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Posts Tagged ‘Fish’

Fishcakes with Parsley Sauce

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , on 2 May 2023| Leave a Comment »

This is a long recipe but it’s not difficult and quite nice and methodical. You can make the fishcakes earlier in the day and cook when you’re ready if you like. You will get big fishcakes full of chunky pieces of fish. Serve with green salad.

Wine Suggestion: a top-notch Muscadet, like Jérémie Huchet’s, very special Clos des Montys. Finely toned and vibrant with citrus and grapefruit on the palate; both dry and salty, and creamy at the same time. It’s a little edgy, but we like that. Wines like this bring out the flavours of the sea and celebrate the three fish in this dish.

Fishcakes with parsley sauce – serves 6

  • 600g Maris Piper potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 250g thick unskinned cod fillet
  • 250g thick unkinned salmon fillet
  • 100g unskinned smoked haddock fillet
  • 500ml full-fat milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • grated zest of ½ lemon
  • 6 scallions, finely sliced
  • 25g plain flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 75ml vegetable oil
  • lemon wedges, to serve

FOR THE PARSLEY SAUCE:

  • 25g butter
  • 25g plain flour
  • reserved milk from cooking the fish
  • 25g curly parsley, finely chopped

Put the potatoes into cold salted water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender, then drain and mash. Season with salt and white pepper, then spread the potatoes out over a plate to cool.

Put the fish pieces into a large saucepan with the milk and bay leaf. Season with a little salt and peppper. Cover with a lid and gently bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to finish cooking.

Remove the fish from the milk and set onto a plate. Pour the milk into a jug as you will need this for the parsley sauce later. Remove the skin from the fish and break it into chunky pieces, discarding any bones, then leave to cool completely.

When the potato has cooled, transfer it to a large bowl and stir in the lemon zest and scallions. Gently stir in the fish with a wooden spoon, trying not to break it up too much.

Divid the mixture into 6 balls. Flatten the balls into cakes, about 3cm thick, and place on a lined baking tray. Put the tray into the fridge for 45 minutes or into the freezer for 20 to firm up.

Sprinkle the flour over a plate. Beat the eggs together in a shallow bowl. Spread half the breadcrumbs over another plate. Now take each fishcake and coat in the flour, shaking off any excess, then into the egg, allowing excess to drip off and finally into the breadcrumnbs to coat. Place on a lined baking tray. When you have coated 3 fishcakes put the rest of the breadcrumbs onto the plate for the rest. The fishcakes will keep in the fridge for 24 hours at this stage.

Heat the oven to 200/C/180C fan.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then place 3 fishcakes into the pan and fry for about 3 minutes on each side. Put onto a baking tray while you fry the rest.

Put the fishcakes into the hot oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking. Test with a skewer to make sure they are hot right through to the middle.

To make the parsley sauce, melt the butter in a small pan, then stir in the flour. Cook for a minute, then gradually add the reserved milk, stirring continually until you have a smooth sauce. Allow to simmer, then cook gently for a few minutes until thickened, then season. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley.

Serve the fishcakes with the sauce and some lemon wedges. A green salad works well on the side.

(Original recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ British Classice by Si King and Dave Myers, Seven Dials, 2018.)

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Lemon Sole with Basil & Tomato Sauce

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 12 April 2023| Leave a Comment »

This fish dish feels a bit special but is very easy to make. Serve on buttered spinach and with steamed potatoes.

Wine Suggestion: from our recent trip to the Loire we opened the superlative Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Clos de la Bretonnière. Made by Jacky and J-P Blot from a monopole in Vouvray, it has to be “Vin de France” as their winery is not in the appellation. No matter, this is as fine as dry Vouvray gets. We really enjoyed the taut minerality that complimented the fish, and how it kept on giving more layers as it went along revealing hints of spring and summer fruits. Tension and poise, but with a real generosity too.

Lemon sole with basil & tomato sauce – serves 4

  • 60g plain flour
  • 2 small lemon sole, each cut into 4 fillets and skinned (your fish shop will do this for you)
  • 30g butter

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • 300ml double cream
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 3 tbsp fresh pesto
  • 100g sun-blush tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp chopped basil, to serve

Sprinkle the flour over a large plate and season well with salt and pepper.

