(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)
Fish with Garlic, Vinegar and Chilli (Serves 4)
This is a simple dish with Spanish origins from Claudia Roden’s cookbook, ‘Med’. It goes beautifully with white cannellini beans (recipe here). The original recipe was for two so I have doubled the ingredients; you may need to pan-fry the fish in two batches or you could cook the fillets in the oven (180’c fan, brushed with oil, skin-side down on an oiled baking tray for 12-15 minutes).
4 bream or sea bass fillets, skin on
8 tablespoons olive oil
10 large garlic cloves, sliced
2 good pinches of chilli pepper
4-6 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt
- Season the fish with salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy non-stick frying pan. Put two of the fillets in, skin side down, and press them down with a spatula to flatten them as the skin curls. Cook over a low-medium heat until the skin is crisp and lightly browned and they are cooked almost through (2-4 minutes depending on the thickness). Turn and cook the flesh side down for a few seconds more to lightly brown. Repeat with the other 2 fillets and an extra tablespoon of olive oil. (*If you prefer you can tray-bake the fillets in a pre-heated oven, 180’c fan; simply brush with oil and place skin-side down on an oiled baking tray for 12-15 minutes).
- Meanwhile, for the dressing, in a small pan, gently heat the remaining 6 tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic and chilli until the garlic is only just beginning to get golden and crunchy (do not let to become brown and bitter). Take off the heat and add the vinegar to taste.
- Serve the fish with the dressing poured over and sprinkled with the parsley, with simply a green salad or white cannellini beans (recipe here).
Smoked Haddock Curry with Coconut & Sweet Potato (Serves 3-4)
Admittedly this curry requires some prep – there is quite a lot of chopping and yes, the ingredient list is long. However, it pays off as the result is wonderful and once the prep is done it’s super quick to cook; it’s a great recipe for the weekend! It’s a wonderfully fragrant dish, the smoked haddock complements the flavours creating a tasty yet light curry. It’s important to get fresh lime leaves as they’ll not only make all the difference to the dish but fill your kitchen with their wonderful citrus aroma. I use fresh turmeric (use gloves as it seriously stains) but apparently you can use ground turmeric, mixed with a little water to form a paste. Serve with flatbreads (recipe here) or rice.
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 birds eye red chilli, finely chopped
Bunch of coriander, stalks chopped and leaves reserved for garnish
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
Thumb-sized piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and grated (or use 2 teaspoon turmeric powder mixed to a paste with a little water – see note above)
4 lime leaves
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1cm cubes
2 teaspoons fish sauce
250ml white wine
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
500g skinless smoked haddock fillet, cut into large chunks
1 lime, zest and juice
Handful of spinach
Salt and pepper
To Serve:
Yogurt
Sliced chilli
Lime wedges
Flat breads or rice
- Heat the coconut oil in a large pan, then add the onion and garlic and sauté for a few minutes over a medium heat. Next add the ginger, chilli, coriander stalks, coriander seeds, turmeric and lime leaves and continue to sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sweet potato, fish sauce, white wine and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until the sweet potato is soft.
- Add the haddock to the pan, stir carefully and cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the lime zest and juice, spinach and season.
- Divide between warmed bowls, scatter over the coriander leaves and serve the with yogurt, sliced chilli, lime wedges and flatbreads (recipe here) or rice.
Bandari Monkfish Tails with Shiraz Salad (Serves 4)
This Iranian recipe from Sabrina Ghayour’s cookbook Persiana uses a tasty spice mix to permeate the fish with wonderful aromatics and colour. Served with the Shiraz salad (recipe below) it delivers a flavourful dish!
4 monkfish tails or loins, about 175-200g each, skinned and cleaned
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 fat cloves, crushed
5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
A handful of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped plus extra to serve
A handful of fresh dill leaves, finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
Olive oil
1 teaspoon salt flakes
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Mix all the dry spices together in a bowl and add the garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, lime zest and juice, yogurt and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir well. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the spice paste to rest.
- Place the monkfish tails in a shallow dish. Give the spice mix a good stir and pour over the fish. Use your hands to work the paste into the fish, ensuring all sides get an even coating. Once again cover with clingfilm and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and bring the fish to room temperature.
