Steak Frites

As a youngster I remember going to France on a camping holiday and having steak frites on the ferry - dead simple, bloody in the centre and charred on the outside. Chips all crispy and the juice of the steak there to be mopped up with the last of them.

For this don't use fancy cuts like fillet or rump - the thin frying steak is perfect. Use a griddle pan (ensure well heated before putting your meat in) oil the meat before putting into the pan then add a good cube of butter on top.

I griddled a tomato to go with and a bit of lambs lettuce (it made me feel better about the healthiness (or lack of)).

Fish Florentine

Fish Florentine

This is rich and calorie packed but dead tasty as a treat.

Ingredients

2 haddock fillets (skinned and boned)
150ml dry white wine
good handful of spinach
50 grammes butter
plain flour
150ml milk
75ml double cream
100 grammes grated mature cheddar cheese
110 grammes dried bread crumbs
dash of mace

Method

Poach the fish fillets in the wine for about 10 minutes. Remove from the poaching liquid and flake the fillets.
Make a sauce by melting the butter in a sauce pan and adding the flour.
Cook for 30 seconds and then start gradually adding the milk and stirring with a wooden spoon.
When the sauce boils and thickens remove from the heat and stir in the cream and half the cheese.
Stir until the cheese is absorbed then add the fish and the mace.
Steam the spinach for 5 minutes (so that it keeps some shape rather than going to a pulp).
Layer in ramekins spinach, fish, then spinach. Top with breadcrumbs and then more grated cheese.

I served with French beans and mashed potatoes.