Dip the fish fillets into the seasoned flour and shake off any excess.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Wait until the butter foams, then add the fillets and cook for 2 minute on each side, or until opaque and easy to flake. Transfer to a warm plate and keep warm while you make the sauce.

Heat the cream, lemon juice, and pesto in a pan over a medium heat until hot, then add the sun-blush tomatoes and season with salt and black pepper. Serve the fish fillets on a bed of buttered spinach, dress with the sauce and sprinkle over some basil leaves.

(Original recipe from Mary Berry’s Cookery Course, DK, 2013.)

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Za’atar Sea Bass

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , on 4 September 2022| Leave a Comment »

We’re loving all the simple and delicious recipes from Sabrina Ghayour’s new book, Persiana Everyday. This fish takes minutes to make and tastes amazing. We served with some sautéed potatoes and salad.

Wine Suggestion: A richer, rounder white like the Edetària “via Edetana” Blanc which combines old-vine Garnaxta Blanca with Viognier. Elegant and complex with honeysuckle, peach, tangerine and toasted nut aromas and flavours. The stonefruit flavours, in particular, seem to work with the earthy za’atar in a superb way.

Za’atar Sea Bass – serves 2

  • 1 heaped tbsp za’atar
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • veg oil, for frying
  • 2 skin-on sea bass fillets
  • lemon wedges, to serve

Mix the za’atar, flour and plenty of seasoning in a shallow dish.

Coat the fish fillets in the seasoned flour, turn them over a few times.

Put a frying pan over a medium-high heat and drizzle in enough oil to coat the base. When the oil is hot, put the sea bass fillets into the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the skin is crispy. Turn the fish over and cook for another minute on the other side – they should be just cooked. Serve straight away with the lemon wedges to squeeze over.

(Original recipe from Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour, Aster, 2022.)

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Baked Sea Bream

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Spanish, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 28 June 2022| Leave a Comment »

It’s the first night of our holidays and we felt like eating something to remind us of the beach!

Wine Suggestion: Dominio de Tares La Sonrisa Godello, or something similar with a chalky, Chablis-esk minerally finish; unoaked, vibrant and dry.

Baked sea bream – serves 2

  • 5 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 large green pepper, sliced
  • 400g tin tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 large waxy potatoes, peeled
  • 2 x 400g whole sea bream, scaled and gutted
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 60ml dry sherry
  • a small handful of flatleaf parsley leaves, chopped

FOR THE PICADA:

  • a small handful of flatleaf parsley leaves, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • ½ tsp sea salt

Warm 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions, garlic and pepper and cook for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf and a splash of water, then cover and cook gently for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C. Slice the potatoes, not too thin and not too thick so they hold together but cook through. Spread them over the base of a roasting dish that can easily accomodate the fish. Drizzle over 2 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together then bake for 20 minutes.

To make the picada, put the parsley, garlic and salt into a pestle and mortar and grind to a paste, then set aside.

Season the fish with salt and pepper and put on top of the cooked potatoes. Spread the picada over the fish. Add the lemon juice and a couple of tbsp of water, then pour the tomato sauce over everything. Drizzle over the last tbsp of olive oil, add the peppercorns and sherry, then bake for 20-25 minutes. Scatter with the chopped parsley to serve.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein at Home, BBC Books, 2021.)

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Norwegian Fish Chowder

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Prawns, Shellfish, Soup, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 17 February 2022| Leave a Comment »

A lovely fiskesuppe with delicate flavours and delicious chunks of seafood. You can use whatever mix of fish and shellfish you like, clams would be nice. Serve with lots of steamed potatoes.

Wine Suggestion: Fish, cream, brandy … demands a richer white with a touch of oak and Quinta Soalheiro’s Alvarinho Reserva fitted the bill. Textured and buttery, but at the same time bone dry and vibrantly fresh and full of citrus fruit and salty crisp peaches. A wine so fresh and pure, and yet round and embracing.

