SO, I bought a beautiful vintage platter on Saturday & set a challenge for myself on Saturday - to create dishes whereby I would use my new platter. I was surprised how this simple platter has brought me so much joy.
Firstly, I got inspired to take the initiative to make dinner. I made a dish where I used the leftover vegetables on the counter (recipe is below). I was making it up as I went along, chopping & changing my plans as I went along. It was such fun to see what the end results were.
Secondly, when I plated dinner up on the platter, I was overwhelmed by this feeling of pleasure. Usually I make the effort when I'm working & I don't do enough when its just for me. We then had a grownup dinner at the table instead of on our laps! LOL! I love using pretty vintage plates & have visions of my dinner table looking like the beautiful image in @SkyeMcalphine’s books! I will do it more often from hereon.
Thirdly, I roasted a whole sea-bream that was so fresh it’s eye’s sparked! It's not easy ever to come across fish that is so fresh & to be able to buy, bake it, plate it & eat was such a humbling & touching experience for me.
Because of my desire to use my platter, I got such an amazing experience. I encourage you to see what gets you excited to have fun & make food? Maybe it's ingredients, equipment, an apron, crockery etc... Grab it & start having fun.
It’s not about the recipe but the inspiration to try.
Ingredients:
1 whole sea bream
6 new potatoes - boiled with salted water & tarragon
6cm section of mooli - cut into matchsticks
1 yellow courgette - cut into half moon shapes
1 handful of samphire
1 clove garlic - crushed
2 cm of ginger - - julienned
1 tablespoon of butter
Splash cooking wine
Tarragon
Instructions:
For the Fish:
Rub the fish inside and outside with sea salt.
Stuff with herb of choice & a few slices of lemon
Drizzle with olive, bake in oven at 190-200ºC for about 20-25 mins. (Please bake it on a piece of baking paper)
The skewer would go through easily when you pierce the fish to test for doneness.
For the vegetables:
Heat up a wok or large frying pan, drizzle with little olive oil
Add all the ingredients (except the samphire) into the wok.
Saute for 2 mins on high heat, splash of cooking wine & let it reduce
Add a little water to help the cooking process & place lid on for 2 mins
Add the samphire & saute for 1 min.
Add a small knob of butter & swirl it around the vegetables & plate up.
I hope you have a try at this dish which is yummy & so easy to make too! This dish works with any protein - so it need not be a whole sea bream. It can be roast chicken legs / roast chicken / roast lamb, poached salmon, chickpea burger patties etc. Feel free to change it up as you see fit.