Tuna and potato stew in tomato sauce

 

Embrace the cooler season and cook comfort food aplenty. The autumn is in full swing, and while October is not as colourful as its seasonal predecessor, it is definitely less bleak than November. There are still bursts of sunshine, and clear blue skies after the rain, and many trees are still sporting bright leaves.

As the nights draw in earlier and earlier with each day, and winter is slowly approaching, I find myself craving more soups, stews and hot chocolate, which are ideal for cosy autumn evenings. 

Unlike many organised cooks, I don't plan weekly meals, and quite often have only a vague idea of what I am going to cook for lunch or dinner. It depends on what I have in the pantry, fridge and also what I might be tempted with in the flash sales on Ocado, when I amend the order the day before the grocery delivery. Last week I got a couple of tuna steaks at half price, which I decided to turn into a stew.

I had a bottle of Mutti Passata from the latest Degustabox, which would be the tomato base for the sauce.

Tuna and potato stew in rich sauce (serves 3-4):

3tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots

1 clove of garlic

a handful of tomatoes

1 tsp paprika

1 bottle of Mutti passata (400g)

1tbsp sweet chilli sauce (Heinz)

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 tuna steaks (220g)

Fry finely chopped onion and carrots with 2tbsp of olive oil, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Add a chopped clove of garlic, a handful of baby tomatoes and paprika. As you can see from the photo below, I used a combination of red and green (unripe) tomatoes.

Cook for another couple of minutes.

Pour passata in a medium sized pan, add the chilli sauce, onion and carrot mix, and cubed potatoes, add water to cover all the vegetables, bring to boil, then lower the heat and cook until the potatoes are soft, for about 30+ minutes.

Cut the tuna into big cubes and add to the stew in the last five minutes of cooking.

Serve hot. Garnish with chopped spring onions, or olives.

Mutti Passata is an Italian product. Mutti is Italy's no.1 brand of tomatoes. It "has been processing tomatoes for over 100 years. Its products are made exclusively of Italian tomatoes, with scrupulous supervision of the entire production chain: from selection of the most suitable variieities to inspection in the field, up to harvesting and canning, which is done just hours after the tomatoes arrive at the plant". Ingredients include tomatoes and salt, and nothing else.

If you don't have Mutti Passata, any good quality passata or tinned tomatoes will work just fine in this recipe. For cheaper tinned tomatoes, you might need to add more spice, a pinch of sugar or a spoonful of maple syrup to add the extra depth to the sauce. 

Tofu with Teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds

I've decided to declutter several boxes of recipes torn out of weekend magazines and food supplements, including a big stash of Feast magazines. I might still keep some of Rachel Roddy's column pages on the Italian food though.
Reading last year's Feast while sipping my coffee, I nodded in agreement with Fiona Beckett who wisely says "I know it's an unfashionable view these days, but January is not a time for abstention. Moderation maybe, but no booze at all? That makes an already miserable month even more dismal."

It's not that we drink much. Certainly not on par with numerous Insta and Twitter posts, announcing it's Gin o'clock to the world. Last week when I was sorting out the recycling, I realised we only had 2 empty bottles to put in the black box - from a sweet dessert wine we opened days before Christmas, and champagne which we had for the new year's eve. Nothing like the full, overflowing black bins I've seen around in town. They must have been partying at full steam, lucky devils. 

I had a small sherry on the 7th to celebrate the Russian Christmas.

Then tomorrow, on the 14th of January, the Russians will be celebrating the so called Old New Year (the start of the new year according to the Julian calendar). It's not a formal holiday, but is traditionally observed with parties and having family get-togethers. I might raise a glass of something like a G&T to mark the occasion, though that would depend on what I'm going to cook. I usually make evening meal plans in the morning.

So, not a Dry January for me then.

I have had no plans for Veganuary either, but that doesn't mean we don't eat meals which happen to be vegan-friendly.

There was a Blue Dragon Teriyaki Street Food Skewers kit in the latest Degustabox.
Last Monday I cooked tofu, using the kit, which includes a Teriyaki sauce sachet, a Teriyaki marinade, sesame seeds and skewers. The kit has the advantage that all the necessary ingredients are present. The only thing I didn't use is the skewers.