Norwegian Fish Chowder – serves 4

  • 100g cooked shell-on prawns
  • 1 litre fish stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • a handful of flat-leaf parsley, plus a handful of parsley leaves, chopped, to serve
  • 12 peppercorns
  • 2 carrots, roughly diced
  • 2 celery sticks, roughly diced
  • 1 leek, thinly sliced
  • 100ml dry white wine
  • 50ml brandy
  • 300ml double cream
  • 100g skinless salmon fillet, cubed into 2cm pieces
  • 150g haddock fillet, cubed into 2cm pieces
  • 20 mussels, cleaned
  • steamed potatoes (to serve)

Shell the prawns and put the shells in a large saucepan with the fish stock, bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, carrot, celery and leek. Bring to the boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. Pour in the wine and brandy and boil for another 5 minutes, then strain into a clean pan.

Add the double cream and bring back to a simmer. Add the salmon, haddock and mussels and cook for 3-4 minutes, adding the cooked prawns for just a minute to warm through at the end. Season and scatter over the chopped parsley. Serve in warm bowls and add potatoes.

(Original recipe by Signe Johansen in Olive Magazine, January 2014.)

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Black Cod Miso

Posted in Asian, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 28 January 2022| Leave a Comment »

This was made at the end of a weekend where all the previous recipes we’d tried hadn’t quite come together, or worked as we’d hoped, so our expectations were low. What a relief: we were blown away with the flavour, and our enthusiasm returned with a vengeance! The recipe is by Jamie Oliver but inspired by the Japanese restaurant Nobu in London who are known for their black cod miso and for good reason. The recipe is simple but you need to start 24 hours in advance.

Wine Suggestion: This is a dish jam packed full of savoury umami flavours and needs a similarly umami loaded wine to match. We started with a small glass of Hidalgo La Gitana’s Pasada Pastrana, a single vineyard aged manzanilla which was excellent. Then we segued into savoury Grenache territory with Roc des Ange’s Segna da Cor from the wilds of Roussillon; vibrantly textured and almost sucking the stones it was grown on. What a way to end the weekend.

Black Cod Miso- serves 4

  • 4 bulbs of pak choi, quartered
  • 1 cucumber, peeled halved and deseeded, then sliced into long 1cm thick strips
  • juice of 1 lime
  • soy sauce
  • cooked sticky rice (to serve)

FOR THE MARINADE:

  • 2 stems of lemongrass
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 200ml of sake or white wine
  • 2 tbsp runny honey
  • 300g miso paste
  • 4 x 200g cod steaks, skin-on and pin-boned

Start the marinade the day before. Remove the outer layer from the lemongrass stems and discard. Bash the lemongrass with the back of a knife, then finely chop. Put the lemongrass into a pestle and mortar with the chilli, ginger and a pinch of salt, then bash to a paste.

Put the paste into a saucepan with the sake and honey, then bring to the boil. While the mixture is warming, gradually add the miso paste, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Simmer until the mixture is lightly golden, then remove from the heat and pour onto a flat tray so it cools quickly.

When the marinade is cool, put the fish into a container and pour over three-quarters of the marinade. Move the fish fillets around to ensure they are completely coated, then cover and put into the fridge. Put the rest of the marinade into a container and keep in the fridge until needed.

When ready to cook, preheat the grill until very hot. Put the pieces of fish onto an oiled baking tray, skin-side up and cook until slightly caramelized and golden. This will take 6-8 minutes depending on how thick your pieces of fish are.

Meanwhile, lay the pak choi into a steamer over a pan of boiling water. Add the strips of cucumber and steam until the pak choi is tender.

Stir the lime juice into the container of leftover marinade to loosen it slightly. Serve the fish with the greens and drizzle over a little soy sauce. Serve with cooked rice and the miso dressing on the side.

(Original recipe from Cook with Jamie by Jamie Oliver, Penguin Books, 2006.)

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Conchiglie with Tuna, Egg & Capers

Posted in Fish, Food, Italian, Pasta, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 21 January 2022| Leave a Comment »

This recipe is from Rachel Roddy’s fabulous book, An A-Z of pasta. She introduces this one by asking if you are familar with vitello tonnato, which happens to be one of Jules’ favourite dishes, so we had to try it. Rachel uses the lumache pasta shape, which means snails and they are a bit like snail shells. We found these hard to find so we substituted conchiglie to great effect.

Wine Suggestion: look for a crisp, fresh white with a good body/structure like a dry, unoaked chardonnay from a cooler region. For us it was Céline & Frèdéric Gueguen’s Bourgogne Côtes Salines. Grown in vineyards just outside the Chablis appellation this is vibrantly fresh apple and melon flavoured with a savoury mid-palate that just melts into the tuna sauce.

