Ever since moving to Spain, our 2yr old son has developed this phobia of the smell of fish. Back in the UK, unless you pressed your nose hard up to the fish counter in Tesco, it was almost impossible to get any hint of there actually being any fish there. Not so in Spain!

Walk into any Spanish supermarket, especially the big ones like Carrefour and Al Campo et al, and the heady smell of sea salt and fish is enough to get our two year old retching away.

Now all we have to do is drive past any Mercadona, and he immediately covers his nose and shouts out "Don't like the smell of fish!".

It isn't helped by the fact that half of every supermarket seems to be devoted to the damn stuff. We had a friend over a couple of weeks ago and she suggested cooking us a meal. When she emerged from the freezer section clutching nothing short of a whole octopus - complete with tentacles - we all stood there in horror and politely suggested steak!

I can so picture the scene Crispy!!

Personally, I really can't see the appeal of mariscos - but am really pleased that you've found something to bring a big smile to your face

Oh chiclanagirl I would be devasted if this happened to me, prawns in any shape or form and clams are my most favourite food stuff.
We have stir fry veg, noodles and prawns at least once a week usually with lemon chicken for Mal as he doesn't get a look in with the prawns.


Really am sorry you missed out

DICK MANCHADO??
thats like a dirty/stained dick.... love it, you made me laugh!!
trituraron patata? anyone been on the google language tools?

Thanks for that. Hope tonight will make up for it. Going to a friends who has a friend from Goa staying with her who is going to make a Goan fish curry followed by profiteroles with butterscotch sauce.

Sounds good to me, I might just pop in do you think I would be noticed just sat in the corner with my bowl My turn to rest this evening, OH cooking the very british dish of steak, chips, onion, mushrooms and corn on the cob.

I'm afraid we have been foolish enough to let our food stocks run low and drove round for half an hour earlier trying to find a food shop open....in vain!

Everywhere is boarded up and dead as a dodo, so we are making do with what's in the cupboard

hmm, what can you make with half a pot of jam and a mouldy carrot....

Have you tried the Petrol Stations?

They usually have a variety of canned foods.

Fish pie to day made with merluz, panga, smoked haddock and prawns it was tasty, tasty, very very tasty Mal and I really enjoyed it, the cat thought all his birthday had come at once when he got a great big spoonful plonked in his bowl.

We tried one petrol station actually, but even that seemed to be deserted....

Never mind, I am resorting to one of Nigella's cop-out recipes that is good when you have no food in.

Can of liquidised tomatoes in a pan, a bit of water and chuck in some rice, shake in some dried basil and lots of black pepper.....let it cook for about 15 mins and you end up with a gloopy, yummy bowl of comfort food

(nicer than it sounds, honest!)

I'm afraid compared to that posh-sounding fish pie it seems very peasant-like!

Mmmmmmmmm! That sounds delicious!!

Must try that.
I see you've tried panga now, Crispy - nice, innit?
I noticed that you had to have your daily ration of prawns too

What do you use as a topping? Mash? (Or does that make me a peasant?? )

Hi Sam, yes panga is nice, we have been using it for quite a while, just recently I came across Merluz so at the moment we are overdosing on that, it is really good tasting fish and goes down well with pasta and mushroom sauce. If it ain't got a prawn in it then it ain't a proper dinner Always use mash, with either mashed up cabbage or cheese in it, today we had cheese

Hi Crispy,

Yes, we like merluza too
However, ours tends to come in the form of fish fingers, or battered boneless pieces that I fry until they're really crispy!
I didn't know it came as "proper" fish!

I think I've just proved that I really am a peasant

Will definitely give the fish pie a try, although Keith will have to pick all the prawns out as he doesn't like them
Actually, what type of sauce do you put in with it? White sauce/cheese sauce??

Cor, I'm hungry now! Off to get a bowl of cornflakes, and then I might think about going to bed

Night night hon xx

Have you ever tried Bacaloa a la Braz when you have been to Portugal? Now that is a delicious fish dish!

Hi Pam, no haven't tried Bacaloa yet, Redlippie has been kind enough to post a couple of recipes in Portugal and I can't wait to try my hand at my first Portuguese dish.