CO O K I N G W I T H N E I L P E R RY

WHOLE STEAMED SNAPPER WITH GINGER AND SPRING ONION

THE INGREDIENTS

500-600g whole snapper,

scaled and gutted

1 Chinese cabbage leaf

3 spring onions, trimmed

1 teaspoon sea salt

125ml (1/2 cup) fresh chicken stock

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon Shaoxing

(Chinese cooking wine)

1 tablespoon sugar

1 large knob of ginger, peeled and cut

into julienne

4 spring onions, cut into julienne

3 tablespoons peanut oil

1 large handful coriander leaves

METHOD

Pat the fish dry with paper towel. With a sharp knife, make three diagonal cuts

in the thickest part of the fish, then do the same in the other direction to make a

diamond pattern. Do the same on the other side.

Put the cabbage leaf and the whole spring onions in a shallow heatproof bowl that

will take the fish comfortably

and fit into the steamer. Rub the fish with salt and lay on top of the spring onions.

Mix the stock, soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing and sugar and pour this over the

fish, then top with the ginger.

Put the bowl in the steamer over a pot or wok of rapidly boiling water, cover with

the lid and steam for 10-15 minutes (the time will vary depending on the circulation

of the steam). The fish should be just setting on the bone, exposed by the diagonal

cuts. Be careful not to overcook the fish as it will cook a little more when you pour

on the oil at the end.

Remove the bowl from the steamer and scatter with the spring onion julienne. Heat

the peanut oil in a small pot until it is just smoking, then douse the fish with the hot

oil – be careful, it will spit! Top with the coriander and serve immediately.

THE INGREDIENTS

1400g dry-aged rib eye, per person

TO COOK THE PERFECT PAN SEARED STEAK (method)

METHOD

Take your steak from the fridge one hour before cooking to allow to come to room

temperature. Place a pan on high heat.

Rub the steak with olive oil and season generously with sea salt. When you think

you have enough salt, add a bit more!

Place in the pan and cook on the one side for about 6 to 8 minutes. Get a really

good crust to form, this is very important.

Turn the steak and cook for another 6 minutes, remove and rest for 2 minutes.

Take to a chopping board and carve. Place on a plate, drizzle with extra virgin

olive oil and serve with a slice of lemon on the side.

TOMATO AND CHILLI SPAGHETTI (serves two)

THE INGREDIENTS

200g of dry spaghetti

2 punnets of cocktail tomatoes, 2 of

cherry or 4 vine-ripened tomatoes,

which ever you have, chopped

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic sliced

1 level teaspoon of mild chilli flakes

Sea salt

METHOD

Heat the oil in a pan large enough to hold the tomatoes. When hot, add the chilli,

garlic, and sea salt. Sauté and keep moving it around. After a minute, add the

tomatoes and bring back to the simmer. Simmer until the tomatoes melt into a

sauce, this should take about 6 minutes.

In the meantime, have a large pot of boiling water on, add salt, add pasta, and cook

for one minute less than the packet instructs. This helps make the pasta al dente.

As the pasta boils, skim 1/2 of the starchy pasta water off and reserve.

Drain the pasta and place in the pan. Mix over high heat and add the pasta water

you saved earlier to emulsify the sauce.

Divide between two plates, give it a grind of pepper and grate some parmesan over

the top. Serve, and enjoy!

CO O K I N G W I T H N E I L P E R RY

THE INGREDIENTS

2 eggs

A dash of extra virgin olive oil

20g unsalted butter

100g of leg ham

30g of Gruyère cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped flat leave parsley

25g freshly grated parmesan

Green salad and crusty bread, to serve

HAM AND GRUYERE OMELETTE

METHOD

Gently beat together the eggs and 2 tablespoons of water with a fork. Heat a

nonstick 22cm frying pan on the stove. When hot, add the extra virgin olive oil and

butter. When the butter is bubbling and just turning a nutty brown colour, add the

egg and stir from the outside inwards with a rubber spatula.

Keeping the heat high, cook until the inside of the omelette is still a little

undercooked, then place ham and gruyère in the middle, sea salt, freshly ground

pepper and parsley over the middle third of the omelette. Scatter over the whole

omelette about two-thirds of the parmesan.

Fold the first third of the omelette into the centre, then the last third over, encasing

the ham and cheese. Allow the omelette to cook for a further minute before

removing from the heat.

Transfer the omelette to a plate, sprinkle over the remaining parmesan and add

some more pepper. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread.