• Pour the balsamic vinegar into a saucepan.
• Bring to the boil.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes or until reduced by 2/3rds.
• Allow to cool and use as desired.
• I pour mine back into the bottle and mark it as “reduced”. It will keep for months and months in the pantry.

• Preheat the oven to 220 degrees (430 farenheit)
• Separate the bones and spread them out in a baking tray and bake for approx 50 minutes, turning once during the cooking process, or until browned nicely.
• Remove them from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
• Place the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves and approx 10 peppercorns in a large stock pot.
• Using tongs carefully remove the bones from the tray and place them in the pot.
• Place the pot on the stove and fill with cold water, ensure the bones are completely immersed in the water and then fill half that amount again, (should be about 3-4 litres or 1 gallon).
• Turn the stove burner to high and bring the stock to the boil, once boiling reduce to a very slow simmer, and simmer for at least 6 hours (the longer, the richer the stock I recommend up to 24 hours, particularly if making a Jus with this stock. If cooking for this long please ensure that you keep an eye on the water level and add some water as required throughout the cooking period; do not let it dry up).
• Turn off the heat and allow the stock to cool enough that you can safely strain it without burning yourself. If you do not have a large enough sieve take the bones out with tongs first.
• After all the large items have been strained and discarded out of the stock, pour the stock through a fine sieve in order to remove all the fine particles (the sieve may need to be cleaned a few times during this process). Muslin (cheesecloth) can be used as well.
• Place the strained stock in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, after which the fat will have solidified on top, take the fat off and discard.
• You now have one very fine stock on your hands.
• Personally however at this time I like to make it even more flavourful, darker and richer.
• These next steps are optional.
• Repeat the entire process with new ingredients and use this already prepared stock as the water in the second recipe, top with water as needed.

• If the octopus is fresh, freeze it until frozen.
• Place the octopus in the fridge the night before preparing it, in order to allow it to defrost for cooking.
• Fill the large pot ¾’s with salted water and bring to the boil.
• Leaving the heat on high, place the octopus into the water and cook for 30 minutes.
• Remove the octopus from the water.
• Slice the tentacles into 1 cm (½ inch) thick pieces. Slice them a little thicker as you get to the thinner parts of the tentacles.
• Arrange on a wooden plate.
• Season liberally with both paprikas.
• Season liberally with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Finish by drizzling with a little of the poaching water.
• Serve with tooth picks in a few pieces of the octopus.

• Fill a medium sized saucepan approx 1/3 full with water and put on to boil.
• Place the butter in a clear microwave safe dish and microwave on high for approximately 5 minutes, (until the butter has separated).
• Pour the clarified butter off the top into another container and discard the white liquid left at the bottom.
• Reheat the clarified butter a further 2 minutes and skim any impurities off the surface.
• In a large stainless steel mixing bowl place the egg yolks with a few drops of water and whisk together and then whisk in 2 tsp of vinegar.
• Place the bowl over the saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the egg yolks have thickened and become lighter in colour.
• Remove the bowl from the pan and place it on a folded slightly wet towel.
• Gradually add the still warm clarified butter in a steady stream whilst whisking the eggs.
• Keep adding the butter as long as the eggs will hold it, (if the sauce gets a slightly shiny oily appearance, hold off with adding the butter and continue to whisk until the oily appearance has disappeared).
• Once all the butter has been incorporated add the lemon juice, (if the sauce appears too thick whisk in 1 tbsp of tepid water).
• Season to taste and serve (the sauce can be kept in a slightly warm spot or in a Bain Marie).

Octopus:

• Peel the garlic cloves and cut each in half lengthwise top to bottom.
• Rinse the octopus and drain very well.
• Pick the leaves of parsley and chop roughly.
• Place a medium-large thick-based pot on medium-high heat and add olive oil until the base is covered liberally.
• Cook the garlic until the edges just start to go brown, turn the heat right up, add the octopus, and cracked pepper and stir well. (Octopus can be salty when cooked so do not add any salt at this stage).
• Once the octopus is heated through and is cooking away (about 2 minutes), add a good splash of white wine (the octopus should be half covered in liquid), reduce the heat to low, add a handful of parsley, stir and cover.
• Stir the octopus every 20 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Salad:

• Cut the sides of the pear off cutting around the core and then slice those lengthwise.
• Place the slices of pear in a little lemon juice and olive oil.
• Once the octopus is cooked, toss the pear slices with the roquette leaves and a little balsamic and extra virgin.