- Preheat a frying pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, drizzle with a little olive oil. Gently lay the monkfish in the pan and cook for approximately 5 minutes on each side, or until opaque and firm. Transfer to a serving plate and leave to rest for 1-2 minutes then serve, sprinkling with a little extra coriander and the Shiraz salad (recipe below) on the side.
Shiraz Salad (Serves 4-6)
Taking its name from the city of Shiraz in Iran, this is a popular Iranian salad. It’s the perfect accompaniment for spiced meat and fish dishes.
1 cucumber, finely diced
6 vine-ripe tomatoes, cored, deseeded and finely diced
1 red onion, halved and sliced thinly into ‘half moons’
Olive oil
3 good pinches of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
2 heaped teaspoons of sumac
200g pomegranate seeds
- Place the cucumber, tomato and red onion in a bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season with the salt and pepper and pour over the lemon juice then give everything a good mix. Finally, sprinkle over the pomegranate seeds and sumac and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes, as it’s best served chilled.
Fish Tagine with Potatoes, Peas and Coriander (Serves 4)
This is a great one-pot dish from the team behind London’s Moro restaurant, it can be found in their cookbook, ‘Moro Easy’. The subtle spices lift this simple dish to higher realms; it makes a fantastic mid-week supper. I have doubled the sauce ingredients as I prefer the dish a little more ‘saucy’.
6 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra to drizzle
4 banana shallots or 1 large red onion
4 garlic cloves
2 heaped tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon rind (optional)
3 heaped teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
4 tablespoons finely chopped coriander, plus a few leaves to garnish
400g cherry tomatoes
400g small waxy new potatoes, e.g. Charlotte
400g frozen peas
4 fillets of firm white fish, e.g. sea bass, monkfish or cod
4 slices of lemon to serve
- First of all slice the potatoes into very thin slices (0.5cm) – it is important that they are thin so that they cook all the way through.
- Place all the rest of the ingredients, except the potatoes, peas and fish, into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the processed ‘sauce’ to a wide, deep pan with a tight fitting lid and add the sliced potatoes. Place over a medium to high heat. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the peas, stir well (if the sauce seems a little thick, loosen it with a couple of tablespoons of water). Bring back to a simmer and place the fish on top, replace the lid and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until just cooked through. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
- To serve, drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle over the reserved coriander leaves and top with the lemon slices.
Sea Bream with Pistachio & Herb Crust (Serves 4)
In her cookbook ‘Ripe Figs’, Yasmin Khan shares recipes from the Eastern Mediterranean; I particularly like this Turkish recipe for sea bream. It’s incredibly easy to make the herb-packed salsa for a quick, but incredibly tasty midweek meal. Simply serve with a good green salad and steamed new potatoes.
For the Salsa:
60g shelled, unsalted pistachios
4 handfuls parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 handfuls dill, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
4 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons small capers, drained and rinsed
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
For the Fish:
4 -6 sea bream fillets (depending on the size of the fish)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons plain flour (gluten-free if required)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Use a mortar and pestle to pound the pistachios until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Transfer the pistachios to a small bowl and add the remaining salsa ingredients with ¼ teaspoon salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well to ensure the herbs and nuts are evenly coated with the dressing, then set aside for the flavours to infuse.
- Pat the sea bream dry on kitchen paper, season with salt and pepper before rubbing the cumin lightly into the fish’s flesh. Dust the fish with flour, evenly coating it on both sides.
- Cook the sea bream in batches; heat some of the vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, when the oil is hot place the sea bream, skin side down in the pan. Fry for 4 minutes then flip it over and cook for a further 30 seconds. Transfer to kitchen paper to soak up the oil. Repeat adding more vegetable oil to the pan when needed.
- Serve the sea bream topped with the pistachio salsa.
Cod with Tahini Sauce and Chickpea Salad (Serves 4)
This is a classic Lebanese recipe from the ‘Moro Cookbook’ by Sam Clark. It’s a wonderfully fresh tasting dish – don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients, believe me, it is super easy to make!
