Guest recipes with Tonia Buxton

Seabass wrapped in vine leaves

Vine leaves are a wonder food. Even though they are used here to seal the fish and hold the moisture in while cooking, you can eat them with the seabass, too.

SERVES 4

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 tsp sumac

1 small bunch of parsley

1 small bunch of coriander

2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1 chilli

1 preserved lemon, deseeded

4 sea bass, scaled, gutted and washed

20 vine leaves (I use the ones from my garden, but you can use ones in brine)

olive oil, for brushing

a pinch of salt

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Place the garlic, sumac, parsley, coriander, ginger, chilli and preserved lemon in a blender and blitz to a chunky paste.

Divide the mixture into 4 portions and use to fill the fish cavities.

If using bottled vine leaves in brine, rinse them. If using fresh ones, blanch them in hot water for a few seconds to soften them.

Brush the fish with olive oil and wrap the vine leaves around them, vein-side in. Brush again with oil, season with sea salt and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Bake for 20 minutes – the skin should come away easily when it’s ready.

Serve immediately.

 

 

Chamomile and thyme cupcakes

These soothing little cupcakes have an unusual flavour but they’re the perfect afternoon treat.

MAKES 12

225g unsalted butter

160ml coconut milk

5 heaped tbsp dried chamomile flowers, plus extra to decorate

100g caster sugar

3 medium eggs

1 tsp thyme leaves, plus small sprigs to decorate

210g plain wholemeal spelt flour

1½ tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

100g icing sugar

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Heat the butter, coconut milk and chamomile flowers in a small pan over a low heat until the butter has completely melted, then simmer for a few minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Once cooled, strain the tea, collecting the chamomile-infused liquid in a bowl and discarding the flowers. There should be around 250ml of liquid remaining.

Divide the liquid into two bowls, one containing two thirds of the liquid and the other containing the remaining third to use for the icing. Place the bowls in the fridge for 20 minutes until the butter has set slightly.

Beat the larger portion of the mixture with the sugar. Add the eggs and the thyme leaves, then slowly fold in the flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Add a dash more coconut milk if the mixture is too thick.

Divide the batter between the paper cases and bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes.

For the icing, beat the remaining chamomile-infused butter, gradually adding the icing sugar until thick.

Chill in the fridge while the cupcakes are cooling.

Top each cupcake with as much icing as you like, then decorate with a single chamomile flower and a small thyme sprig.

 

Tonia Buxton has written four cookbooks and is a well-known TV celebrity and chef. For more information visit toniabuxton.co.uk