4 fast and fantastic recipes from Nigella Lawson

Mix the mirin, sugar, and soy in a shallow dish that will hold all 4 pieces of salmon, and marinate the salmon in it for 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second.  Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on the stove.

Cook the salmon in the hot, dry pan for 2 minutes and then turn it over, add the marinade, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove the salmon to whatever plate you’re serving it on, and add the rice vinegar to the hot pan.

Pour the dark, sweet, salty glaze over the salmon and top with the scallion strips.  Serve with rice or noodles as you wish, and consider putting some sushi ginger on the table, too.

For fish: Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Lay each sea bass on a large piece of foil, and bring up the sides ready to make a parcel.

Slice the scallions in half lengthwise and place 4 pieces into the cavity of each fish.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of sake into each parcel, 1 tablespoon of soy, and about half a teaspoon of the grated ginger into each.

Wrap the parcels loosely but sealed firmly, and cook on a baking sheet for about 25 minutes.

Open the cooked fish parcels, peel away the skin from the top of each fish, and fillet the top layer of fish.

Turn the fish over, repeat the same process, and then spoon any juices from the parcel onto the filleted sea bass and serve with wilted greens.

For wilted greens: Heat the oil and anchovies in a wok or large pan and stir until the anchovies seem to start melting into the oil.

Toss in your green veg and stir-fry over fairly high heat — a few minutes at the most — until everything has wilted.

Melt the sugars, syrup, and butter in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the cream and vanilla, stirring together, and then take off the heat.

Divide the sauce between two cups or small bowls, and then arrange the fruit on two saucers or on a plate, as you see fit.

Preheat the oven to 250°F and oil a 9 x 13-inch baking pan or just use a disposable aluminum foil one.

Warm the condensed milk in a large pan.

Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients together and add the warmed condensed milk, using a rubber spatula to fold and distribute.

Spread the mixture into the oiled or foil pan and press down with a spatula or, better still, your hands (wearing those disposable latex CSI gloves to stop you from sticking) to make the surface even.

Bake for 1 hour, remove, and after about 15 minutes, cut into four across and four down, to make 16 chunky bars.  Let cool completely.