4 thick cod fillets, skin on, about 200g each in weight (or another white fish)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
1 small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)
1 lemon, quartered
Tahini Sauce:
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons light tahini paste
Juice of 1 lemon
3-5 tablespoons water
Sea salt and black pepper
Chickpea Salad:
2 x 400g tins cooked chickpeas
1 clove garlic
1 large green chilli, finally chopped
½ red onion, finely diced
A squeeze of lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium cucumber, peeled and finely diced
10 cherry tomatoes, halved, seeded and finally diced
1 bunch fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
- First of all make the Chickpea Salad; crush the garlic with a pinch of salt to form a paste, then put it into a bowl with the chilli, onion, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Stir well, then add the rest of the ingredients – the chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, mint and coriander. Taste for seasoning and chill (for a fresher taste) until needed.
- For the Tahini Sauce; crush the garlic cloves to a paste with a good pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle. Whisk in the tahini, then thin with the lemon juice and finally add a little water until you have the consistency of double cream. Season to taste and set aside until needed.
- To cook the cod, place a large frying pan over a high heat and add the olive oil. Season the cod and place it in the pan, skin side up and cook for about 5 minutes. Then turn over and cook for another 4 minutes until cooked through.
- Meanwhile put the tahini sauce in a small saucepan and gently bring to a simmer for a minute or so until it has slightly thickened.
- To serve, place the fish on plates, spoon over the tahini sauce and sprinkle over the chopped parsley and pomegranate seeds. Serve with the chickpea salad and a wedge of lemon on the side.
Linguine with Red Mullet, Capers and Lemon (Serves 4)
This is the type of pasta dish that cooks in minutes but really impresses. It has lovely fresh flavours, which you will remember long after eating it!…
400g linguine (gluten-free if required)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 x 70g red mullet fillets, each cut into 5 thin strips
½ red chilli, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
25g capers
150ml white wine
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Small handful basil leaves, torn
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
- Cook the linguine according to the packet instructions until al dente.
- Meanwhile add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a frying pan and quickly fry the fish over a medium-high heat for a minute or two until just cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add a further tablespoon of oil to the pan and sauté the chilli and garlic for a couple of minutes. Then add the capers and white wine, allow to bubble away for 2- 3 minutes before returning the fish to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
- Drain the linguine and add to the mullet. Sprinkle over the grated lemon zest and the lemon juice to taste – you probably will not need all of it. Finally toss in the herbs. Serve immediately!
Hake Stewed with Clams (Serves 4)
This wonderfully fresh-tasting dish has a great combination of flavours – the addition of the pancetta gives it a subtle meaty flavour, plus it has a little bite from the chilli and smokiness from the paprika! Serve in bowls with the tasty broth and with either steamed potatoes or rice. This recipe is taken from Neil Perry’s cookbook, ‘The Food I Love’.
4 x 200g pieces of skinless Hake fillet (or Cod, Turbot, Haddock, Snapper etc)
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ tablespoon of fennel seeds, dry roasted in a frying pan
½ teaspoon smoky sweet paprika
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
Olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
75g diced smoked pancetta
250ml white wine
150g frozen peas
250ml chicken stock
600g clams, rinsed
60g unsalted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small handful of parsley, chopped
- Make a spice paste: place the garlic, ginger, fennel seeds and sea salt in a mortar and pestle and pound to form a rough paste. Add the paprika and chilli flakes and pound a little more. Set aside.
- Season the fish with a little sea salt. Heat a splash of olive oil in a deep frying pan (with a lid) or a casserole, when it is hot add the fish and sear it on both sides. Remove the fillets to a plate.
- Add a little more olive oil to the pan and add the onion and pancetta plus a little more salt, cook for 5 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the spice paste and cook for a further 2 minutes, then add the wine, cook out for 2 minutes.
- Add the peas, chicken stock and clams (ensuring all the clams are closed before cooking), bring to the boil then return the fish to the pan and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 8 minutes until the fish is cooked through and the clams have all opened (discard any which are still closed).
- Gently mix in the butter until melted. Give a good grind of fresh pepper and stir through the parsley. Check the seasoning.
- Divide the fish among four bowls, spoon over the juices and clams and serve immediately.
Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)(Serves 4)
This is a recipe which I found in the cookbook ‘Bought, Borrowed and Stolen’ which has recipes from travelling chef, Allegra McEvedy. This fish stew, or Moqueca as it is known in Brazil, is apparently a speciality from the north of the country, it’s a vibrant dish enriched with coconut milk. It’s a simple recipe but you do need to remember to marinate the fish for at least an hour or longer before cooking. Simply serve with rice.
4 fish steaks on the bone such as Halibut
3 cloves of garlic, crushed with a big pinch of salt
4 limes
A large handful of coriander, chopped
120ml olive oil
3 red onions, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato purée
5 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 green peppers, sliced
400ml tin of coconut milk
4 tablespoons plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper (gluten-free if required)
300g tiger prawns (defrosted if frozen)
Sea salt and black pepper
(long grain rice to serve)
- Place the fish steaks in a dish. In a small bowl, combine the juice of two of the limes, the garlic, salt and pepper and most of the coriander (reserving a little to serve), then pour this over the fish and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Put 60ml of the olive oil into a wider saucepan and fry two-thirds of the onion slices over a medium-high heat until softened and slightly caramelised – up to 10 minutes. Add half the tomatoes and half of the green peppers and cook for a few minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the tomato purée, coat everything well and then pour in half of the coconut milk. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, season the blitz to a thick puree in a food processor or with a stick blender.
- About 30 minutes before you want to eat, heat the remaining 60 ml of oil in wide frying pan over a high heat. Put the seasoned flour on a plate and pat both sides of the fish steaks in it. Lower the steaks into the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove and put aside.
- Add another splash of oil, if needed, and tip in the remaining onions, peppers and tomatoes. Stir over a high heat for about 5 minutes, then add the blitzed tomato mixture and the rest of the coconut milk. Season and bring to a simmer
- Slide in the fish steaks into the sauce. Cover with a lid and cook for a further 4 minutes then add the prawns. Cook for a further 3-5 minutes until the prawns are pink. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Sprinkle with the remaining chopped coriander and serve with the remaining limes, quartered, and with rice on the side.
Lemon Sole with Lemon & Caper Butter Sauce (Serves 4)
This lemon & caper butter sauce will be ready in minutes. Here I have served it with lemon sole, but in all honesty, it would work with any fillet of fish you like. Serve with steamed new potatoes and a good green salad.
50g unsalted butter
1 lemon, zest and juice
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
4 lemon sole fillets (*see note above)
2 large knobs of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil to fry the fish
- To make the sauce, heat the butter and lemon zest in a small pan, stir until the butter has melted and turns a light nut-brown colour. Remove from the heat and stir in the capers, lemon juice and parsley. Keep warm whilst you cook the fish.
- To cook the lemon sole, melt a knob of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a medium-high heat, add two of the fillets, skin side down, cook for 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn the fish over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Remove to a warmed plate whilst you cook the other 2 fillets in the same way.
- Serve the fish with the warm lemon & caper butter sauce spooned over.
Poached Fillet of Cod with Mussels, Peas and Parsley (Serves 4)
This is one of those recipes which looks good enough to serve to guests yet is easy and quick enough to serve to the family for a midweek treat! The broth is light and delicious – perhaps some bread might be good on the side to mop it up! Simply serve with steamed new potatoes.
4 fillets of cod, skinless
20g unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely sliced
½ tablespoon plain flour (gluten free if required)
100ml white wine
300ml fish stock
24 mussels, beards removed
Dash of double cream
100g peas
½ tablespoon parsley, chopped
Sea salt
- To begin cook the peas in a little boiling water for about 4 minutes (longer if fresh) until just tender. Drain and put to one side.
- Place the butter in a frying pan (with a lid), melt over a medium heat. Once foaming, add the garlic and shallot and fry until soft but without colour.
- Sprinkle over the flour, then add the white wine, stirring constantly so that there are no lumps. Reduce the liquid to a glaze consistency.
- Add the fish stock and bring to the boil.
- Season the fish with salt and add to the pan with the fish stock. Cover with a lid, lower the heat to a gently simmer, cook for 3 minutes.
- Carefully turn over the cod and add the mussels to the pan. Replace the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cod to a plate, keep warm. Remove the mussels, discarding any that haven’t opened and place on the plate with the fish.
