There’s nothing fishy about these fantastic recipes from Paula

The storms we’ve had lately have had a knock on effect on the catch.

When it’s not safe for fishing boats to venture out, we don’t get fresh supplies.

You could eat frozen fish but good quality tinned fish is a brilliant alternative.

I recently received some tinned and jarred Irish tuna and sardines from Shine’s fish company based in Killybegs in Donegal (shinesseafood.ie).

With an increase in water temperature exotic fish like tuna have ventured into our waters.

Albacore tuna is the most sought after tuna and is cut from the belly.

It has three times your weekly recommended intake of omega 3 in just one tin.

There’s a tendency to assume that people who cook for a living eat elaborate meals at every sitting.

Nothing could be further from the truth – I eat a lot of baked potatoes and tuna. I combine the tuna with a mixture of sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped scallions, celery and any soft herb that happens to be in the fridge.

Fluffy baked potato, with a toot of butter and some cool tuna – what’s not to love about this simple dish?

A couple of years ago I had one of the best meals of my life in Il Cambio restaurant in Turin.

A classic dish from the region is Vitello Tonnato, poached veal sliced and served with a tuna sauce.

It sounds weird but it’s actually delicious.

I don’t often do the veal but the tonnato sauce is lovely with baked potato, grilled pork chops or with grilled vegetables.

My first recipe is for this classic sauce serve with grilled broccoli and scallions. Serve on its own or with some roast chicken.

When I was growing up, tinned sardines on toast was a staple teatime dish.

Hot buttered toast was spread with the soft fish and cut into fingers. In Italy when fresh fish isn’t available they use tinned sardines with pasta.

My second recipe combines pasta with sardines, aubergines and some pinenuts for a bit of crunch.

Aubergines get a bad press, mainly because they’re often undercooked.

Brush them with oil and place on a hot pan, season with salt and cook until soft and golden.

Another ingredient that is often undeservedly vilified is the anchovy.

As a seasoning it’s extremely versatile.

When roasting a leg of lamb, slash the flesh and poke in pieces of anchovy and garlic all over.

The fish melts into the lamb, seasoning it beautifully. Bagna Cauda is a delicious Italian dip that combines anchovies with butter, balsamic, garlic and mustard.

Serve with raw vegetables or tossed into hot potatoes.

A classic use of anchovy is in a Caesar salad.

This dish was invented in 1924 by Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini.

He had a restaurant in San Diego in the United States but had opened up in Tijuana in Mexico to avoid prohibition laws.

A rush in the restaurant on the fourth of July saw kitchen stocks depleted.

He had to make do with what he had and made a salad, tableside, with lettuce, croutons and parmesan tossed in a dressing made with egg, garlic, anchovy, Worcestershire sauce, lemon and oil. It was an instant hit.

It’s been adulterated over the years and nowadays it’s more likely to be lettuce tossed in garlic mayonnaise.

I’ve included a recipe for proper Caesar Salad, the way chef Cardini intended it.

Next time you fancy fish in a storm, consider the store cupboard, rather than the freezer.

* More delicious recipes from Paula next week.

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