Tofu with teriyaki sauce and sesame seeds
Ingredients:
1 pack of Cauldron tofu
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 sweet pepper
1 kit of Blue Dragon Teriyaki Street Food Skewers
OR
Teriyaki marinade
Teriyaki sauce
sesame seeds
+
rice and peas

Put cubed tofu in marinade for about 20 minutes.
In the meantime, chop a couple of carrots and a red sweet pepper. After cooking them for about 5 minutes in a big frying pan, add tofu, splash the Teriyaki sauce and finally sprinkle sesame seeds.
Cook for another 5 minutes stirring frequently.
Serve tofu with rice and peas.

My younger son loved it so much, he requested it for the next day. And while I could easily find all the other ingredients, I couldn't find Blue Dragon kit in the local Waitrose.

Rather than change the plans, I simply bought a bottle of Teriyaki marinade, a jar of Teriyaki sauce and a small bag of sesame seeds.

It's not much of a recipe, I agree, but do give it a go, if you haven't tried tofu before.
The brand I used is Cauldron (it's organic and GMO-free).

My son asked me today to cook the same dish again, so I promised to oblige him one day this week.

Are you observing Dry January or Veganuary?

Salmon fishcakes with kimchi

Some time around Christmas I have seen a small feature in one of the food supplements, on what to do with leftover kimchi. I remember thinking that it was not exactly an ingredient that would be so easily found in many kitchens. I think it was a recipe for potato cakes with kimchi, but rather than that I don't remember much. It was most likely The Guardian's Feast, but looking through my boxes of recipes from newspapers, I cannot seem to find it. It might have been recycled, or is hidden somewhere until Doomsday in our house. I tried to google, but couldn't find the one I had in mind.
If anyone remembers that recipe article, and knows what I am talking about, please let me know.

I recently opened a jar of kimchi to cook a tinned tuna and kimchi soup, but there was still 2/3 left.
One of the possible recipe ideas was to use it in fishcakes.

I had a small pack of two salmon fillets (220g), which needed using. I have removed the skin, and chopped the salmon into small cubes.

Salmon fishcakes with kimchi
Ingredients:
1 big potato (580g with skin)
220g salmon, cubed
1tsp mustard
1tsp ketchup
1 medium egg
3tbsp self-raising flour
2tbsp finely chopped parsley
kimchi (about 1tsp per fishcake)
Breadcrumbs

Peel the potato, slice into quarters and cook in salted water until soft. Drain the water, mash the potato. Once cooled, add the mustard, ketchup, chopped salmon, egg, flour, kimchi and parsley and mix well.

Using a tablespoon, scoop up a biggish lump of salmon potato mix and drop into a plate with breadcrumbs, carefully turn it over, so that the fishcakes are covered with crumbs on both sides.
Place the fishcakes on the griddle pan, which has been lightly oiled. Place the griddle in the oven preheated to 180C and bake for about 20 minutes.

Skip kimchi, if you don't have it. I actually didn't put it in all fishcakes, as I thought my guys might not like the idea.

In this recipe I used Sainsbury's pistachio & herb crust breadcrumbs (they also have dried onion in the mix), but any decent breadcrumbs will work.

Serve hot, with a salad, or roasted peppers and olives. It is also lovely in a bun, like a burger.

Tuna and kimchi soup

One week of school holidays has whizzed by. Tonight we had a pizza night, with a takeaway from Domino's and a DVD.
We watched Kubo and the Two Strings. I've seen it twice already, but it's such a beautiful philosophical animation, that I was happy to watch it again. And every time I am crying in the end, slightly embarrassed with myself. Brilliant film, one of the best in the last decade for sure.
Both Kubo and pizza were Eddie's requests, he said he didn't fancy pasta or burgers, or any of the strange-looking food I enjoy cooking.
He clearly referred to the tuna kimchi soup I cooked earlier this week.

I don't always use all the foods which arrive in a monthly Degustabox at once, those which can keep well in the pantry might take a few months before being consumed. Back in January there was a tin of Wild Planet pure tuna (no water or oil added). I wasn't sure whether to make a salad with it, or a baked potato with mayo and pickles.
While my husband was travelling earlier this week, I decided to prepare a tinned tuna and kimchi soup.