- To finish the sauce, pass it through a sieve into a clean saucepan and place over a high heat. Bring to the boil and reduce by half then add a splash of cream.
- Finally stir through the cooked peas and chopped parsley.
- To serve arrange the cod and mussels on a plate and spoon over the sauce. Serve with steamed new potatoes on the side.
Pan Fried Plaice with Shrimp & Lemon Butter Sauce (Served with Samphire) (Serves 4)
This is one of my favourite simple fish recipes. The samphire is optional, I very often serve it without as I can’t always get hold of it, however if you can get it, do try it as it adds a subtle salty flavour which complements the lemon butter sauce.
100g unsalted butter
2 lemons, juiced and zest finely grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large plaice fillets, skinned
180g brown shrimps
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
80g Samphire (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper
- First prepare the sauce. Place the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, then cook until the butter starts to turn to a nutty brown colour. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest and juice, then season with salt and pepper. Keep warm whilst you cook the fish.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Season the plaice fillets with salt only and add to the pan, cook for 1½-2 minutes on each side. (You will probably have to cook the fish in batches, adding a little more oil to the pan, keeping the fish warm whilst you cook the second batch).
- Meanwhile place the samphire in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 2-3 minutes, drain and set aside.
- At the same time add the shrimps to the lemon butter sauce and reheat gently until the sauce is boiling, boil for 1 minute, remove from the heat and add the parsley.
- Place the plaice fillets on plates, sprinkle over the cooked samphire and spoon over the shrimp and lemon butter sauce. Serve simply with some steamed new potatoes.
Cod with Spring Greens (& Creamy Mash) (Serves 4)
This is the type of dish which would make an easy midweek meal, yet is also special enough to serve for an ‘occasion’ dinner. The cod is served on a bed of spring greens, flavoured with pancetta and garlic, and served with a creamy sauce; admittedly, it is quite an indulgent dish, made with butter and cream, but hey, once in a while, we must live! If you are feeling virtuous, you could leave the cream and butter out of the sauce so that it is more of a broth – depending on my mood, I sometimes cook it this way, it is still very tasty! I recommend that you serve the cod on a bed of creamy mash potato – heaven! (find the recipe here).
4 skinless cod fillets
100g cubed pancetta
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
1 clove garlic, chopped
400g spring greens, roughly chopped
150ml chicken stock (hot)
100ml double cream (optional – see note above)
50g butter (optional – see note above)
(To serve: mashed potato – recipe here)
- If serving with mashed potato – first of all make your mashed potato, and keep warm.
- For the greens, fry the pancetta in a large saucepan until browned and crisped. Add the thyme leaves and garlic, and stir. Now add the spring greens, then the hot stock, cream and butter (if you making the recipe without the cream/butter, just add a large knob of butter instead to bring the sauce together). Cover with a lid, allow to steam for a few minutes, shaking the pan a couple of times until cooked.
- Meanwhile fry the fish until just cooked through (about 3-4 minutes on each side)
- To serve: Place some spring greens with their sauce on a plate and, if serving with mash, place a dollop beside them, then top with a the fillet of fish.
Lemon Sole with Spring Onions and Peas (Serves 4)
This dish is full of lovely fresh flavours. It is served with a sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs which are flavoured with lemon zest; if you are gluten free like me, you can either substitute the breadcrumbs for gluten free ones – I use ‘Mr Crimbles Gluten Free Ready to Use Breadcrumbs’, or you can omit the breadcrumbs – it will still be delicious simply sprinkled with lemon zest and juice . Keep this dish simple – just serve with steamed new potatoes.
4 lemon sole, filleted and skinned
100g butter
Olive oil
12 spring onions, sliced
220g peas (defrosted if frozen)
16 basil leaves, roughly chopped
8 tablespoons vegetable stock (such as Marigold Swiss Vegetable Boullion)
Plain flour for dusting (gluten free if required)
4 lemon wedges to serve
Sea salt and black pepper
For the breadcrumbs:
4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs (see above for gluten free option)
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of chilli flakes
- Firstly toast the breadcrumbs in a frying pan, with a drizzle of olive oil. Mix with the lemon zest and chilli flakes, and put to one side.
