This is my “Burgh…it’s really cold and I want to snuggle up to someone sexy when I’m finished”… Cheesy au gratin is dead sexy, it’s a warm and comforting dish that should put anyone at ease, especially those of you who think fennel is pretentious.

So on the menu tonight we have redfish, which I think is also known as red emporer in the UK, in a dill and fennel marinade with cauliflower and broccoli gratin and roast pumpkin and potatoes.

Ingredients
400g redfish fillets
bunch of dill, chopped
1 small fennel bulb, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
roughly 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon dijionaise (spell!)
2 large potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks
1/4 whole pumpkin peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 head cauliflower
1/2 head broccoli
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated tasty cheddar

Method
Heat oven to 180. Put the potatoes on to boil in a pot of water, once boiling leave them for 5 mins then drain really well. Once drained shake the potatoes in the pot to “rough them up” - yes you want them to look disshelved. Heat an oven tray in your oven with a dash of olive oil for about 3 mins then add your roughed up potatoes and pumpkin.

Meanwhile boil some water in another pot for your cauliflower and broccoli and prepare your marinade for the fish. Mix fennel, dill, dijionaise, olive oil, lemon juice and a good bit of ground pepper and salt. Add fish fillets and put in the fridge. I know, you’re saying “lemon juice cooks fish” but the redfish seems to cope with it, and the olive oil does water it down. Just make sure you don’t leave it marinating longer than an hour.

OK, after that mouthful, your broccoli and cauliflower should now be cooked. They only take a few minutes after your water has started boiling. Drain and put into an oven dish. Melt butter in a small pot, add flour and stir like there is no tomorrow. I cheat and use a whisk. When these have made a nice roux, add the milk and keep whisking over heat (mid-heat). This will thicken after about 5 mins then add cheese until it melts. Pour over cauliflower and broccoli and add to the oven.

You should also add the marinated fish to the oven now too in its own tray…if you are so lucky to have an oven that can fit three shelves…give it all 10-15 mins and that’s it. A yummy hot cool night meal…since it’s a cold night I give you permission to serve with a nice bottle of red, even though it goes against the rules, something like a Merlot would be yummy, then you can cuddle your loved one in front of the fire…

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A super winter dinner, especially after a big lunch. We had ribs for lunch down at Hurricane’s today and whilst they are the best ribs in Sydney, they also make you feel lardy…so with with meat for lunch, it’s definitely time for vegetables for dinner.

Ingredients
3 kipfler pototoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 skinny eggplants, sliced
1/4 pumpkin, skinned and cut into chunks
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 zucchini, cut in half
3 cloves garlic
olive oil
pepper
150g Halloumi, sliced

Method
Heat oven to 200. Heat olive oil in an oven tray (in the oven) for about 5 minutes. Add all of your vegetables and grind pepper over them. That’s it! Just wait for 40 minutes, check them once half way through and turn them over. Put the cheese over the top of the vegetables and move the tray up to the grill for about 5- 10 mins.

Halloumi doesn’t melt - it still, according the geek - tastes like rubber. However I love it. This is a great recipe for you vego’s and people wanting to detox from meat.

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