I do buy some exotic ingredients spontaneously, and before Christmas bought a jar of kimchi in Sainsbury's. I got it, thinking I would try to make a Korean fried rice I've seen on Madhouse Family Reviews, but haven't had a chance yet.
I love pickles in soup, and was rummaging through the pantry shelves, trying to find any gherkins or olives, when I spotted a jar of kimchi, and decided I'd add that to the soup instead. I did google, if the combination of tuna and kimchi actually exists, and it does, there is a recipe for tuna and kimchi stew. So, why not soup?

Tuna and kimchi soup (serves 2-3)
Ingredients;
1 small red onion
1tbsp oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 tin of tuna
1 carrot
2 medium potatoes
2-3 heaped tbsp kimchi

Finely chop a small onion and fry it with the olive oil for about 7-8 minutes, until well browned. Add the chopped garlic in the last couple of minutes of frying.
Break tinned tuna into chunks and add to a medium sized pan, add the sliced carrot and cubed potatoes, as well as fried onion and garlic. Pour water (the amount depends on how thick you like your soup). Add the kimchi, bring the water to boil, then lower the heat and cook simmering for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.
Serve hot, with chopped flat leaf parsley or without.

I loved the soup, Eddie sniffed at my bowl and asked if he had to eat it, and whether he could have something else. I didn't insist, I kind of knew he would be suspicious of kimchi.

If this soup doesn't appeal to you, what about another tinned tuna soup - Pearl barley and tuna soup?

Herring in mustard marinade

Last year I have subscribed to a Russian food forum Povaryonok, and every morning I receive an email with several recipes of the day. It's a lively forum, where passions fly easily about all things food-related. I am not registered on the site, and don't join in, but do read comments and often smile.
Posters get really heated and emotional about some of the recipes, especially if they are the classics of the Soviet times.
A couple of months ago I've spotted a recipe for marinated herring (if you do follow the link, the recipe is in Russian). Salted and marinated herring is one of the foods the Russians really know what they are talking about.
For some reason, I could never find a decent marinated herring locally. I've tried many varieties sold in supermarkets and delis, and usually what you get is fish which tastes of nothing much but vinegar. It could be in jars with dill and cream, or in mustard sauce but would still taste strongly of vinegar, which in my opinion doesn't do justice to this tasty fish.

If you're as disappointed as I am with the bought marinated herring, it's very easy to make your own.

I have adapted the recipe by the user called Lada from the Russian forum.
The result was utterly delicious, if you like this kind of food. My husband would shudder in mock or perhaps real horror, and my kids would not eat it even if their lives depended on it. I agree, it's an acquired taste.

I think this recipe is a variation of what is known here as a soused herring.

I love it simply on a generously buttered rye bread, or served with plain boiled potatoes.

Herring in mustard marinade
Ingredients:
2 herrings
200ml water
1 bay leaf
1tbsp caster sugar
2tsp sea salt
2tsp dry mustard (I used Colman's)
2tbsp olive oil
1tsp ground black pepper
1/2tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1/2tsp ground turmeric (optional)
1/2tsp ground cumin (optional)
1tbsp cider vinegar

In a medium pan bring water to boil, add a bay leaf, sugar, salt, mustard and spices, mix well. Boil for half a minute. Let the marinade cool.
If buying a whole herring, ask the fishmonger to remove the head, clean and trim the fish.
I didn't remove the bones, but if that's a problem, please do.
Sliced each fish into 4-5 pieces.
Place the herring pieces in a tupperware container, big enough to hold all pieces in one layer. Pour the cold marinade over the fish. Put the lid on, and place the container in the fridge for 2 days.

Next time I make it, I will add thinly sliced onion and maybe some dill. Cinnamon was hardly noticeable thanks to mustard, so I would skip it altogether.

Potted Craster Kippers

I should really know better by now that if you don't need something on offer, it's not a bargain. It so happened that we were in Waitrose just before closing time on Sunday, after a visit to the cinema. I looked at the fish counter, and there was a big bag of smoked kippers for less than a pound.
For some reason I decided that I really fancied a kipper. I haven't eaten a single kipper in the last couple of years.
Then I came home with my bargain, and it dawned on me, that nobody in the house, nobody but me, would eat kippers, even if their lives depended on it.
And there were four of them in a bag. Oups, that was a mistake. I started looking online what I could do with kippers apart from the obvious poaching or grilling.