- Place the butter, spring onions, peas, basil, stock and a little olive oil in a saucepan and season with salt. Cover the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat. Check the seasoning and keep warm whilst you cook the fish.
- Dust the fish with the flour. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the fish for about 3 minutes on each side (you will probably have to do this in batches).
- Place the lemon sole on plates, spoon over the pea mixture and sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs, serve with a wedge of lemon on the side and some steamed new potatoes.
Hake with Bacon, Peas and Cider (Serves 4)
This recipe, from Nigella Lawson’s cookbook ‘At My Table’, is a wonderfully quick dish, all cooked in the same pan – ideal for a midweek meal. It is great simply served with some steamed new potatoes. I think it is one of those dishes which will appear on your weekly menu again and again! (You can easily substitute the hake for another firm white fish of you choice).
4 Hake fillets (or other white firm fish), skin on – about 200g each
Olive oil
130g streaky bacon, snipped into 1cm strips
400g frozen petits pois
500ml dry cider
Large bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
- Heat a little olive oil in a pan (with a lid), fry the bacon until crisped and golden, then add the frozen peas, give them a good stir.
- Pour in the cider and bring to the boil, then turn it down to a simmer for about 5 minutes, until the peas are cooked. Add a little salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the fish, skin side down, to the pan and cover with a lid, allow to gently simmer for about 10 minutes until just cooked.
- Place each fillet on a plate. Stir most of the parsley through the peas and bacon in the pan (check the seasoning), then spoon it around the fish along with the lovely cidery juices. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley and serve – simply steamed new potatoes are delicious with this dish!
Cod with Braised Lentils and Prosciutto (Serves 4)
This recipe is from J.Sheekey’s cookbook ‘Fish’ – it really is worth investing in this book as it has some great, easy recipes. The portion of lentils is very generous and you will probably have leftovers – which are great for lunch the next day as a thick soup – either as they are or if you want them smoother you could blend them. One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it gives me a good lunch the next day! In fact the lentil recipe is so good that I have posted it on my Side Dishes page, as they are great with other dishes, such as sausages.
4 slices of prosciutto
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
4 cod fillets, about 180g each
For the Lentils
250g puy lentils
40ml extra virgin olive oil
100g cubed pancetta
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 leek, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
1 litre chicken stock
30g unsalted butter
½ bunch of parsley, chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
- If you have time and remember, soak the lentils in cold water for an hour before you cook them. The recipe calls for this, but these days most puy lentils (I use ‘Merchant Gourmet’) don’t require soaking, but there is a theory that they are more digestible if soaked?!…
- Spread the prosciutto out on a baking tray and place in a preheated oven, 160’c fan, for about 20 minutes until crisp – keep an eye on them as you don’t want them to burn!
- Pour 20ml of the olive oil into a heavy bottomed saucepan and gently cook the cubed pancetta, onion, carrot, leek, celery, garlic, thyme and rosemary for 5 minutes.
- Add the lentils (drained if you soaked them), stir, then add the chicken stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until they are soft to toast – not too mushy. The consistency should be sauce like.
- Heat a frying pan with the sunflower oil. Season the cod and gently cook skin side down for 5 minutes. Turn over and cook for a further 4 minutes.
- To serve, reheat the lentils and gently stir in the butter and parsley, check the seasoning. Spoon the lentils onto plates, place the cod on top and garnish with the crispy prosciutto – delicious!!
Halibut with Creamed Peas & Bacon (Serves 4)
This recipe is good enough to serve at a dinner party but easy enough to serve midweek as a family meal – a winner whatever the situation! It is from J. Sheekey’s brilliant cookbook ‘Fish’. You could substitute the halibut for another firm fleshed white fish, such as haddock. Try to get pea shoots as they give more flavour, but if they aren’t available you can use baby gem lettuce. I would serve this dish simply with steamed new potatoes.
4 x 180g halibut fillets, skinned (or another firm fleshed white fish – ask your fishmonger)
200g peas
60g unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
50g smoked bacon, diced
50ml vegetable stock
120ml double cream
3 spring onions sliced
A handful of pea shoots (or baby gem lettuce), roughly chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges (to serve)
A little olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
- Place the peas in a pan on boiling water and cook for about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Melt 20g of butter and gently soften the shallot with the bacon, without colouring.