Serving:

• After having cooked for about 1 hr, take out one octopus and taste for tenderness (should be very tender, it could need up to another half an hour depending on the octopus), also check for seasoning at this point.
• Once the desired tenderness is reached, strain the octopus, saving the cooking broth.
• Toss the octopus in a fresh bowl with some fresh parsley, lemon juice, a whisper of olive oil and a touch of the cooking broth.
• Serve communally from the bowl, or plate up next to roquette and pear salad.
• A bit of crusty French bread and a nice Sauvignon Blanc should be the only other things you need.

• Take all the ingredients and place in a jar or bucket with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously until evenly combined.
• Keep in mind there is no salt in this mix unlike the commercial varieties so when using it be sure to season accordingly.

If you’re stuffing the flowers:

• Preheat the oil to 180° C (350° F).
• Combine the yolk, feta, capers, and a touch of salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and mix until it is slightly pasty.
• Depending on the length of the zucchini stem, you may need to cut some off but leave approx 4 cm (2 inches) attached to the flower.
• Gently open up the zucchini flowers and, using a teaspoon, gently spoon the cheese mixture into the flowers, filling to approx 2/3rds.
• Gently push the remaining air out of the flowers and squeeze the tips of the petals back together.

Batter:

• Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt and pepper, and make a well in the center.
• Slowly pour some of the soda water into the well and whisk as you add, slowly moving the whisk out from the well to incorporate more flour until the entire mixture is fluid and thick (it may not require all the soda water, so add it slowly).
• Whisk the egg white until frothy and fold into the batter mixture.

Cooking:

• Whether your flowers are stuffed or not, the process is the same.
• Holding on to the stem, drag the flowers through the batter until liberally covered (do not batter the stem). Hold the flower end and lower it into the deep fryer until the batter has sealed (a few seconds), and then drop the stem in as well. Cook until golden, they may require turning once.
• Remove, drain, season with some sea salt, and serve. Serve un-stuffed flowers with a wedge of lemon.

• Arrange the salmon slices into little individual scrunched up rosettes.
• Pick out some nice sprigs of watercress.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, and sugar.
• Whisk in the olive oil and season with a little salt and pepper.
• Arrange 2 warm corn fritters on each plate.
• Toss the watercress in the dressing and arrange a few sprigs on the fritters.
• Place 2 pieces of salmon on the watercress, and top with a few spots of feta, top with more watercress and finish with the final piece of salmon and a little more fetta.
• Garnish with a drizzle of dressing around the dish and serve with crisp white wine.

• Place the clams in a strainer and rest it over a large mixing bowl. With the clams completely submerged, run cold water over them for about 10 minutes.
• Lift the clams out of the water and you should find a fair bit of sand in the bottom of the bowl.
• Cook the pasta until al’dente and rinse until cold.
• Arrange 4 serving plates or bowls.
• Place a pot of boiling salted water to boil.
• Sauté the garlic in a liberal amount of olive oil for about a minute and add the chili.
• Once the garlic is very lightly browned, immediately remove all the contents of the pan and place in a large mixing bowl.
• Wipe the pan clean and return to the heat.
• Add the clams and a splash of wine.
• Keep the pan moving and as soon as the clams open, remove and place them in the bowl of garlic one at a time with some tongs.
• Once all the clams are ready, plunge the pasta back into the water.
• While the pasta warms up, place the pan back on the heat, add the clams and garlic, sprinkle with chopped parley and more olive oil if needed, and add a splash of white wine.
• Drain the pasta, taste for one last final seasoning, combine everything together, and toss with the juice of one or two lemons. Serve garnished with a little more parsley.
• Enjoy with crusty white bread and a glass of chilled white.
• This dish is quite versatile and goes with sweeter whites as well as with drier varieties.