Then I came across a recipe for simple potted Craster kippers on Telegraph. I have changed the recipe a bit, I didn't want the kippers to drown in soured cream.
I cooked 4 fish, but used only 2 in making potted kippers.

Potted Craster Kippers
Ingredients:
2 Craster kippers, butterflied
100g unsalted butter
4tbsp soured cream
juice of 1/2 lemon
toast to serve

Place the kippers in a baking dish/tray and add the butter, cut into cubes all over them. Squeeze the lemon juice over kippers. Put the baking tray in the oven preheated to 180C, and cook for about 8 minutes until golden brown.

Take the tray out, and let the fish cool enough to handle.
Remove the skin, flake the fish and try to remove as many bones as possible.
Mix the fish with the soured cream, divide the mix and place into individual deep ramekins. Pour the melted butter over the flaked fish.

Once cold, place the ramekins, covered with cling film or foil, in the fridge.
Serve with hot crusty bread or toast, with spring onions or gherkins.
It is actually quite tasty. In small doses.

I've been eating those kippers for the whole week. I think I most likely won't buy another one any time soon. But there is noone blame but myself and my love of bargains.

January New Year New Me Degustabox

We are always looking forward to our Degustabox delivery, which arrives every month and is full of foodie surprises. This monthly food and drink subscription box is an excellent way to discover products which have only just appeared in the shops or those which might have been around for while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

Each time the box arrives, it's a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet and would like to have a go, I have a whopping £7 off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time) - just use a code 8EVI8 when you place an order.

What did we receive in January Degustabox? Let's have a look.

Generally I'm not a big fan of American chocolate, but all my guys love Hershey's Cookies'n'Creme candy bars. I occasionally buy it as a single bar, and even spotted some chocolate drops in this flavour.
It's a white chocolate flavoured candy bar with cookie pieces. My younger son and husband enjoy it.
I prefer it when chocolate products have a shorter list of ingredients and definitely less E-numbers.

Mallow & Marsh Coconut Marshmallow bar is handmade in the UK, using only natural ingredients, and each bar is under 100kcal each. This product is not included in all boxes, you might receive a different item instead.

Jordans Juicy Red Berry Frusli bars contain British wholegrain oat flakes, fruit pieces (strawberry and blueberry infused diced cranberries), blueberry juice, raisins, strawberry and raspberry flakes, chopped almonds etc. These are handy snacks for when you're feeling peckish, or are on the go and need some sustenance.

As January is a month when many people go on a diet after the excesses of Christmas overeating, there are quite a few healthy foods included in the latest Degustabox.
For example, Explore Cuisine Organic Edamame & Mung Bean Fettucine. It is a source of plant-based protein and fibre with the lowest level of carbs. It offers 22g of protein per 50g serving, which is almost 3x more than regular pasta.

Pulsin is a brand, well known for its health credentials. It's a range of gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan-friendly products. If you're looking for a boost of protein, help yourself to Pulsin Vanilla Choc Chop Protein Booster, which tastes of cookie dough. It's made with dairy free choc chips and contains 13g of plant based protein.
When you open the packaging, the bar doesn't look very appetising, and it has a strange aftertaste.

Pulsin Vanilla Whey Protein powder comes in a sachet. Simply add milk or water to make a healthy shake. It is rich in essential amino acids from grass fed cow's milk (suitable for vegetarians, but not vegans). You can add it to smoothies, porridge or cereals for an extra protein boost.

Miso Tasty Spicy Ramen Noodle Kits are a lovely kitchen staple for a quick and easy meal. The noodles come accompanied with a signature miso soup base and a seaweed garnish for an authentic experience. You can add your own toppings, like fresh coriander or spring onions, or just eat it as it is.

Wild Planet Albacore Tuna Steaks are ranked no.1 in the US by Greenpeace for sustainability. These wild tuna steaks are 100% pole & line caught, and cooked with no added salt.
Make a delicious tuna sandwich or salad (see my recipe for Tuna and orange salad), or cook soup, for example, Pearl barley and tuna soup.

Latin American Kitchen by Santa Maria is a colourful range of Latin flavours.
The Chipotle Mayo Topping is a useful condiment, when serving nachos or tacos, or in burgers and sandwiches. It has a lovely chipotle kick.

I used it in peppers stuffed with orzo (mixed with tomatoes and chipotle mayo).

