Mystery Dinner Duel I

Two people. Two meals. Only one winner.

Iain goes first. The house smells of lemon and seafood. The wine has been poured and the food has been served. The competition has begun.

My first impression from looking at Iain's mystery dish is that it looks like vomit. I am looking at this thing thinking to myself: is this really safe to eat?  Then I poke my fork in the green algae looking soup surrounding the salmon and take a brave bite. It's... Delicious? Yes, it really is delicious! And so is the pale gravy with bits floating around the edges of the plate.

I say: 6/6 for fantastic flavour... But a sad 0 for presentation (really, Iain - it was BAD). Final score of 5. Iain, of course, gives himself a straight 6. Well done.

It is round two. From the kitchen Iain can hear things smashing, things whizzing, people swearing... Less than 45 minutes later the next dish is on the table (knock knock - who's on the door? It's energy dog and Jayashankar! Come in and have a taste guys!). Ok, it DOES look better than vomit fish. It smells nice... It tastes... Nice (although I have to admit the potatoes were slightly on the dry side).

Iain says: 5/4... No I mean 6/5! What the hell is he talking about?

Mystery dinner party is nearly over. We don't really know who's won, because Iain's score doesn't really make any sense. If you want to make food that tastes like Iain's but looks better or food that tastes better, but looks as appetising as mine (give me something!) - then here's our approximate recipes:

Iain's salmon on a bed of vomit

Two pieces of salmon fillets

Pea and mint purée

Frozen peas of unknown quantities (but defrost first doh!!)

Big bunch of fresh mint

Garlic

Olive oil

Black pepper to taste

Brodetto

Shallots

Chicken stock

Lemon juice

Pour some olive oil and lemon zest over the salmon, let sit in the fridge for a couple of hours, then wrap in aluminium foil and bake in the oven. To make the brodetto, add olive oil to a pan and sauté the shallots. Add lemon juice, zest and stock. Bring to a simmer and keep warm while you make the pea and mint purée (this is easy - just chuck it all in a blender!). Add a blob of  purée to every plate, place the salmon on top and drizzle the brodetto around the sides.

Maria's sherry beef with rosemary fingerlings

Beef

A cut of rib-eye steak or similar (enough for two)

Three cloves of garlic

A handful of parsley

Five chestnut mushrooms

One cup of dry sherry

One tbsp of crème fraîche

Smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

Fingerlings

4-6 Fingerlings

One tbsp olive oil

One tbsp unsalted butter

Rosemary

Salt

Pepper

Start with the fingerlings as they need longer to cook. Add oil and butter to a large pan. When butter has melted add fingerlings and season well. Cook covered on low heat for half an hour, turning occasionally. After half an hour, add freshly torn rosemary and cook for another five minutes while dishing up the beef.

Make the beef by heating olive oil and frying cubes of rib-eye on high heat for five minutes. Meanwhile whiz together the parsley and then add this to the meat (making sure to cover all the cubes). Cook for a little while and then add the sherry. Let the meat simmer in the sherry and soak up all the good flavours. In a separate pan, heat a little butter or oil and quickly fry the sliced mushrooms. Add these to the beef and let simmer with the sherry. Then add the creme fraiche and some smoked paprika. Season and serve with the potatoes!