dressing. Add the sautéed bread, toss well to coat.

Garnish with parmesan cheese.

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— Chickpea & Aubergine Salad (serves 4) —

1 aubergine, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

Sea salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Some lemon zest, very finely chopped

3 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

1 can (400g) chickpeas

Freshly ground black pepper

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Brash the aubergine slices with the olive oil and sprinkle with some sea salt.

Heat a large frying-pan over a medium heat. Fry the aubergine until browned and soft on both sides, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, place into a bowl with the aubergine, red onion, lemon zest and parsley. Toss with the dressing, sprinkle with back pepper.

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— Parmesan Fried Courgette (serves 4) —

60g parmesan cheese, grated

40g panko bread crumbs

40g plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

3 medium courgettes

Salt and ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for deep-frying

1 lemon, cut into wedges

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Combine the grated parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs in a bowl.

Trim stem ends from the cougettes and cut into thick sticks. Pat dry with kitchen pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

Lightly coat the courgette with the flour, dip in the beaten egg and then coat with the parmesan mixture.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based saucepan to 180C / 350F. Deep fry the courgette for about 3 minutes until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with lemon wedges.

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—  Balsamic Glazed Baby Onions —

500g baby onions, peeled

Some salt

2 tablespoons, olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

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Boil the baby onions in  salted water for about 5 minutes and drain.

Heat the olive oil in a frying-pan, fry the onions for 10 minutes over a medium heat. Add the balsamic vinegar and sugar, sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, Serve at room temperature.

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— Pear & Goat’s Cheese Toasts (serves 4) —

1 French baguette (medium size)

Some olive oil

3 pears (such as Williams), cored and thinly sliced

150g goat’s cheese, sliced into 8 slices

30g walnuts, chopped

2 teaspoons thyme, finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon honey

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Cut the baguette in half, then slice in half lengthwise. Brash the baguette with olive oil, put the bread onto a hot grilled pan over medium heat and toast until golden on both sides.

Transfer the toasts to a baking tray, arrange with the pear slices and goat’s cheese, sprinkle with the walnuts, thyme and black pepper, drizzle the honey over the top.

Grill under the broiler until the cheese is lightly golden.

A lot of muffins in a box. To open a box is my favourite thing.

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— Feta, Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Muffins (makes 12 muffins) —

Olive oil for greasing

280g plain flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

A pinch of salt

2 eggs, beaten

80g butter, melted and cooled

250ml butter milk

150g feta cheese, crumbled

50g sun-dried tomatoes, cut into small pieces

50g black olives, pitted, cut into halves

Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

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Preheat the oven to 200C/ 400F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tray with a little olive oil.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a large bowl.

Beat the eggs in separate bowl, add the melted butter, buttermilk.

Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and add the feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, parsley. Stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until risen and golden.

This chips are so delicious. Good things take time, but they are worth it.

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— Double Cooked Chips (serves 4) —

800g floury potatoes (such as maris piper or king edward)

2 litres groundnut oil or sunflower oil for deep-frying

Flaked sea salt

Your favourite dipping sauce

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Cut the potatoes lengthways  into 1cm thick chips, rinse well under cold water for 10 minutes and then drain.

Put the chips into a large pan of cold and lightly salted water, bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until just soft to the point of knife.

Drain and pat dry with kitchen papers. Lay the chips on a tray lined with kitchen papers and allow them to cool. Put them in the fridge until cold.

In the heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil to 130C, and add the chips. Don’t over crowed the pan. Fry chips for about 10 minutes until cook through but not over cooked.

Remove, drain, pat dry and refrigerate the chips until cold.

Heat the oil to 180C and add the chips. Cook until crisp and golden. Drain and sprinkle with sea salt.