Conchiglie with tuna, egg & capers – serves 4

  • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 stick of celery, trim to the palest bit, pull of any strings, and finely chop
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 x 200g tin of tuna in olive oil, drained
  • 2 tbsp tiny capers, rinsed
  • 200ml white wine
  • 1 unwaxed lemon, zested and juiced
  • 400g conchiglie (or lumache)
  • a sprig of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten

Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a generous amount of salt.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan, then add the onion and celery with a pinch of salt and cook on a medium-low heat, until soft. You need to be patient as this will take a while.

Add the tuna and capers, stir for a minute, then add the wine and allow to bubble for 10 minutes, adding 3 tbsp of lemon juice and some zest for the last few minutes. You are looking for a saucy consistency so cook for a bit longer if it is still watery.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the packet timings, then drain and tip into a warm bowl, pour the sauce over the top, add the parsley, toss together, then quickly add the egg yolks and toss again.

(Original recipe from An A-Z of Pasta by Rachel Roddy, Penguin: Fig Tree, 2021.)

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Za’atar Salmon & Tahini

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 January 2022| 2 Comments »

We’ve made plenty of fish and tahini dishes before but particularly liked this one with the additions of zingy za’atar and fresh spinch.

Wine suggestion: this works brilliantly with a juicy, crisp Verdejo, especially those that come from Rueda in Spain. Crunchy, juicy apples, lemons and grapefuit. In our glass was Dominio la Granadilla which demonstrates a passionate family all working together and speaking of the place they grew up.

Za’atar salmon and tahini – serves 4

  • 4 salmon fillets (about 600g in total), skin on
  • 2 tbsp za’atar
  • 2 tsp sumac, plus and extra ½ tsp for sprinkling at the end
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 250g baby spinach
  • 90g tahini
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 3½ tbsp lemon juice
  • 1½ tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves

Heat the oven to 220C Fan.

Pat the salmon dry with kitchen paper and season.

Mix the za’atar and sumac together in a small bowl, then sprinkle this over the top of the salmon to form a crust.

Put a large ovenproof sauté pan over a medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp of the oil. When the pan is hot, add the spinach with a little seasoning and cook for 2-3 minutes or until just wilted.

Set the salmon fillets on top of the spinach, skin side down, then drizzle the top of the fish with 2 tbsp of oil. Bake in the hot oven for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whick the tahini, garlic, 2½ tbsp of lemon juice, a good pinch of salt and 100ml of water together until smooth. It will be quite runny.

Pour the tahini around the salmon (but not over the fish) and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through and the sauce is bubbling. Spoon over the rest of the lemon juice and oil and top with the coriander and extra sprinkle of sumac.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Noor Murad & Yotam Ottolenghi, Ebury Press, 2021.)

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Grilled Trout with an Asian Dressing

Posted in Asian, Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 22 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

A simple fish dish for weeknights, and something a bit lighter before the feasting starts.

Wine Suggestion: A delight with a light, playful Riesling like Korrell’s Slice of Paradise from the Nahe in Germany, or Pikes Traditionale from the Clare Valley.

Grilled trout with Asian dressing – serves 2

  • 300g Charlotte potatoes
  • 2 skinless trout fillets
  • Thai basil or regular basil, to serve

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, remove the woody outer leaves and finely chop
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped

Boil the potatoes in salty water until tender, then drain and slice thickly, lengthways.

Season the trout, then grill for 3-4 minutes.

Arrange the potatoes onto plates and top with the trout. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and spoon over the top, then garnish with basil leaves.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe in Olive Magazine, November 2014.)

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Grilled Trout with Asian dressing

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 1 December 2021| Leave a Comment »

A simple fish supper for two, but with plenty of flavour; both delicate, fresh and rich.

Wine Suggestion: The higher acidity, fuller body and citrus-minerality of a good Albariño make this a match worth trying. Tonight Quinta Soalheiro’s Primeiras Vinhas Alvarinho from their oldest vineyards and partially made in oak really makes a statement. A velvety texture, deep and soulful, long, serious and elegant in the same breath. This wine makes a case for this grape to be considered “noble” and makes a good partner to the fattier fish and vibrant asian acidity, umami flavours.

