STIR-FRIED FISH WITH SNAKE BEANS AND TIANJING PRESERVED VEGETABLES

I like Chinese cuisine. I don't like the Chinese language. Or more accurately, languages. Many Chinese recipes translate as things quite unappetising to us westerners. One of these is Tianjing preserved vegetables. Vegetables is a food group, not a specific food. In this case, though, the vegetable is specifically cabbage - which is a group of vegetables. I believe it is what we call bok choy. Chopped, salted and fermented then packed into fat squat stone crocks. Great stuff. Other ingredients in this - peanut oil, snake beans, shao xing wine, soy sauce, ginger, gold band snapper and sesame oil.

STIR-FRIED FISH WITH SNAKE BEANS AND TIANJING PRESERVED VEGETABLES

WAGYU SIRLOIN

Wagyu is such brilliant beef that it really needs very little window dressing. This was seared in a very hot cast iron skillet, allowed to settle for 10 minutes, sliced, drizzled with a very small amount of white truffle oil and a dollop of really good mustard made by the very nice Pommery family of France since 1776. There is quite a lot of beef labelled wagyu that is wagyu crossed with another breed of cattle - usually black Angus. This piece is 100% wagyu - which in Japan would read as 100% cow, since wagyu is Japanese for cow. But it is also a recognised breed. Very confusing. So in Japan, I wonder if black Angus would be labelled Black Angus wagyu.

WAGYU SIRLOIN

SNAKE BEANS WITH ROASTED CHILLI PASTE

Dead simple. Peanut oil in a hot wok. When it starts to smoke, add snake beans and cook, tossing and flipping frequently. Add roasted chilli paste and garlic and cook until aromatic and the garlic has coloured.

SNAKE BEANS WITH ROASTED CHILLI PASTE

COCONUT CRUSTED BARRAMUNDI WITH THAI BASIL, CHILLI & COCONUT CREAM SAUCE

Barramundi is a great fish. It can also be crap. The best is wild line caught. The second best is wild, but netted. The third is farmed. Line caught barra is sparkling blue/white and touches of vibrant red. It tastes of the sea. Netted wild barra is blue/grey, often with touches of red. Farmed barra is grey. It often tastes muddy. Barra is unusual in that the fish becomes less firm as it cooks. This makes it a difficult fish to handle once cooked, because the fillets easily break. Enough on the fish. A nice rich Thai-inspired treatment. The sauce is a reduction of coconut milk, fish sauce, palm sugar and chilli paste with ginger, kaffir lime leaf and holy and Thai basil. Served with the snake beans above.

COCONUT CRUSTED BARRAMUNDI WITH THAI BASIL, CHILLI & COCONUT CREAM SAUCE

HERB CRUSTED TUNA WITH BLACK BEANS AND TOMATOES

Not sure why, but there's a lot of great tuna passing our front door at the moment. Well, not literally the front door, but swimming along the coast a couple of kilometres away. Bought another slab this afternoon. Deeper than a ruby, but that same translucence. I cut of a piece to slice up for sashimi with champagne. Not entirely a herb crust on the remainder. A mix of celery leaves and epazote. Some richly flavoured baby orange and red tomatoes with macadamia oil and lime juice.

HERB CRUSTED TUNA WITH BLACK BEANS AND TOMATOES

SPAGHETTI AL RAGU

In Oz we call this spag Bol. Bolognese. As in Bologna. But in Italy they don't call it spag Bol, even if Bologna is in Italy. There are hundreds of recipes for this sauce. Some are utter crap - cheap minced beef, tomato sauce - that kind of thing. Decent ones have a mix of beef, pork and sometimes veal. They MUST contain chicken livers because nothing else gives the sauce the sweet richness that livers do. Crap sauces are cooked in five minutes. Proper sauces take an hour or more to concentrate the flavours and reduce to the point where it they are thick mix with no discernable liquid. Enough preaching. Get a good recipe (Dean & Deluca, for example) and start cooking.

SPAGHETTI AL RAGU

RED EMPEROR WITH SHIITAKE, ENOKI & BABY TURNIPS

There's something about the name red emperor that sounds vaguely Asian - even if it is a fish species from the Great Barrier Reef. Anyway, this got a decidedly Asian treatment. Well, Japanese. A broth of dashi, light soy and miso with fine slices of baby turnips and a couple of Japanese mushrooms.

