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300 ml (10 fl oz) red pepper marmalade (below)

4 spring onions, sliced diagonally

Set the oven at gas 8, 230°C, (450°F). Cut the fish diagonally into 6 pieces and season them. Set aside in the refrigerator. Put the red onions into a dish and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Cool, skin and slice them.

In a large pan, stew the shallot and garlic in the oil for 1 minute without browning them. Add the stock, onions, fennel and potatoes. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Put in the fish pieces, cover and poach at barely a simmer until almost done but still a little pink. Remove the fish and keep it warm, but be careful not to complete the cooking.

Stir 175 ml (6 fl oz) of the red pepper marmalade into the pan and boil down until the sauce looks smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning. Put the fish back to complete the cooking and heat through. Divide between six hot soup plates, arranging the pieces of fish and the julienne of vegetables in the centre. Garnish with the spring onions and remaining pepper marmalade, and serve toasted bread rubbed with fresh garlic separately. You could also serve the fish in one large hot serving dish, if this is easier.

Red Pepper Marmalade

Makes 300 ml (10 fl oz)

6 large red peppers, seeded, ribs removed

2 large beefsteak or Marmande tomatoes, halved and seeded

1 large onion, peeled

3 large cloves garlic, peeled

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

salt, freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to gas 8, 230°C (450°F). Put the vegetables and garlic into a dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely soft. Process them and then sieve. Season to taste with the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.

FILIPINO FISH AND GUAVA SALAD

This recipe, with slight alterations, comes from Maria Υ Orosa, Her Life and Work (with 700 recipes) which was published in the Philippines in 1970. It was given in Alan Davidson’s Seafood of South-East Asia, a book I would recommend for a number of reasons, but particularly for its range of fish and fruit dishes. We do not always take into account the sweetness of fish, and how well this is emphasized by fruit other than lemon. The intention of the recipe, in a guava-growing country, was frugality, extending expensive fish. For us, economy might mean cutting down on the guavas: there is no reason why the salad should not be served in small ramekins, which means a saving of fifteen guavas.

Serves 6

500 g (1 lb) snapper

125 ml (4 fl oz) coconut cream, see recipe

25 ripe guavas

1 orange, peeled

3 bananas, peeled

Poach the fish in well-seasoned water. Cool and flake the flesh. Make the coconut cream by breaking up some solid coconut cream which can be bought in blocks and diluting it with water or cream; mixed in the blender you can achieve a smooth, very white consistency. If all you can get is desiccated coconut, do not despair. Heat a cupful with a cupful of single cream, to just below boiling. Whizz in a blender and then leave to cool. Sieve into a basin, adding a cupful of boiling water towards the end. Add salt to taste.

Peel 10 guavas thinly, halve them and discard the seeds. Chop the rest into small pieces. Divide the orange into segments and remove the thin white skins and pips. Cut the banana into smallish pieces and mix all this fruit together, with the fish. Stir in the coconut cream gently. Cover the bowl with plastic film and chill thoroughly.

Cut lids from the remaining guavas. Scoop out the seeds to make ‘shells’. Put into a plastic bag and fasten, then leave in the refrigerator to chill until needed. Just before serving, divide the salad between the shells and replace the lids.

RED SNAPPER CRÉOLE

This is a good sauce which can be used for herrings as well. My feeling is that the Worcestershire sauce makes all the difference to the flavour.

Serves 6

6 red snappers (about 1¾ kg/3½ lb), cleaned

seasoned flour

1 lemon

SAUCE

375 g (12 oz) chopped