Here are my Dad and Marie, photo taken when we were on holiday in Malta a couple of years ago. Both were born on 5th June, although a good 30 years apart! Both also live in the north-east so I can not see them today, so instead I dedicate some food to them: lunch to Marie, and dinner to Dad.

A lunch for Marie….

Marie loves seafood, and the flavours of Thailand and the Far East, so lunch is a Thai-inspired squid salad. This was very simple and made a good lunch- here’s the recipe.

Marie’s Squid Salad

6 squid- I bought them fresh from the fish counter at work but you could easily use frozen

1garlic clove

2 hot red chillis

Splash marsala

8 cherry tomatoes, chopped in half

Salad leaves

Fresh coriander

1 lemon

4 spring onions, sliced lengthways

• prepare the squid by removing the tentacles and slicing into 1cm wide rings. I also used the tentacles, but don’t if you don’t like them.
• Heat a frying pan and add a splash of olive oil. Sauté the garlic and chilli for 1 min until fragrant. Add the squid and stir for 1 min on a high heat.
• Add a splash of marsala, or dry white wine and bubble away quickly. Add the tomatoes and stir around the pan for another couple of minutes until the squid is cooked. This doesn’t take long, and you need to be careful not to overcook as squid can turn very rubbery very quickly.
• Squeeze in some lemon juice and get ready to serve.
• On a large plate add the salad leaves and sprinkle over the spring onions and some freshly chopped coriander. Add the squid and a final squeeze of lemon juice.
• Eat immediately, preferably with a chilled glass of celebratory prosecco!

I have promised it make this for Marie when we are together in Devon at the end of the month.

A curry for Dad…..

Now Dad is actually partial to a Lamb Rogan so this would have to be a departure for him! This curry is made with chicken, tomatoes, hot chillis, curry spices and coconut milk to take the heat down a notch. I have also sautéed some red and yellow peppers in mustard seeds, curry leaves and cumin seeds as Dad will always love extra veg!

Happy Birthday French men!!!