The Eponymous Epicurean

Summer has been and gone Me thinks, no not really but it is very up and down.
We had an awesome xmas ,My wife Rachel and our 2 kids, Thomas and Charlie went to the Marlborough sounds and lived on a charted boat for 8 days .We sailed from Wiakawa marina ,stopping at Lochmara lodge for christmas lunch, Punga cove for boxing day and finally Furneaux lodge. I tried my hand at fishing ,Rach caught a variety of fish from, Blue cod, Butterfish and Gurnard Thomas caught a sand shark and a blue cod ,meanwhile all I caught was a cold.
I did however Gut, fillet and sear the fish on the BBQ on the back of the boat with just a little Avocado oil, sea salt and lemon pepper. We ate the fillets flat on fresh thick cut white bread with lashings of homemade tartare sauce. The best fish I have ever eaten. If you want to make a satisfying and quick tartare sauce, Use Hellmans mayonnaise and mix in a teaspoon of each- fresh chopped parsley, baby gherkins, Capers and fine chopped Red onion(May be omitted) add a squeeze of fresh lime and a few drops of Anchovie essence or paste and there you have it.
For something a little bit more involved you could boil some Gourmet potatoes in their skins drain and toss with a few cooked French beans, cherry tomatoes cut in half. some cos lettuce leaves and pitted Kalamata olives. Toss in a bowl with xtra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, season and put on a plate with some hard boil egg quarters and pop your fish on top ,Easy ,Peasy lemon squeazy
We also made an awesome but simple dessert that is one of my favs during Summer and that is Summer Pudding. Its such a simple , yet stunning dessert and fills you up without being too heavy.
Serve with a Marscapone cream mixed with a little vanilla paste mixed in and plenty of the oozing berry juices.

SUMMER PUDDING ON A BOAT

INGREDIENTS

800G MIXED FROZEN BERRIES (DEFROSTED)
2 TABLESPOONS BARKERS BLACKCURRANT CORDIAL
2TABLESPOONS WATER
3TABLESPOONS CREME DE CASSIS
6 SLICES MEDIUM TO THICK WHITE BREAD + 1 CUT IN A CIRCLE FOR LID
250G MARSCAPONE/ 1/4 TSP VANILLA PASTE MIX.

1LITRE PUDDING BASIN

METHOD

PUT CREME DE CASSIS ,WATER AND BLACKCURRANT CORDIAL IN A SAUCE PAN BRING TO A SIMMER AND THEN ADD IN ALL FRUIT STIR GENTLY AND COVER WITH A LID FOR 10 MINS.
CUT CRUSTS OFF BREAD AND CUT INTO FINGERS ON THE BIAS, REMOVE LID FROM FRUIT PAN AND DIP BREAD SLICES, ONE AT A TIME INTO JUICE .
LAYER EACH SLICE AS YOU DIP IT INTO A CLING FILMED LINED PUDDING BASIN, COVERING THE BOTTOM AND ENSURING THEY OVER LAP, AND PRESSING DOWN SLIGHTLY AS YOU GO.YOU SHOULD LET THE TOPS OF THE BREAD HANG OVER THE TOP OF THE BASIN UNTIL YOU FILL IT WITH FRUIT.
ONCE YOU HAVE BREAD ROUND ALL THE INSIDE OF THE BASIN DRAIN THE FRUIT AND FILL UP THE LINED BASIN WITH IT, FOLD OVER THE TOPS OF THE BREAD FINGERS AND PUT ON THE ROUND PIECE OF BREAD THAT YOU HAVE ALSO DIPPED IN JUICE.
TOP WITH A SIDE PLATE OR SAUCER AND WEIGH DOWN WITH A FEW BAKED BEAN CANS IN THE FRIDGE.
REMOVE AFTER 1 HOUR AND AFTER REMOVING CANS AND SIDE PLATE, INVERT OVER A SERVING PLATE AND GENTLY REMOVE , FINALLY REMOVING CLING FILM TO REVEAL A PUD OF TRULY EPIC PROPORTIONS.
SERVE BY SLICING OUT WEDGES DRIPPING WITH JUICE AND TOPPED WITH THE VANILLA AND MARSCAPONE CREAM.