RED EMPEROR WITH SHIITAKE, ENOKI & BABY TURNIPS

OCEAN TROUT WITH HOLY BASIL & COCONUT MILK, HERB & PEANUT SALAD

I went down to the garden to collect laksa leaves, coriander, chillies, kaffir lime leaves, green onion and Thai basil. Brought them upstairs. Rinsed them. Trimmed some ocean trout fillets. Made a sauce of chillies, holy basil, kaffir lime leaves, sugar, fish sauce and coconut milk.  Reduced it in a wok until aromatic and rich ... then the power went out. A blackout cause by a passing storm. At least, that would be the official explanation. If you ask me, the power went out suspiciously close to the beginning of the storm. Maybe even preempted it. I think the local power company just wanted some time out. Anyway, nothing to do but sit and sip rum & coke by candlelight. Very romantic. The power was eventually restored and dinner prep continued. The end result is shown here.

OCEAN TROUT WITH HOLY BASIL & COCONUT MILK, HERB & PEANUT SALAD

SALAD OF TEA SMOKED SALMON WITH FENNEL AND PUMPKIN

This is hot smoked salmon, as opposed to cold smoked. I never understood cold smoked foods - from a scientific point of view. I always thought smoke required heat. You know the saying, where there's smoke there's fire. The sliced smoked salmon in delis is cold smoked. This is hot smoked. I used my usual mix of sugar, rice and jasmine tea. Tea-smoked salmon and slivers of raw baby fennel are a great combination of flavour and texture. The crisp fennel and the soft, sweet pumpkin are another great combination. Sweet pumpkin and salty, pungent preserved lemon are another great combo. Put them all together and you have a mutual admiration society.

SALAD OF TEA SMOKED SALMON WITH FENNEL AND PUMPKIN

TUNA SALAD WITH ROAST GARLIC AIOLI

I remember the first time I saw an American recipe for tuna salad and the shock I felt when I realised it was a mix of tinned tuna, mayonnaise and other stuff whipped into a mess. In my world, a salad means green leaves or at least recognisable chunks of vegetable, often with slices of fish, bird or meat. So here is MY tuna salad - mesclun, rocket, avocado, tuna, aïoli, potato and a dressing of lemon-infused olive oil and caramelised tomato vinegar.

TUNA SALAD WITH ROAST GARLIC AIOLI

ADOBO OF YELLOWFIN TUNA WITH BLACK BEANS & AVOCADO

There is a lot of talk about food miles (or kilometres for the metrically adept amongst us). The black beans had by far the longest journey for tonight's meal - from Mexico. I have yet to learn of any farmer growing them here in Australia. I think the tuna had the next longest journey. It was caught off Mooloolaba, about 3 hours north of here. The tomatoes, jalapeño chilli, macadamia oil and vinegar for the base come from around the region. So too the mesclun on top. Next I might see if I can create a meal entirely from ingredients that have had to travel a minimum of 5,000 kms - but limited to earth.

ADOBO OF YELLOWFIN TUNA WITH BLACK BEANS & AVOCADO

GAZPACHO WITH PRAWNS

There's probably nothing as refreshing as a bowl of gazpacho. Well, ice cubes down your trousers might come close. But of the things one takes orally, this must lead the pack. Some sweet prawns on top. Unnecessary but nice.

GAZPACHO WITH PRAWNS

CEVICHE

Ceviche? Or seviche? I really don't care how you spell it. But I have a real preference for how it is made. There is a style on the Pacific Coast of Mexico that has olives and tomato juice and a host of other things in it. I prefer this simpler style with just lime juice, raw fish, diced tomato, sliced chillies, oregano, coriander, onion, salt and a little olive oil. This is one of those incredibly refreshing dishes (like a lot of Thai salads and gazpacho) that are perfect on a summer day - or in this case, a summer evening with the sky over the ocean stained mauve by the setting sun.

CEVICHE

TEQUILA Y SANGRITA

Hacienda del Cristero is one of my favourite tequilas. It is white. Some people prefer reposados or añejos for the softening that wood ageing gives them. Blancos, though are the purest expression of tequila - and this is one of the best blancos. I have seen many different recipes for sangrita - literally, little blood. My favourite is one from Club de Industriales in Mexico City, using tomato juice, orange juice, onion, jicama, fresh serrano chillies and other goodies. There is another style made from seville orange juice (or valencia and lime juices), with grenadine, powdered chilli and salt. That is what I made today - basically because I didn't have any tomato juice. If you like tequila but don't know sangrita, Google a recipe and have a go at making some.