Grilled trout with Asian Dressing – serves 2

  • 300g Charlotte potatoes
  • 2 skinless fillets of trout
  • a few basil leaves, Thai would be nice but regular will do

FOR THE DRESSING:

  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, remove the woody outer leaves and finely chop
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped

Boil the potatoes in salty water until tender, then drain and slice thickly, lengthways.

Season the trout, then grill for a few minutes.

Arrange the potatoes over two plates, then top each with a piece of fish.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and sppon over the fish, and finish with a few basil leaves.

(Original recipe by Janine Ratcliffe, Olive Magazine, November 2014.)

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Sautéed Sea Trout with Sherry Sauce

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 8 September 2021| Leave a Comment »

The rich sauce here is inspired by the sherry-like Savignin from the Jura. It’s a while since we’ve been there so we had to settle for dry sherry which still made a delicious sauce. Green beans and some new potatoes are perfect on the side.

Wine Suggestion: We think this works with a mountain wine of some sort, where you get the bracing freshness of altitude but can also get depth and body to stand up to the flavoursome sauce. In the absence of a Savignin in the fridge we turned to a Côtes du Jura Chardonnay by Chevasu-Fassenet. Rich, creamy, with hints of oak and a layer of oxidative flor mingled in with the fruit giving this a grip and extra zip.

Sautéed sea trout with sherry sauce – serves 2

  • 50g butter
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 60ml dry sherry
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 100g full-fat crème fraîche
  • ½ tsp dry sherry
  • 1 tsp finely chopped parsley
  • a pinch of sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • sea trout fillets, enough for 2

Heat 30g of the butter in a pan and gently cook the shallot until softened. Add the sherry and chicken stock, then reduced by three-quarters. Whisk in the crème fraîche and reduced for a couple of minutes, then whisk in the rest of the butter.

Reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon, then take off the heat and add the extra ½ tsp of sherry and parsley. Season with a pinch of salt and sugar and keep warm.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the trout, skin-side down, for about 4 minutes. Turn when the skin is crispy and finish cooking briefly on the other side.

Serve with the sauce, some green beans and new potaotes.

(Original recipe from Rick Stein’s Secret France, BBC Books, 2019.)

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BBQ Bream with a Smoked Potato Salad

Posted in Barbecue, Fish, Food, Potato, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 3 September 2021| Leave a Comment »

Don’t pack the barbecue away yet, you really should make this first. The smoky potato salad is good even if the fish is not your thing.

Wine Suggestion: a new find from Portugal: the Companhia de Vinhos Invencival “Natural Mystic”. An Alvarinho, Arinto, Loureiro blend from the far north, this is light and fresh and yet rounded and full flavoured standing up to the barbecued fish flavours and adding it’s own extra bit of pizzazz for a great combo.

BBQ Bream with Smoked Potato Salad – serves 2 (with salad leftover)

  • 2 whole bream, gutted and fins and other sharp bits removed
  • 1 lemon, halved

SPICE RUB FOR THE FISH:

  • 3 sprigs of rosemary, leaves chopped
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly ground
  • 1 ½ tsp garlic powder

FOR THE SMOKED POTATO SALAD:

  • 800g cooked new potatoes
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp crème fraîche
  • 6 celery sticks, finely chopped
  • 50g cornichons, sliced
  • 2 tbsp dill, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

You will need to get a charcoal barbecue nice and hot to cook on.

Prep the fish first by placing on a board and slashing through the skin a few times on both sides.

Put all of the spice rub ingredients into a shallow dish, big enough to hold the fish, and mix together. Put the fish on top and rub the spice rub all over the fish and and into the cuts you made.

Lay the fish onto a hot barbecue and leave for 5-6 minutes to allow the skin to crisp up. Turn carefully and repeat on the other side.

Carefully remove the fish from the barbecue and leave to rest for a few minutes. Squeeze over the lemon halves.

Put the potatoes directly onto the cooling embers. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the potato salad ingredients together in a a large bowl and season. Add the smoked potatoes and toss to coat.

Serve the fish with the warm potato salad.

(Original recipe from Outdoor Cooking by Tom Kerridge, Bloomsbury Absolute, 2021.)

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Fish Tagine with Saffron & Almonds

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 11 August 2021| 1 Comment »

A Moroccan-inspired fish dish for mid-week. Some couscous and yoghurt on the side are good additions.