Colombian Crunchy Chicken Bites Seasoned Corn Coating is a blend for light, oven-baked bites. The corn gives that extra crispiness.

Robinsons Fruit Cordial is a sophisticated twist to squash with combinations of real fruit and botanical flavours. One of three flavours is included in each food box. Raspberry, Rhubarb & Orange Blossom is a fruity refreshing drink, which would be great for summer.

Mahtay Yerba Mate Sparkling Tea is designed for health-conscious in mind. It is a blend of energy-giving South American yerba mate with coconut water and acai berries. It is a trendy refreshing drink for a new generation. It is an acquired taste, but promises health benefits in every drop.

LighterLife Fast Ready to Drink Shakes are perfect for people on a 5:2 diet, when you consume significantly less calories twice a week. This diet has many fans and followers. I tried it for a few months a couple of years ago, it didn't quite work for me. I felt hungry on diet days, and the weight loss was minimal. But so many people swear by this diet, and there are lots of inspiring stories online if you're looking into trying this diet yourself. These shakes are ready to drink, and can be consumed as part of the Fast plan as a protein hit or meal replacement.

And finally, Clipper Everyday Organic tea - a full-bodied rich black tea. All Clipper products are made with pure, natural ingredients. Very enjoyable brew, lovely with either a slice of lemon or milk.

Sea bream with stir fried vegetables

I've been trying to be good, and keeping up with some of my non-resolutions. So far, I took one bag of clothes and books to the charity shop. I did buy one book, but it was for Eddie (so that doesn't count, does it?!). We finished reading Astrid Lindgren's Karlson on the Roof trilogy - Eddie loved them - and decided to continue reading this author's books. I thought he might like adventures of Emil (Emil's Great Escape) which I loved so much as a child.
I also started browsing through some of the cook books with an aim of decluttering. I haven't yet found a single cook book, with which I am ready to part.

Browsing Healthy Speedy Suppers by Katriona MacGregor which I reviewed back in 2016, I came across a recipe for Sea Bass with Thai vegetables.
I did a list of ingredients on my mobile, and off we went grocery shopping. I couldn't find sesame seeds anywhere, and rather than buying sea bass, I got two sea bream fillets just because they were on offer.
I have adapted Katriona's recipe, but was definitely inspired by it. The variation of her recipe also appears online - see Sea bass with Thai vegetables (serving 2 rather than 4 people).

Sea bream with stir fried vegetables (serves 2)
Ingredients:
2 sea bream fillets
4tbsp olive oil (1 for fish, 3 for the vegetable stir fry)
1/3 lemon
sea salt with seaweed

1 medium carrot, chopped finely
1/2 sweet pepper (red)
1 clove of garlic
1tsp chopped chilli
5 big leaves of Chinese cabbage
100g courgettes
fresh ginger (about 1 finger digit in length)
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp mirin
1tsp fish sauce (optional)
a squeeze of lemon juice


Cook the sea bream in foil in the oven. Place the fish fillets in the foil, which has been lightly oiled. Squeeze some lemon juice over fish, and season with sea salt with seaweed. Make a pocket of foil over the fish, so that it steams inside the oven. Cook for about 10-15 minutes at 180C.

In the meantime cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan, add the chopped carrots and pepper. Finely chop a clove of garlic as well as chilli and stir into the veg. Finally add the Chinese cabbage and courgettes, and grate some fresh ginger.
Drizzle soy sauce, mirin, fish sauce and lemon juice over the vegetables. Cook stirring for about 10 minutes.

Serve fish with vegetables.

Adding fish sauce is optional. I have a bottle of fish sauce, and try to convince myself to use it more often, as it does indeed add a depth of flavour, But the smell, oh my goodness. It stinks to heaven.

Do you use fish sauce in cooking? I'd dearly love some tips on how to keep the stink to a minimum.

Gluten free potato blini and salmon cured in gin

Jay Rayner always makes me chuckle. Christmas edition of Observer Food Monthly had another funny editorial written by him. In it he gives us 10 Christmas food commandments.

Commandment no.1 from Jay says "Thou shalt not mistake Nigella, Mary and Jamie for the Lord, thy God. Those Christmas specials are only TV programmes. They're entertainment, not a blueprint for how your Christmas is meant to be. Yours won't be anything like that because you don't have battalions of home economists to knock up the food and set designers to decorate the house. Even Nigella's won't be like that".
And how true is that. This rule should apply to all dinners we host. And if the only paper napkins I could find at Easter are Christmas-themed because I bought five packs on offer after Christmas, kind friends won't judge me on that (or if they do, they won't tell me).