TEQUILA Y SANGRITA

ROASTED VEGETABLES ON SOFT POLENTA

For the carnivores or omnivores amongst us, there is a certain stigma to the word vegetarian. The feeling defies logic. It is irrational. But it is real. Vegetarian is akin to scientologist. Most restaurants now feel pressured to have at least one vegetarian dish on their menus. However, these are mostly ill-conceived and embarrassing affairs that look dowdy compared with the bravura exuded by the dishes based around flesh. We are not vegetarians. However we often eat meals without meat. Such as tonight. There is a very rich home-made chicken stock in the polenta, so a vegan would not approved. But the broccoli, capsicum, beans and zucchini on the polenta make for a filling and satisfying meal. Seriously, I did not miss the meat or bird or fish. Promise. No, really. Honestly. Scout's honour.

ROASTED VEGETABLES ON SOFT POLENTA

MALAY STYLE CHICKEN LAKSA

(Serves 4)

FOR LAKSA PASTE

1 LARGE SPANISH ONION OR 4 ESCHALLOTS, CHOPPED

4 CLOVES OF GARLIC, CHOPPED

1 TABLESPOON OF BLACHAN (SHRIMP PASTE)

2 STALKS OF LEMONGRASS, BRUISED AND CHOPPED

ZEST OF 1 LIME

1 TABLESPOON OF FRESH TURMERIC, CHOPPED

1 TABLESPOON OF FRESH GALANGAL, CHOPPED

4 FRESH RED BIRDS EYE CHILLIES

4 CANDLENUTS

2 WASHED & CHOPPED CORIANDER ROOTS

1 TABLESPOON OF WASHED CORIANDER LEAVES

1 TABLESPOON OF LAKSA (VIETNAMESE LEAVES)

1 TEASPOON OF ROASTED & GROUND DRIED PRAWNS

1 TEASPOON OF ROASTED & GROUND CORIANDER SEEDS

2 ROASTED & GROUND DRIED CHILLIES

125 MLS PEANUT OIL

FOR SOUP

2 TABLESPOONS OF PEANUT OIL

4 TABLESPOONS OF LAKSA PASTE

1.5 LITRES HOME-MADE CHICKEN STOCK

1 TEASPOON OF SALT

2 TEASPOONS OF GRATED PALM SUGAR

2 CUPS OF COCONUT CREAM

200 GMS HOKKIEN NOODLES

100 GMS RICE VERMICELLI NOODLES

4 SQUARES OF FRIED BEAN CURD PUFFS, CUT IN HALF

SLICED MEAT FROM 1/2 A COOKED CHICKEN

2 TABLESPOONS OF BAMBOO SHOOTS CUT INTO MATCHSTICKS

1 CUP OF BEAN SPROUTS

LAKSA LEAVES

CORIANDER LEAVES

MINT LEAVES

TO SERVE

ROASTED CHILLI PASTE IN A SMALL BOWL

To make the paste, blend all ingredients to a really smooth paste. This can be made ahead. The paste will keep for a couple of months in the refrigerator, covered with a film of oil.

To make the laksa, heat the oil in a hot wok. Add laksa paste and fry until fragrant. Add, stock, salt and sugar and allow to come to the boil. Add coconut cream. Reduce heat and stir frequently as it heats.

Meanwhile cook rice vermicelli in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain. Pour boiling water over the Hokkien noodles (you could use the water from the vermicelli). Drain and rinse.

Add chicken, bean curd puffs and bamboo shoots to the wok and heat, but do not boil.

Place noodles into 4 deep bowls. Place chicken, bean curd puffs and bamboo shots on top, then pour in laksa soup. Scatter bean sprouts, mint, coriander and laksa leaves on top to garnish.

To add an extra kick, a spoon of roasted chilli paste can be stirred through the soup.

MALAY STYLE CHICKEN LAKSA

TOM YAM PLA

How healthy is this stuff? Brilliantly clear gelatinous stock made using the frame of the blue eye trevalla I cooked last night. Nothing but good stuff in the tom yam paste. Then chunks of fish, tomatoes, coriander and Thai basil from the garden.

TOM YAM PLA

POACHED BLUE EYE WITH MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS

When I was visiting the fishmonger this afternoon, there was a tray of really bright fillets without a label. Shane, the fishmonger, came out from the back of the shop and told me about the fish that caught my attention. It was blue eye. Trevalla. He had bought it this morning at the Brisbane markets. It was caught by some friends of his last night. They were taking their trawler north to Darwin to fish for gold band snapper, but decided to fish for blue eye just off the coast here as they travelled north. Shane was in the process of filleting the fish when I arrived. I bought a couple of fillets as well as a whole fish frame. This afternoon I made some stock, using the frame, young ginger and white peppercorns. I strained some stock into a sautée pan and poached asparagus, shimeji and enoki mushrooms and the blue eye fillets. After plating up, I spooned over a reduction of grape seed oil, light soy sauce, sambal oelek, sugar and rice vinegar. Delicious. Healthy.