Wine Suggestion: this works well with Grenache Blanc and we’ve fallen in love with one from Terra Alta in the south of Catalonia made by Edetaria. As it’s mid-week, the basic and joyful “via Terra” Garnatxa Blanca with its perfume and balance af fresh and ripe fruit flavours is perfect.

Fish Tagine with Saffron & Almonds – serves 4

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • a good pinch of saffron
  • 600ml hot fish stock or chicken stock
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • a thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • ½ a green chilli, thinly sliced (keep the other half to serve)
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp ground almonds
  • zest of 1 orange, juice of ½
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 700g white fish, cut into large chunks, we used hake
  • a small bunch of coriander, chopped
  • a handful of flaked almonds, toasted
  • ½ green chilli, to serve

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes to soften.

Meanwhile, put the saffron in the hot stock and leave to steep.

Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan and cook for another few minutes. Add the spices and tomato purée, stir for a few minutes until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, ground almonds, orange zest and juice, honey and saffron-stock. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Add the fish and nestle it well down into the sauce. Cover with a lid and simmer on a low heat for 2-3 minutes or until just cooked. Season to taste, then add the coriander and scatter with the toasted almonds. Scatter with the extra green chilli to serve.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Brill with Sorrel Sauce

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , on 22 April 2021| Leave a Comment »

We don’t cook with sorrel very often, perhaps once or twice a year when we see it and grab a bag. It has an unusual sour and citrussy flavour that always reminds us of holidays in France. Sorrel sauce is an excellent match for fish and goes particularly well with brill as expertly suggested by Gill Meller. A few crispy potatoes on the side would be a good addition.

Wine Suggestion: This goes great with a dry Chenin Blanc, like one of our favourites the Chateau du Hureau Argile which always has great depth of flavour alongside a crisp zestiness and dry texture, bound together with a lemony, citrus zing – very complimentary to the sorrel and able to match the rich cream and fish.

Brill with sorrel sauce – serves 4

  • 4 brill fillets (120-150g each), skin on
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2-4 thyme sprigs
  • 2 garlic cloves, skin on and bashed
  • a small knob of butter

FOR THE SAUCE:

  • a large knob of butter
  • 1 shallot, very finely diced
  • 100ml fish stock if you have it though water will be fine
  • a large bunch of sorrel (about 150g), stalks removed and cut into rough ribbons
  • 150ml double cream

Make the sauce first. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then add the chopped shallot and cook until soft but not coloured. Pour in the stock/water and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated.

Add the sorrel leaves and stir a few times until wilted. Add the cream, stir, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook for a couple of minutes to thicken it slightly. Season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and set aside.

Season the fish all over. Heat the oil with the bay leaves, thyme and garlic, in a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat. Put the brill into the hot pan, skin-side down and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the fish is cooked at least three-quarters of the way up its edge. Turn the fish with a spatula and cook for a minute more on the other side, then add a small knob of butter and remove from the heat. Rest for a minute as the butter belts.

Serve the brill with the sauce on the side.

(Original recipe from Gather by Gill Meller, Quadrille, 2017.)

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Smoked Cod & Spinach Risotto

Posted in Fish, Food, Italian, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 5 March 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is a little different given the use of the milky poaching liquor which makes this creamy and rich. Not that we partake in the cheese and fish rule anyhow, but cheese was genuinely not required. 

Wine Suggestion: Choose a white with a higher acidity to match the creamy stock and a bit of body as this is quite rich. We chose an alpine/cool-climate Chardonnay from Cantina Colterenzio from north-eastern Italy in the foothills of the Alps. Melon and apple fruit flavours with hints of buttery toast; refined and characterful.

Smoked Cod & Spinach Risotto – serves 2-3

  • 450ml full fat milk
  • 400g smoked cod or haddock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 black peppercorns
  • 450ml hot stock
  • a small onion
  • 50g butter
  • 250g risotto rice
  • a glass of white wine
  • 2 handfuls of spinach leaves, washed and torn into small pieces

Pour the milk into a saucepan large enough to take the fish in a single layer. Put the fish into the milk and add the bay leaves and peppercorns, then bring to the boil. When the milk starts to foam, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside with the fish left in the milk to infuse. 

Heat the stock in a saucepan until gently simmering.