We had a wonderful dinner last night with our close friends, two of their children go to school with Sash, and one of their boys is in the same school as Eddie, only a year older.
Cooking is one of pleasures of life for me, a creative outlet and more than a hobby. I would say a vocation, though an unpaid one.

I considered preparing a different starter for our new year's eve, as I tend serving blini with home-cured salmon as a starter frequently, but then I thought that this is one of my favourite starters. It looks festive and tastes great. I did tweak both recipes though.

As one of our friends is a coeliac, I cook all dishes gluten free when they come for dinner. Last year I also cooked gluten free blini, but this time I added some mashed potatoes to the recipe, and the little pancakes turned out to be very fluffy and thick. Everyone seemed to enjoy them, including my fussy boys.

Gluten free potato blini (makes 18+ blini)
Ingredients:
1 potato (100g)
2 medium eggs
125ml milk
125ml water
250g gluten free flour (I used Doves Farm gluten free flour)
1tsp baking powder
2tbsp melted butter + more butter for frying
sea salt
First cook a potato in skin in salted boiling water. Once cooked, let it cool, peel off the skin and mash the potato with a fork. Beat in two eggs, add milk and water, and mix well. Sift in the flour and baking powder, add melted butter and season with sea salt until you get thick smooth batter.

Place the pancake pan (with four cups) over medium heat, add a small amount of butter or cooking spray. The pan should be hot but not smoking, or the blini will be quickly burnt.
Pour a tablespoon of pancake batter in each cup. Cook for about 3 minutes on one side, then carefully flip over each pancake with a knife, and cook for another minute or two, until golden.

These blini make a great base for all sorts of toppings. Smoked salmon is wonderful on blini. Serve with a ready-made smoked salmon or make your own a day in advance, pickles, lemon slices, soured cream with dill, or whatever topping you fancy.

Salmon cured in gin
Ingredients:
340g salmon fillet
100g sea salt, flakes
100g caster sugar
1/2tsp caraway seeds
1tbsp juniper berries, crushed
100ml gin, unflavoured (or vodka)

1. Lay the salmon in a deep baking dish lined with a big piece of cling film.
2. Add the salt, sugar, caraway seeds and crushed juniper to a small bowl and mix well.
3. Press the salt and seeds mix evenly all over both sides of the salmon. Pour gin or vodka over it.
4. Wrap the salmon in cling film carefully, trying to contain all liquid inside the film. Place another smaller dish on top and weigh down with some heavy tins.
Place in the fridge for 24+ hours.
5. To serve, unwrap the cling film and rinse off the salt in cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper. Slice the salmon thinly and place on a serving plate with crayfish tails (optional).

I use two heavy ceramic baking dishes for preparing the fish, one smaller size goes on top.

If you want to add colour, grate a raw peeled beetroot into the salt mix.
You will surely wow your guests with such a delicious starter.

Pearl barley and tuna soup

When I was a student at Canterbury, I had to be frugal and cook budget meals for myself. I was lucky to have a British Council scholarship which covered my degree fees and living expenses, but obviously living on my own I couldn't rely on my parents' help if there was an emergency. They were thousands of miles away.
I lived on soups and sandwiches.
One of the soups that I often made was actually from my student days back in Russia. Pearl barley is a cheap ingredient, and bulks up any meal. Add any tinned fish (better in brine, but in tomato sauce would work well too), some sliced pickles, a potato and whatever you have in the larder - an onion, a bay leaf, a carrot, or a handful of frozen peas. You can vary and swap ingredients, but tinned fish and pearl barley are two main ingredients.
This soup could be also cooked with fresh or frozen fish, but that's more of a luxury version.
I think it's a very Russian combination of flavours - fish and pearl barley. At least I haven't heard anyone cooking them together here.

When I spotted a tin of tuna in the latest delivery from Degustabox, I decided to cook the soup from my Uni days. This was Rio Mare Tuna in oil (I didn't use the oil).

