Grilled sea bass with rosemary and parsley pesto

Two recipes for a date night in that are easy to cook, look impressive and taste delicious.

If you’ve arranged dinner at yours, cook up these simple yet impressive looking recipes for grilled sea bass followed by mini Victoria sponge cakes, from the experts at delicious. magazine.

Grilled Sea Bass With Fresh Rosemary &Parsley Pesto

Serves 2
25 minutess to make

2 x 300-350g sea bass, cleaned and trimmed
4 small sprigs of rosemary
1 tsp olive oil

For the pesto

Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Leaves of a small bunch of fresh parsley
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp of finely grated fresh Parmesan
Grated zest and juice of ½ a lemon
Small bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the grill to medium.   Make two or three slashes through the skin of the fish on each side and tuck the rosemary sprigs into the gut cavities.

2. Brush each lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Grill for 5-7 minutes each side until the skin is crispy and the dish is cooked through.

3. Meanwhile make the pesto.  Put the rosemary, parsley leaves and garlic ina mini chopped for food processor and whizz until finely chopped.  Add the cheese and lemon zest and then whizz again.  Tip into a small serving bowl and stir in the lemon juice, chives, olive oil, and some salt and pepper.

4. Just before serving spoon the pesto over the fish and serve with new potatoes and salad.

Mini Victoria sponge cakes

Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes

Makes 8, and takes 1 hour 10 mins to make

170g unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
170g of caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
170g self-raising flour
284 ml whipping cream
Icing sugar for dusting
Strawberry jam for the filling

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree C fan oven.  Grease two Yorkshire pudding trays (those with 4 straight sided holes of about 8 cms each). And cur discs of baking powder to sit in the bottom of each of the holes.

2. Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat until fluffy.  Lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla, then gradually beat into the creamed mixture adding a little of the flour. Sift in the remaining flour and gently fold in until combined.

3. Divide evenly between he holes.  Bake for twenty minutes until risen and golden.  Cook in the tins then turn out onto a wire rack and cook.  Peel off the baking powder.

4. Lightly whip cream to soft peaks.  Spread onto 4 sponge bases, top with jam and sandwich with the remaining sponge discs.  Dust each with icing sugar and serve.

The delicious. cookbook, available at Amazon

These recipes are from delicious. magazine’s cookbook, The delicious. Cookbook, packed full of 365 recipes that are effortless to make  whether you’re looking for something to satisfy the family, wow your guests or indulge yourself.  It’s available from all good book shops or you can purchase it from Amazon for £11.98.

Impress you date with this seasonal recipe for partridge pot roast

If you’ve suggested dinner at yours, wow your date with this seasonal recipe for partridge pot roast.

The partridge season runs from September to February, so October is the month when the first birds start to arrive in butchers and farm shops.

At just half the size of a pheasant, partridge only takes half an hour to roast and you’ll need one per person.   Simply pop a knob of butter in the cavity and either roast the birds upside down, turning them upright to brown at the end, or cover the breast with bacon or larding fat to keep the flesh moist and juicy.

Alternatively you could spatchcock them, marinate in lemon, garlic and olive oil and then put them under the grill for 30 minutes, turning the right way up for the last five minutes so the skin is deliciously crispy.

For a slow-cooked supper that you can prepare before your date arrives, try this recipe for partridge pot roast.

Partridge Pot Roast

Serves 4

2 tbsp light olive oil or vegetable oil
4 oven ready partridges
1kg medium size potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 leeks, sliced
2 tbsps plain flour
300ml chicken or vegetable stock
150ml medium dry cider
1 tsp soft lift brown sugar
3-4 sprigs tender young thyme, roughly chopped
25g butter

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas Mark 4.

2) Heat 1 tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole dish and fry the partridges for about 5 minutes, turning several times until well browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

3) Meanwhile par-boil the potato slices in a large pan of boiling water for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse in cold running water.

4) Add the remaining oil to the casserole dish and fry the leeks for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until browned.  Stir in the flour, scraping up any juices stuck to the bottom of the pan.

5) Remove from the heat. Gradually stir in the stock and then the cider, thyme and brown sugar.

6) Return the partridge to the casserole, pushing them amongst the vegetables. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

7) Cover with overlapping slices of potato and dot with the butter.  Bake for 1¼-1½ hours or until the potatoes are tender and golden brown.