Easy Does It! But All Saints' Judith McGrath won't serve up hospital food

TV Soap, Vol 4 No 6, June 1998

All Saints star, Judith McGrath, who plays the tough nurse, Von, has a catchcry in her kitchen when she's cooking: "Anything that's easy!" She loves food, and cooking, but Judith's not one for difficult dishes. "That's why I love whipping up my fish dish. It couldn't be simpler and it's divine at any time of year, lunch or dinner," she says. "It's very versatile, with lots of good flavour that doesn't overpower the delicate taste of the fish."

Judith usually serves it with peppered potatoes and greens, and a chilled white or light red.

She is well known to audiences as the tough but fair Colleen Powell on Prisoner and for her wacky work on A Country Practice. She shot her first ACP scenes in 1992, just as Parker did her last.

"It's great to be reunited with Georgie. That's one of the great things about TV; catching up with old chums in guest roles. And All Saints is partly shot in the very same studio as ACP was."

Judith's a real 'foodie' and though she lives alone, she does dishes like leg of 1amb for one and makes great curries from the leftovers. She loves fresh food - grilled meat, fish or chicken and salad, pasta and mushrooms or homemade soup.

Meals at home are simple affairs but she does love a lively dinner party. "I tend to go more than I throw these days, but good company, wine and food is still so irresistible."

Her tips for dinner parties are to prepare well ahead of time and limit numbers to six or eight. "And if you can find someone to help with the drinks and dishes, fabulous!"

And her ideal guests? Irish writer, Frank McCourt, Dame Judith Dench, Tim Winton and Gough and Margaret Whitlam.

CRAIG BENNETT

[for those that want it - here's Judith's fishy recipe! - BK]

JUDITH'S EASY BAKED FISH

INGREDIENTS
1 large snapper (or a small snapper per person)
bunch of bok choy, Chinese broccolli, silverbeet or cabbage
sesame oil
freshly grated ginger
coriander
red capsicum, seeded and cut into strips
shallots
chopped garlic,
crushed chilli, seeded and chopped
soy sauce
sherry

METHOD Wash and dry greens, line a baking dish with half. Lay the cleaned fish on top. Scatter over julienned capsicum, coriander, ginger, garlic, chilli and shallots. Use the sherry, soy sauce and sesame oil as a sauce, then swim it over the fish, veggies and top with the remaining greens to 'steam' the fish. After a good grind of black pepper, bake for 20 minutes in a moderate oven. Serve with greens, sauce and peppered potatoes.

PEPPERED POTATOES Oil a small baking dish. Halve small potatoes, leave the skin on, and drizzle over extra oil to coat. Toss in freshly ground pepper and Hungarian paprika. Bake in a moderate oven for 40 minutes.