Today was a good day. I was sent a package that I feel is safe to say ‘life changing’. A superb company called ‘Fish for thought’ (www.fishforthought.co.uk) have come up with the rather nifty idea of sending spankingly fresh fish straight from the Cornish seas to your front door. Too good to be true I thought, but at midday there was a knock on the door and low and behold a vast package filled to the brim with the freshest fish I’ve seen in London!

With fresh crab meat, lobster, scallops, oysters, mussels, gurnard, grey mullet and a wild sea bass fillet as big as my arm! It arrived with no fuss and fresher than I could guarantee from my local fishmonger - and my local fishmonger is one of the best in London - so thats saying something.

I called up my fellow foody mate Sunny and told her to get her arse over to me after work as we were going to cook up a fishy storm! Boullabaise was on the menu, a proper swanky version, with lobster, scallops and the crab meat.

Before that, my boyfriend Dean cracked open the the oysters, Sunny made a mean shallot vinegar and we slurped them down. They were the finest, (and biggest) oysters I’ve ever had. Sweet and buttery. That with a few glugs of Prosecco are definately the way to go for a random Thursday night in. Bing, Sunny’s husband (eventually) arrived and we got on with the main course. You have to check out Bing’s website, he’s a very talented and famous illustrater don’t you know!!! www.mrbingo.org.uk

The boullabaise, (a summer dish I know) showcased the seafood perfectly. We sweated down some onions, shallots, fennel and garlic, added some fresh tomatoes, wine, sherry, fish stock, saffron, orange zest, bay and let that bubble away for a while before adding the fish (gurnard, silver mullet, mussels, scallops, lobster and crab). I poached it until it was cooked then put the fennel herb in. It was amazing, (So good I forgot to take a photo). Served up with some grilled soured dough baguette and a rouille made from roasted red pepper and red chilli, blended with mayo, garlic, shallot, vinegar, (hey, we had some left from the oysters) and salt.

For pudding I made a pavlova all made from Store cupboard stuff and the odd bits and bobs. I shoved some Greek yoghurt on top, pears, (I’d like to say poached but I cheated and used tinned ones in juice), covered it in a chocolate sauce, (Green and blacks 70% melted with double cream and honey) toped with toasted, and chopped hazelnuts. It was pretty special to say the least. Next time I’d go all out and go for loosely whipped cream instead of the yoghurt.

I am loving having mates round and cooking up a storm while having a good old chin wag. Anyway, bye for now off to bed feeling very pleased with myself.