Busy family lifestyles need quick options for healthy and quick meals and this smoked mackerel hotpot is one of my go to dishes. It’s definitely a dinner in a dash – it doesn’t take long to cook and that’s a bonus after a long day at work, particularly if there’s the added energy draining task of taking and collecting kids from after school school activities.

A pack of the smoked mackerel fillets from the supermarket is ideal for this recipe although it’s a versatile dish and can be made with other types of smoked fish, including tinned fish. Varying the vegetables also adds to the versatility and if you’re trying to get the kids to pack in the 5 a day fruit and veg for a healthier diet, it works well with celery, courgettes, spring onions, peas and green beans.

I normally use pre made gnocchi as it cooks so quickly, normally 2-3 minutes, and, as a standby by for last minute meals I usually keep a pack of the long life gnocchi in the store cupboard. It makes a nice change from pasta or potatoes and with its quick cooking time, what’s not to like.

Smoked Mackerel Hotpot

Print Recipe

Servings	Prep Time
4	10 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings Prep Time 4 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Smoked Mackerel Hotpot Print Recipe Servings Prep Time 4 10 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings Prep Time 4 10 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 300 g Smoked mackerel fillets skin removed and flaked into bite size pieces
• 1 small red onion -finely chopped
• 1 leek - sliced
• 1 red pepper - diced
• 1 green pepper - diced
• 4 tomatoes - chopped
• 200 g pack of cream cheeese
• juice of 1 lemon
• 50 ml milk Add extra milk if sauce is too thick
• 3 tbsp chopped dill or parsley
• 400 g Fresh gnocchi
• 75 g breadcrumbs Optional
• 75 g Grated Cheddar Optional
• freshly ground black pepper Check seaoning before adding salt as the smoked mackerel can be quite salty.

Servings:

Instructions

1. Remove the skin from the mackerel - it should peel away easily - flake the flesh into bite size pieces and set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and leek and cook gently for 1-2 minutes. Add the peppers and tomatoes and continue cooking for 4-5 minutes.
3. Mix the cream cheese, milk and lemon juice together, add to the pan along with the herbs, stir to mix well and until thick and creamy.
4. Cook the gnocchi according to the instructions on the packet. This normally takes 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, add to the pan along with mackerel and gently fold through the sauce. Tip the mixture into a shallow oven proof dish.
5. Optional. sprinkle over the breadcrumb and cheese mixture and brown under a hot grill for 5 minutes or until golden brown

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The cheese and breadcrumb topping is optional but I think it gives a nice texture to the dish and contrasts well with the soft gnocchi and creamy sauce.

Paella is a dish that never fails to look impressive and it makes a great centerpiece for entertaining and ideal for communal family meals. Put the pan in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves. It’s a dish that can be made to suit all tastes and is easily adapted to suit all dietary requirements.

The Spanish take their paella very seriously.

Of course the Spanish might disagree with me on that one as this national dish is not one to be played with. As you would expect there are many traditions surrounding the dish but again that all depends much depends on where you eat or indeed who you talk to about the authentic way to cook.  Fish and Shellfish, Chicken, rabbit or pork, it’s all up for serious debate.

One thing everyone agrees on is that good rice is essential and I use arborio rice and normally opt for a seafood paella, possibly as a result of many holidays on the Spanish coast and islands. I’m always drawn to the enormous pans of paella being cooked at markets and festivals, although it’s normally the intoxicating aromas that gets my attention first. Of course there’s also much lore over where and how it should be cooked, outdoors, indoors, open fire or on the hob.

The Paella Pan

Another essential according to traditional paella rules is a wide pan with a thin base, something I’ve never really had much success with.  Over the years I’ve tried several pans and I recently reviewed the paella pan from the Stellar cookware James Martin ‘Lamina’ range and I was extremely pleased with the results. This is the recipe I used to test the pan and it’s the same basic recipe I’ve used since the early eighties. It has been tweaked over the years and it’s easy to adapt to suit whatever ingredients you have to hand. Paella is a great storecupboard standby meal and I’ll often use whatever meat, seafood or vegetables I have available. This recipe is for seafood but I’ve also used chicken thighs and legs in the past.

I have three excellent suppliers of fish and seafood and regular deliveries mean there’s usually a good selection of fish and shellfish in the freezer.

Seafood Paella

Print Recipe

Even the simplest of paellas makes an impressive dish. Use whatever you have available and feel free to add chicken or pork.