Pearl barley and tinned tuna soup
Ingredients:
4 heaped tbsp pearl barley
1 bay leaf
1 shallot
1tbsp oil
a tin of tuna
1 fish stock cube (optional)
1 small carrot
4-5 cherry tomatoes
2 pickled cucumbers, sliced thinly
2tbsp brine (optional)
1 medium potato

Rinse the barley in cold water, and put in a medium sized pan. Add plenty of water. Barley absorbs a lot of water, so you'll need to top up the soup a few times, while it cooks. The barley will take about an hour to cook on low, simmering.
Add the bay leaf. Bring to boil, then cook, simmering on low.
Fry the thinly sliced shallot with the carrot in the olive oil for 5 minutes, then add to the barley soup with tuna and fish stock cube (about half way through the cooking of barley). You might skip the frying bit, but it adds a depth of flavour. Add the tomatoes, chopped cucumbers and brine.
Add the chopped potato in the last 12-15 minutes of cooking.
Add a bit of chopped parsley, dill or spring onions before serving, or a thin slice of lemon.
I also like to add a teaspoon of Greek style yogurt or soured cream.

I used Polish pickled cucumbers, those which you can buy in Tesco or Polish delis, they are called Ogorki Kwaszone or Ogorki Kiszone. I don't know what the difference is between these two words. I asked in the Polish deli, but they were not able to explain. They are different from standard British pickled cucumbers or gherkins, and I prefer them to too vinegary British pickles.
You can buy them in big jars or in plastic bags. The brine is also tasty, and is fab for hangovers.

And by the way, barley is very good for you - it helps digestion and improves blood sugar levels.

Grilled tuna and courgette salad

It's been a very hot day today. I was sweltering in a jacket on a school run. Our run is literally a sprint, as I grab Eddie by hand and we hurry home in time for Sash to arrive on a school bus.
Saturday, on the other hand, was completely miserable, cold-ish and rainy. As we were walking into town to do some grocery shopping, we met a friend who asked us if we were heading to a food festival. Drat and double drat, I have totally forgotten about it, and didn't have my camera with me. My iphone is of a geriatric generation, with a very basic camera, so I didn't bother to take many pictures with it. We did go to the festival which was held in and around St Mary's Church, under a persistent rain.

The crowds seemed not that bothered by the rain, and there were long queues for any freebies, especially at the gin stall. That's called devotion - to queue in the rain to get a shot of free gin.
Eddie and I ran into the church, trying to escape the rain.
There was an impressive array of foods and drinks, especially the preserves and flavoured oils.
I didn't buy much, just a jar of local honey and strawberry jam - both from Holmes Made, a tin of Ariana natural spice blend from GoSpice, a small bottle of redcurrant syrup (non-alcoholic) and a chunk of pancetta from The Cotswold Curer.

I would have liked to spend more time, looking at the foods, but Eddie was quite bored and kept asking when we were going home.
The most magnificent displays of cakes were created by Aston Pottery. Alas, they didn't sell the cakes, only shared the printed leaflets about themselves. I wonder what they did with all those glorious goodies after the festival ended.

When it's a hot day, I prefer to have simple salad dinners. Tuna is a versatile ingredient for many kinds of salads.
To make a very simple grilled tuna and courgette salad you will need:

2 Tuna steaks
2tbsp mirin rice wine
2tbsp dark soy sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
2tbsp olive oil
1 courgette
a good drizzle of chilli-flavoured oil
mixed salad with pea shoots, a handful
green olives
for dressing:
1tbsp runny honey
juice of 1/2 lime
2tbsp toasted sunflower seeds

Slice each steak into four strips and marinade in a deep bowl in a mix of mirin, dark soy sauce, lime juice and sea salt for about an hour.
Drizzle the olive oil over the grill pan and heat it up. Cut the courgette into 3 pieces, then slice each one into "chips". Drizzle the courgette with a chilli-flavoured olive oil, and cook on grill for about 5 minutes, turning over once or twice.
Cook the tuna on grill for about 5 minutes, turning over.
Assemble the salad by layering the salad leaves, then courgette and tuna. Scatter the olives and sunflower seeds and drizzle a simple dressing of lime juice and honey.

Since I used a bit of chilli-flavoured olive oil (from a Filippo Berio olive oil hamper that I won before Christmas) and the remains of a bag of sunflower seeds, I'm adding this recipe to #KitchenClearout linky hosted by Cheryl from Madhouse Family Reviews.