Peel and finely chop the onion, then fry gently in the butter in a heavy-based pan. When the onion is soft, but not coloured, add the rice and stir to coat. 

Pour in the wine and allow to evaporate, then start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time. Keep stirring continually until each ladle of stock has been absorbed, then add some more. Keep the heat low to medium. When the stock is finished, start adding the poaching liquid from the fish (discard the peppercorns and bay leaves). Start tasting when almost all the milk has been absorbed. The rice should be soft but still have a little bite and it should take about 20 minutes. 

Stir the spinach into the rice. Break the fish into big pieces and gently fold into the rice, trying not to break them up too much. Check for seasoning before serving. 

(Original recipe from The Kitchen Diaries II by Nigel Slater, Fourth Estate, 2012.)

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Roast Salmon & Potatoes with Herby Peas

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, Healthy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 20 February 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is good family-friendly stuff. Easy to put together and nothing too challenging for junior palates.

Wine Suggestion: An alpine Chardonnay took our fancy tonight so we opened Cantina Colternezio’s Altkirch Chardonnay from the Südtirol – Alto Adige. With a lovely purity and precision this is both thirst quenching and comforting.

Roast salmon & potatoes with herby peas – serves 2 adults and 2 kids

  • 500g baby potatoes, halved
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 500g single piece of skinless salmon fillet (try and get the middle, chunky bit from a side of salmon if you can)
  • 2 lemons, halved
  • 250g frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp crème fraîche
  • 1 tbsp chopped dill or mint

Heat the oven to 200C/180C/gas 6.

Boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes or until just tender, then drain and leave to steam-dry in the pot.

Toss the potatoes with the oil and butter, then tip onto a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes.

Push the potatoes aside and add the salmon to the tray, add the lemon halves and season everything with salt and black pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Simmer the peas for a couple of minutes, then drain and tip into a warmed bowl. Add the crème fraîche and herbs.

Flake the salmon into chunks and serve with the potatoes and peas.

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Harissa Chickpeas with Flaked Cod

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 16 February 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is really a dish for sharing but we ate the lot with some crusty bread. Fabulous and intense flavours of lemon and harissa.

Wine Suggestion: Given this dish has a lot of strong, savoury flavours, including heat from the harissa and sour from the lemon, we had to choose Grüner Veltliner. Tonight’s choice is by Höpler from Burgenland in Austria and it was a pure and elegant wine with an appetising freshness and zesty finish. This stood it’s own ground against the big flavours in the food, was nice as an apertif and a wonderful palate cleanser after we’d finished; versatile indeed.

Harissa chickpeas with flaked cod – serves 4 as a starter

  • 200g skinless cod, remove the bones and cut into 3cm pieces
  • olive oil
  • 1/3 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 cloves of garlic, one crushed and one finely sliced
  • ½ an onion, finely sliced
  • 2 cardamom pods, bashed
  • 1 tbsp harissa, rose harissa if you can get it
  • 2 tsp tomato purée
  • 1½ small preserved lemons, skin finely chopped (discard the flesh)
  • 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 200ml vegetable stock
  • 5g coriander, roughly chopped

Put the cod into a bowl with 1½ tsp of olive oil, the cumin, crushed garlic and a pinch of salt. Mix gently, then set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan, then add the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes, until soft and golden-brown. Add the sliced garlic and cook for another minute over a gentle heat. Add the cardamom, harissa, tomato purée, preserved lemon, chickpeas and ¼ tsp of salt. Stir for a minute, then add the stock and heat for a few minutes, crushing some of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon to thicken the sauce.

Add the fish and gently stir, then cook for 3-4 minutes, turning half-way through, until cooked and easy to flake. Discard the cardamom pods, sprinkle with the coriander and serve.

(Original recipe from Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi, Tara Wigley & Esme Howarth, Ebury Press, 2018.)

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Smoked Mackeral & Leek Hash with Horseradish

Posted in Brunch, Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 27 January 2021| 2 Comments »

Thanks to a kind and generous birthday gift from friends we have been endowed with lovely smoked fish from the Connemara Smokehouse. The smoked mackerel made a lovely weekend brunch.

