This fish spread is creamy and full of flavour and could not be simpler and quicker to make. It is rustic and informal, fantastic as a dinner party starter or as light lunch, it brings people together at the table as it is a real sharing dish and a real success every time I make it.

You can prepare this spread any time of the year but on a hot sunny day it feels somehow a bit of a treat.

Back home it is very popular starter and commonly used as a part of a selection of cold fish based starters.

This spread, like many other dishes, was created out of necessity with the left over baked fish. The fish was cleaned and the three most basic ingredients used in the North Adriatic (garlic, extra virgin olive oil, flat fresh leaf parsley) were added to the fish that was simply mashed with a fork.

Place the spread in the centre of a table, sprinkle with some extra chopped parsley or dill, a drizzle of olive oil, arrange some bread, olives, sliced tomatoes, salads, other fish based starters and really all the other things that you like.

Your family and friends will love this spread, they will ask you for the recipe or you will find them on your doorstep before you intent to invite them back.

Ingredients

Serves 4- 8

2 whole baked sea breams (each weighing between 300-500g before baking) or 4 fillets (can use sea bass, mackerel or similar)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and pressed (small to a medium sized garlic would be appropriate to avoid overpowering the delicate flavour of the fish, you can use big garlic if you are after a more garlicky taste)
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
fresh flat leaf parsley, stalks included, finely chopped (about a handful)
sea salt, to taste
lemon juice (optional, to taste)

Method

If using the whole fish, remove the skin and any bones from the fish.

Place cleaned pieces of fish meat in a food processor. If you do not have food processor you can use hand blender which will give you a very smooth consistency or you can simply finely chop fish fillets and have a spread with more texture.

Add pressed garlic, extra virgin olive oil, chopped parsley and a pinch of sea salt.

Blend until smooth or blitz for more coarse consistency.

Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

Serve at room temperature with fresh or toasted bread, crackers or bread sticks.

Just a though

If you bake the fish, there will be juices coming out of the fish. Spoon them up and add to the rest of the ingredients. It will really give extra flavour.

This spread can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge but served at room temperature.

Wine suggestion

Ribolla Gialla IGT 2019 by I Clivi, Tre Venezie.

Leek is a humble vegetable of great potential but it is sadly often overlooked. It is a relative of the onion with long green leaves and a white bulbous root. As we know it today, leeks were first grown by the ancient Egyptians.

These alliums (the type of plants that belong to the group that includes onions, shallots, scallions, chives and garlic) are almost inedible when raw but when cooked slow and low they become mellow, sweet, creamy and taste delicious. Fantastically versatile, full of flavour, and it should be no surprise the humble leek is used in risotto where it takes central stage.

Leeks are omnipresent at the vegetable markets but at its best during the coldest months of the year from October through May.

They are packed with nutrients and anti-oxidants, and so make the best use out of them especially during autumn and winter months when less native vegetables are available. They will help fight colds and flu.

Back home we will use just about anything to make risotto, a very much liked and loved dish. This should be no surprise since my hometown is less than a two hours drive to Venice, and the region of Veneto (Northern Italy), especially the Po Valley, where growing rice is very popular, and is a major agricultural industry.

The valley offers a constant supply of water for the rice fields since there are many large non-seasonal rivers.

It is in this region of Italy, the Veneto region, with its colder climate compared to the warmer South of Italy, that the dishes had to be warming, hearty, and filling, and although risotto is found in the whole of Italy, it is in the Veneto that the greatest variety, and number of risotto recipes can be found.

My mum would go to the vegetable market and made risotto with the vegetables there were in season, and when the leeks were at their best, leek risotto would be on the table for lunch or dinner.

This very simple, comforting leek risotto is perfect solution for mid week quick nutritious lunch or dinner, but equally great for more formal entertaining since it is also presentable as a delicate and elegant dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

500g leeks, cleaned and chopped (Do buy more than you think you will need to allow for losses caused by trimmings)
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic (peeled)
300g risotto rice (like Vialone Nano, Arborio, Carnaroli) In this recipe I used Vialone Nano.
1l vegetable or chicken stock (you can use good quality instant stock powder or boiling water)
40g Parmiggiano Reggiano (finely grated)
knob of butter (1-2 Tbsp)

Method

Rinse your leeks under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Put your rinsed leeks on a chopping board and with a sharp knife cut off the dark green leaf ends of the leek and the muddy tips of the roots. Keep the green ends for the stock if you wish or discard.

Slice each leek in half from top to bottom and slice further the halves into thin stripes (julienne cut), then chop.

Wash chopped leeks thoroughly under running cold water. Leeks need a good cleaning before using, as dirt often gets stuck between the layers of leaves as they grow.

Before starting making risotto, it is a good idea to have your boiling hot stock or water ready to hand for later.

Now, let's start making risotto by putting the oil in a pan and heat it with the garlic clove. When the garlic has turned golden in colour and infused the oil, remove it. Pay attention not to burn the garlic.

Add chopped leeks and cook them slowly on a gentle heat for about 20-30min until they reach a very soft consistency, almost disintegrating.

Season with sea salt, add risotto rice, mix well with the leeks and toast it together for few minutes stirring constantly to avoid sticking to the bottom of a pan.

After toasting the rice, cover it completely with boiling stock or water and cook over medium heat.

Start adding gradually the ladles of stock or water, one at a time, to keep the risotto moist, allow liquid to be absorbed before adding more. Stir constantly and cook until the rice is cooked al dente (fully cooked but still firm when bitten) and the stock almost completely absorbed but make sure you do not dry the risotto too much.

If the risotto gets too dry just add a bit more stock. There should always be enough liquid just to cover the risotto, the Italians say that risotto should be smooth and runny enough to be described as all'onda (on the wave).

Generally it will take at least about 15 to 18 min for risotto to be cooked.

The risotto is now ready to be finished with a typical Italian mantecare phase which is quite essential when making risotto. Mantecare simply means that you remove the saucepan from the heat, add grated cheese and cold butter or cream to the risotto when is almost finished and stir with a wooden spoon quite vigorously in order to develop that delicious creamy texture.

Serve immediately garnished with extra grated or shaved Parmiggiano Reggiano if desired.

Wine suggestion

Pinot Grigio DOC 2019 by Le vigne di Zamò, Friuli Colli Orientali.

Rustic Sea Bream spread recipe

Ingredients

Method

Just a though

Wine suggestion

Leek Risotto recipe

Ingredients

Method

Wine suggestion