• CourseMain Dish

Servings	Prep Time
4-6 people	20 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings Prep Time 4-6 people 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Seafood Paella Print Recipe Even the simplest of paellas makes an impressive dish. Use whatever you have available and feel free to add chicken or pork. CourseMain Dish Servings Prep Time 4-6 people 20 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes Servings Prep Time 4-6 people 20 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Approx 8-10 langoustine tails
• Approx 300g undyed smoked haddock chopped into large chunks
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small red onion -finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves - crushed or chopped
• 1 large red pepper sliced
• 2 large tomatoes skinned and chopped
• 300 g arborio rice
• 200 ml dry white wine
• 1/4 tsp saffron
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp dried seaweed flakes Shony, dulse or kombu.
• 600 ml chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100g fresh or frozen peas or sliced green beans
• 1-2 tbsp finely chopped parsley or dill
• juice 1/2 lemon
• 1 lemon cut into wedges

Servings: people

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a paella pan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the garlic, red pepper and tomatoes and cook for a further minute.
2. Increase the heat and add the rice, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until the wine has evaporated.
3. Add the saffron, paprika and stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. If the mixture is drying out and the rice is not cooked then add more stock.
4. Before the rice is fully cooked, add the frozen peas and after 1 minute add the chopped smoked haddock and langoustine tails (or your own choice of seafood) and gently push in to the rice. Try not to stir.
5. Once the seafood is cooked, add the lemon juice and scatter with freshly chopped herbs. Serve with wedges of lemon on the side.

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With the current sunny weather this is an ideal dish to cook and eat al fresco with some nice chilled wine and a big pan of paella.

Seafood Supplies.

My favourite suppliers

The scampi tails used in this recipe come from Scottish fisherman Jimmy Buchan. Jimmy is the skipper of the MFV Amity II that sails out of Peterhead, north of Aberdeen and his company Skipper Choice sells a fantastic selection of seafood.The freshest of sustainable fish and top quality shellfish delivered to your door.

I also buy a box of fresh fish on a fortnightly basis direct from Magnus and Fiona at Fishbox UK. Based in Inverness, this is a fish and seafood subscription service and these guys ensure that you receive tasty and sustainable Scottish seafood straight to your door. It’s a fantastic service with the fish being hand-picked daily by the fishbox team and delivered on your chosen delivery day.

Kintyre Smoked based in Campbeltown on the west coast on Scotland is my all time favourite stall at Glasgow’s Partick farmers market although products are also available from their online shop . Archie and Jane produce a mouthwatering range of products including smoked salmon, smoked mussels and scallops, smoked haddock and halibut and a range of delicious smoked cheeses.

Pasta with salmon, mustard and orange, an ideal family supper.

Pasta and salmon are perfect for family meals and this recipe can be rustled up quickly and easily. Literally in the time it takes the pasta to cook, the dish will be ready. This recipe is the result of leftover frozen orange and some frozen cubes of salmon after filleting a whole salmon at Easter.

Apart from the pasta pan, it’s a one pot healthy meal with lots of punchy flavours. The addition of the broccoli means it includes one of your five a day and of course don’t forget the health benefits from the salmon.

Pasta with salmon, mustard and orange

Print Recipe

This is a super pasta sauce and the mustard and orange add a nice tangy and sweet kick.

• CourseMain Dish

Servings	Prep Time
4	5 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Servings Prep Time 4 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Pasta with salmon, mustard and orange Print Recipe This is a super pasta sauce and the mustard and orange add a nice tangy and sweet kick. CourseMain Dish Servings Prep Time 4 5 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes Servings Prep Time 4 5 minutes Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 350 g conchiglie pasta Other pasta such as farfalle or fussili will work well
• 300 g Broccoli, broken into florets
• 1-2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
• 2 garlic cloves - crushed
• 3 120 -140g boneless skinless salmon fillet, cut into bit size cubes
• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• zest of half and Juice of 1 large orange
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill plus extra for serving
• freshly ground black pepper and salt

Servings:

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet. 3-4 minutes before the pasta is cooked add the broccoli and continue cooking. Once cooked, drain and reserve 4 tbsp of the pasta water.
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 secs, add the salmon and cook the cubes for approximately 1 minute on each side.
3. Mix the mustard and orange juice together and pour over the salmon. Add the dill and orange zest and bring gently to a simmer.
4. Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the salmon mixture and gently fold through the sauce. Add the pasta water, gently stir through, season with salt and black pepper and serve sprinkled with the remaining chopped dill.

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Current government healthy eating advice is to eat 2 portions of fish a week, one of which should be oil rich, and Scottish salmon ticks all the boxes when it come to being a nutritious fish. Here’s some facts from Scottish Salmon Producers Organisiation.

•  Scottish Salmon is a rich source of long chain omega 3 fatty acids (EHA and DPA) not to mention protein and vitamins.
• Omega 3s (EPA and DHA) have anti inflammatory properties that may reduce joint stiffness and pain caused by arthritis.
• Oil-rich fish is good for your heart – it’s official, says the UK’s regulatory body body on health claims.

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I’m also adding this recipe to Karen Burns Booth, Lavender and Lovage ‘Cooking with Herbs’ April link up as it contains dill.