Smoked mackerel & leek hash with horseradish – serves 2

  • 250g new or salad potatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 2 large leeks, thinly sliced
  • 2-4 eggs
  • 100g peppered mackerel, skin removed (we used regular smoked mackerel and that was good too)
  • 2 tbsp creamed horseradish

Steam the potatoes until tender. 

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until softened. You will need to stir now and then to stop them sticking. 

Add the cooked potatoes, then turn up the heat and fry for a couple of minutes so they start to crisp and brown a bit, then flake through the mackerel.

Make some holes for the eggs in the mixture, then crack an egg into each, season, then cover the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes. You’re looking for set whites and runny yolks. Serve the horseradish sauce on the side. 

(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)

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Roast Bream with Jerusalem Artichokes, Onions, Smoked Bacon & Thyme

Posted in Fish, Food, Gluten-free, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on 1 January 2021| Leave a Comment »

This is a fish dish but the star of the show is definitely the Jerusalem artichokes, which soak up all the bacon fat. A stunner of a winter fish dish by Gill Meller who is fast becoming one of our favourite recipe writers.

Wine Suggetion: You need a good white that suits both fish, the rich bacon and earthy Jerusalem artichokes. Soalheiro’s Alvarinho from northern Portugal is a firm favourite and is both minerally-fresh and also texturally full-bodied.

Roast bream with Jerusalem artichokes, onion, smoked bacon & thyme – serves 4

  • 500g Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and cut into large pieces
  • 2 red onions, cut into wedges
  • 250g smoked bacon lardons
  • a small bunch of thyme
  • 4 garlic cloves, bashed, no need to peel
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 large bream (about 1kg) or another white fish, we used two small bream to serve 2

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 6.

Scatter the artichokes, onion, bacon, thyme and garlic over a large heavy roasting tray or dish. Drizzle over the olive oil and season well with salt and black pepper.

Cover loosely with some baking parchment, then roast for 35-45 minutes or until the artichokes are tender, give everything a toss occasionally.

Slash the fish 3-4 times on each side, then lay on top of the artichokes. Baste the fish with some bacon fat, then season the fish with salt and pepper. Turn over onto the other side and baste and season again.

Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. The flesh should come away easily from the bone.

(Original recipe from Time by Gill Meller, Quadrille, 2018.)

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Fishcakes with Ras el Hanout and Dill

Posted in Fish, Food, tagged , , , , , , , , , on 17 December 2020| Leave a Comment »

These are great for midweek, quite big, so they filled us up and tasted really good with the spicy yoghurt dip, some salad leaves and lemon. They are quite therapeutic to make too, or at least we thought so.

Wine Suggestion: A classic dish like fish cakes needs a classic match and Domaine de la Chauviniere’s Muscadet Sevre et Maine sur lie was our choice.

Fishcakes with ras el hanout and dill – serves 4

  • 600g floury potatoes, cut into even chunks
  • 300g skinless and boneless white fish
  • 300ml milk
  • 2½ tsp ras el hanout
  • zest of 2 lemons, plus 2 tbsp juice, and wedges to serve
  • small packet of dill, leaves finely chopped
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 85g dried breadcrumbs, we used Panko
  • 4 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 300g natural yoghurt
  • 100g bag of salad leaves, to serve

Put the potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with cold salty water, bring to the boil, and cook for 18-20 minutes until cooked. Drain and leave to steam-dry in the pot, then mash.

Meanwhile, put the fish in another saucepan and pour over the milk and about 100ml of water, just to cover. Cover with a lid, bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and leave aside with the lid on to finish cooking. Remove the fish with a slotted spoon and flake into large chunks with your hands.

Mix 2 tbsp of the poaching liquid into the mashed potatoes with 2 tsp of ras el hanout, the zest of 1 lemon, dill and seasoning. Carefully mix in the fish, trying not to let it break up too much further, you want nice chunks. Shape the potato mixture into 8 large fishcakes, keep them quite flat so they’re easy to brown. Dip each fishcake into the beaten egg, then the dried breadcrumbs to coat.

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat. Add the fishcakes and fry on each side for about 5 minutes over a medium heat. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t brown too much. Transfer the frying pan to the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes until piping hot.

Meanwhile, mix the yoghurt with the rest of the lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp ras el hanout and seasoning. Serve the fishcakes with salad, spiced yoghurt and lemon wedges.

(Original recipe by Katy Gilhooly in Good Food Magazine, December 2015.)

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