POACHED BLUE EYE WITH MUSHROOMS AND ASPARAGUS

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH EPAZOTE CORN AND REFRIED PINTO BEANS

Over-run by epazote. Only thing to do is eat it. A classic old Mexican recipe of discs of corn, finely chopped chillies and epazote sautéed in butter and lard. Roasted chicken thighs and a bed of refried pinto beans. Proper peasant food, but pretty healthy - even allowing for the lard

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH EPAZOTE CORN AND REFRIED PINTO BEANS

GOLD BAND SNAPPER WITH GARLIC BROCCOLI AND CHILTEPIN TOMATO SAUCE

Some chilli experts reckon chiltepins are the original chilli. These tiny spherical chillies still grow wild. They used to rely on birds for germination. Birds would eat the chillies, shit out the seeds and somewhere in the travels through the avarian digestive system, the seeds were converted into a state of fertility so that when they landed on soil, they took root. of course, if they landed on a head, a car or a house, nothing happened. This sauce is made using these pea-sized chillies, big sweet tomatoes from the markets, garlic and lard - indispensable in Mexican cooking.

GOLD BAND SNAPPER WITH GARLIC BROCCOLI AND CHILTEPIN TOMATO SAUCE

TUNA, BEAN AND POTATO SALAD, TAPENADE VINAIGRETTE & ROAST GARLIC AIOLI

Yes, tuna again. With beans and potato? Almost a Niçoise salad. I cannot believe the good folks of Nice only make one kind of salad. Anyway, in place of whole olives, I added kalamata olive tapenade to olive oil and sherry vinegar for a Niçoise-inspired dressing - and some roast garlic aïoli, because that is also something I associate with Provence.

TUNA, BEAN AND POTATO SALAD, TAPENADE VINAIGRETTE & ROAST GARLIC AIOLI

CHIPOTLE TUNA WITH ROASTED CORN SALSA & CARAMELISED CAPSICUM

Eenie meenie ... I was in the fishmonger's shop this afternoon. He had some whole local garfish that were so fresh they were still in a state of rigor mortis. I was tempted. In the end I opted for this yellowfin tuna based on the glistening deep translucent colour of the flesh. I ground a chipotle meco chilli to a fine powder and then rubbed it on the surface of the fish before sautéing it over high heat to sear the outside without cooking the centre. A warm salsa of roasted corn & sautéed onion, with tomatoes, agave syrup, lime juice and salt added after coming off the heat.

CHIPOTLE TUNA WITH ROASTED CORN SALSA & CARAMELISED CAPSICUM

SALMON WITH ROASTED TOMATOES, CARAMELISED TOMATO BALSAMIC VINEGAR & FINGER LIME

Finger limes are brilliant things. Well, they are mostly brilliant. We planted one in our garden - and that particular plant isn't brilliant. As a plant, it looks good. As a source of fruit, it is a failure. Maybe next year. Lucky a stallholder at the markets had some. Scoop out the tiny pellets of limeness and sprinkle them on food or add them to salad dressings. Then enjoy the burst of freshness as you bite into each tiny pearl. These cherry tomatoes also came from the markets. They were slowly roasted at 80C for hours - with olive oil, salt, sugar and thyme. Simply seared salmon and a drizzle of the brilliant Robinvale caramelised tomato balsamic vinegar and that's that. A mesclun salad on the side.

SALMON WITH ROASTED TOMATOES, CARAMELISED TOMATO BALSAMIC VINEGAR & FINGER LIME

WHITING WITH STEAMED CAULIFLOWER AND ROAST GARLIC AIOLI

Every time I go into our local fishmonger, I play musical fish. Today when the music stopped I was adjacent to this gorgeous whiting. I could have sat on it. I chose to buy it. I had made some aïoli a few days ago and had a head of cauliflower in the fridge. When I saw an Alice Waters recipe for steamed cauliflower with aïoli, dinner was decided. A simple mesclun salad on the side. A nice chardonnay in front of me. Happiness.

WHITING WITH STEAMED CAULIFLOWER AND ROAST GARLIC AIOLI