Chermoula

Ingredients
1 tsp paprika
A pinch of chilli flakes or cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
4-6 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
80g (large bunch of) coriander, chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt to taste

Method
Crush the garlic, chilli flakes and salt together in a pestle and mortar, then add that mix to the other chermoula ingredients. Taste, spice it up if you want a stronger sauce but remember you only using a teaspoon or two for each fish. As with any marinade you need to leave it for at least half an hour, preferably longer for the flavours to soak in.

To prepare your sardines and couscous

Ingredients
1 or 2 sardines per person, if you are serving other meat or fish
Olive oil for brushing
Couscous
2 tbs herbs such as mint, parsley and/or coriander chopped
1-2 tbs olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper

Equipment
Barbeque or campfire
Fish holder
Teaspoon

Method
Gut and rinse the sardines and put a teaspoon or two of the chermoula in the cavity of each fish. Rub the skin lightly with olive oil and leave for at least twenty minutes, longer if possible. Over medium heat on the barbeque or campfire place your sardines, turning once, very carefully. A fish holder is useful as it stops you losing your fish to the sticky bars of the grill. You can see the flesh turn from translucent to opaque when they are cooked. Serve hot with couscous.

To go with your fish, serve instant couscous which is ideal for outdoor living, following the instructions on the packet. Once the couscous is rehydrated add the olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper, stir well with a fork to separate the grains.

A classic salad easily prepared outside a tent on a warm evening.

Ingredients
300g salad potatoes, Jersey Royals if you’re feeling flash
100g green beans, topped and tailed
4 eggs
1 tbsp herbs such as tarragon, chervil and/or chives, chopped
4 tbs olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1 clove garlic crushed with a pinch of salt
Salt and black pepper
½ tin of anchovies, drained
2 tins or jars of good quality tuna, drained
½ red onion, finely sliced
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
2 little gems or 1 romaine lettuce, leaves separated

Equipment
Chopping board
Sharp knife
One ring cooker
Small bowl
Fork and spoons

Method
Boil the potatoes in salted water until cooked, drain and set aside. Cook the green beans for a couple of minutes, drain and set aside. Put the whole eggs into a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and then count three minutes, they will be soft boiled and hopefully not cracked. Drain and leave the eggs to cool.
For the dressing, put the garlic and salt with olive oil, lemon juice, pepper and mustard into a small bowl and whisk with a fork until it emulsifies. Taste, adjust the seasoning if you need to.
Dress the leaves. Shell and quarter the eggs. Assemble your salad: put your leaves into bowls, cut the potatoes in half and add those, arrange the beans, tuna, anchovies and tuna and shelled quartered eggs. Sprinkle the herbs on top.

Ingredients

1 red pepper, finely sliced
1 onion, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
100g green beans, topped, tailed and chopped into 1cm lengths
1 x 250g tin or jar of butter beans
200g paella rice
2 x chicken breasts, sliced
200g raw prawns, de-veined
1 lemon, quartered
½ tsp of paprika, plus more for sprinkling
Pinch of saffron
1 ltr vegetable or chicken stock, made with either a stock cube, concentrate or fresh from the supermarket fridge
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Equipment

Large frying pan
Single ring stove
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Spoon
Bowl or jug

Method

Heat the olive oil in the pan and gently cook the red pepper, onion and garlic for ten minutes until soft.  Add the chicken and cook until it starts to colour, then add the rice and saffron.  Stir for a couple of minutes and add enough stock to cover all the ingredients.  Season with pepper and cook for ten minutes.  Top up with stock as it cooks, making sure it isn’t sticking to the pan.  Throw in the butter beans, green beans and parsley.  Cook for five more minutes. Check the rice. When it is nearly cooked add the prawns and paprika and cook for a few minutes until the prawns are pink all over.
Check the seasoning and serve with lemon wedges and extra paprika if you want a spicier kick.

This is a nod to the bouillabaisse I ate on the balcony of the Peron restaurant in Marseilles, which hangs over the sea.  Perfect if you are staying near a market and can pick up a variety of
fresh white fish. 

Ask the fishmonger to skin and bone your fish if necessary, as this is an effort at home, let alone in a field.  Use one or more varieties of fish, whatever is available. You can add more kick with a sprinkling of paprika.



Ingredients

1kg of firm white fish such as monkfish, haddock or conger eel, cut into 2cm chunks
8 new potatoes, scrubbed and thickly sliced
1 small onion or the equivalent in shallots, diced
1 leek, white part only, finely sliced
1 fennel bulb, peeled off its tough outer layers and remove the heart before dicing
1/2 tin of tomatoes or 4 decent sized fresh tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1 carrot, diced
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
½ tsp paprika
Pinch of saffron
1 lemon, wedged
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1 small glass of white wine
1 tbs flat leaf parsley or chives, oregano, chopped
Olive oil for frying


Equipment
Chopping board
Sharp knife
One-ring stove
Large saucepan


Method
Heat the oil and gently fry the carrot, onion, leek, fennel and garlic until soft.  Mix in the saffron and fennel seeds.  Add the wine and cook off the alcohol for a few minutes.  Add the tomatoes, paprika, herbs, salt and pepper.  Stir well and adjust your seasoning if necessary.  Layer the potatoes in the pan, you may need to add some water to just cover them, but not drown them.  Cover the pan and cook until the potatoes still hold their form, but are just cooked.  Add your fish.  Cover and cook for a further two minutes, check and cook for longer if necessary. Serve with lemon and chunks of bread to mop up the gravy.