• Preheat your oven to 200 C (390 F).
• Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds and soft flesh (the skin can be left on or off the squash).
• Cut the pumpkin, parsnip, potato, and onion into 2 cm (1 inch) cubes.
• Peel the garlic cloves and leave whole.
• Peel the shallots and cut in half top to bottom.
• Cut the zucchini, squash, peppers (no seeds) into a similar size as the pumpkin etc.
• Strip the sprigs of rosemary and finely chop the leaves.
• Cover the base of a large baking tray or two smaller trays with olive oil and place in the oven for 3-5 minutes, (for that home baked country taste you can use dripping or shortening).
• Add the pumpkin, potatoes, parsnip, onion, shallots, garlic, and rosemary to the oil, gently toss with a steel spatula, and return to the oven for approx 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, add the remaining vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and toss once again to ensure everything is coated in oil. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes.
• Remove the tray from the oven and allow to sit for a few minutes.
• Toss most of the warm vegetables with the rocket lettuce, some seasoning, a little oil from the pan, and a touch of balsamic vinegar (not too much vinegar though as it will kill that freshly roasted flavor).
• Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates and top with the remaining roast vegetables and some crumbled fetta cheese.
• Sit your guests down and eat ASAP as this is a dish best served fresh. The left-over vegetables are great in a cold salad or pasta or puréed in a soup.

• Sauté the onion, garlic, paprika, and chili pepper in oil in a medium-sized saucepan until translucent. Add a liberal splash of white wine.
• Reduce the wine until it has almost disappeared and add the tomatoes, piercing them. Rinse the tomato tins with 2 cups (500 ml) of water and add to the pot.
• Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer for approx 1 hour.
• Add the stock and simmer for a further 1 hour. This is plenty of time to prepare the seafood.

Seafood:

• Clean and de-beard the mussels, put in the fridge. (For tips on cleaning mussels see “Cleaning Mussels” in Techniques).
• Cut the squid tubes along one edge so they are no longer a tube but lie flat .
• Gently, with a very sharp knife, score criss-cross cuts on what was the inside of the tube (approx 1 cm/about ½ an inch scores). Cut each scored squid tube into about 6 pieces, then put them in the fridge.
• I recommend you leave the heads on the prawns, but if you’d rather not, feel free to remove them at this stage.
• Remove the shell from the body of the prawns; leave the tail and head attached.
• Gently pull the prawns head forward and you will find the intestinal tract and cord running from the head to the body. Slide a skewer or the back of a small knife under this and gently pull up. By doing so the cord and tract will slide right out of the body.
• If the tract/cord breaks with some of it still in the body you will need to make a small slice along the back of the prawn and remove it from there.
• Rinse them and place in the fridge.
• Cut the perch into the same number of pieces as you have guests, rinse and refrigerate.
• Rinse the scallops and place in the fridge.

The rest:

• Toast the almonds and hazelnuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden brown. Immediately remove from the pan and allow to cool slightly.
• Place the parsley (leave a little aside for garnish) in a food processor with the nuts and process on high, add 2 tbsps olive oil and process on high until smooth.
• Stir this into the tomato sauce together with the fish stock, bring it all to the boil and reduce to simmer.
• Add some salt and pepper to some flour and lightly coat the squid pieces. Fry them on high in a large deep pan in a liberal amount of oil for a couple of minutes.
• Repeat the same process for the perch.
• Clean the pan, return to the heat with some more oil, and fry the prawns on high for a minute or two.
• Add the mussels, squid, clams, and a little of the clam brine and pour in the simmering sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and add the scallops and perch.
• Once the mussels have all opened, all the other seafood should be perfectly cooked. Season to taste.
• Depending on the occasion, you may want to just place the pan on the table with a chopping board of bread, or you may want to plate it up. If so, arrange your 4 plates and divide the seafood evenly among them using a set of tongs, and then ladle the sauce over. Sprinkle over some parsley and serve with a red or white wine.