- Add the vegetable stock and simmer until it is reduced by three quarters.
- Add the cream, season with salt and pepper and simmer to reduce by half.
- Add the peas, spring onions and pea shoots (or lettuce), and continue to simmer until the sauce is just thick enough to coat the peas. Add the remaining butter, check seasoning. Set aside and keep warm.
- Heat the a little olive oil in a frying pan. Season the halibut and gently cook for 5 minutes then turn over and cook for a further 4 minutes.
- To serve, spoon the pea sauce on plates and top with the halibut fillets. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve with steamed new potatoes.
Spaghetti with Monkfish and Cherry Tomato Sauce (Serves 4)
Often nicknamed ‘poor man’s lobster’, monkfish is a lovely meaty fish making this dish totally satisfying. It is best to have all the ingredients prepared before cooking as the sauce cooks quickly. It is a very special yet quick and simple pasta dish…
400g monkfish fillet, sliced into 1cm slices
400g spaghetti
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 red chilli, chopped (or less according to your taste)
Pinch of dried chilli flakes
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
350g ripe cherry on the vine tomatoes, halved
4 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons of capers
1 large bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 lemon
Sea salt and black pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Season the monkfish and place in the pan, allow to colour, stirring. Then add the dried and fresh chilli, and the garlic, cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and wine to the pan followed by the capers, cook over a high heat for a couple of minutes.
- Meanwhile cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions until al dente.
- Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan with the sauce along with the parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice (to taste). Toss everything together and serve. Easy!
Fillet of Sole with Sauce Vierge (Serves 4)
Sauce Vierge is a french sauce generally made with tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice and herbs, there are many variations but my favourite version is one I found in a cookbook by Nina Parker, ‘Nina’s St Tropez’. It balances the flavours of the vinegar and lemon juice perfectly with the herbs, and is an ideal accompaniment to a delicate fish like sole. It is also a great sauce for pasta – so keep any leftovers for lunch the next day (click here to see the recipe on my Recipe Pages )! This fish dish should be kept simple so that the delicate flavour of the sole is not overpowered – so serve simply with fine green beans and steamed new potatoes.
2 large knobs of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
4 sole fillets
Juice of 1 lemon, plus one lemon quartered to serve
Sea salt and black pepper
For the Sauce Vierge:
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 shallots, finely chopped
Bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
300g tomatoes, about 4 medium
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons caster sugar
Juice ½ lemon
60ml olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
- Cut the tomatoes into quarters, deseed, discarding any liquid – pat them dry on kitchen roll, slice into strips, then finely dice, add to a bowl along with the other sauce ingredients, mix well and season to taste.
- To cook the sole, melt a knob of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a medium-high heat, add half the garlic. Reduce the heat to medium, add two of the fillets, skin side down, cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Just before turning the fish add half of the lemon juice. Carefully turn the fish over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
- Remove to a warmed plate whilst you cook the other 2 fillets in the same way.
- Serve immediately with the Sauce Vierge and the lemon wedges, fine green beans and steamed new potatoes.
Plaice with Almonds & Thyme (Serves 4)
This is a lovely dinner, perfect for a summer evening and very easy to cook. I serve this dish with Baby Roast Potatoes and a Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. These ‘staple side dishes’ can be found on my Recipe Pages. The recipe for the plaice is from ‘Nina St Tropez’ by Nina Parker, this is a cookbook full of the flavours of the south of France, along with fantastic photographs of the beautiful Côte d’Azur!
The plaice cooks very quickly so it is important to get your timings right with the potatoes, they need about 30 minutes in the oven – therefore start cooking the fish 20 minutes after the potatoes have been put in the oven.
If you are cooking this for four people you will have to cook two fish at a time as there won’t be enough space in the pan for four plaice fillets, therefore half the ingredients per pan accordingly (I have noted this in the recipe below). If you want to make this dish gluten free, substitute the flour for gluten free plain flour – I use ‘Doves’.
125g plain flour (or gluten free flour)
4 plaice fillets
20 g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 – 8 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
40g blanched almonds halved lengthways
1 lemon cut into wedges to serve
Sea salt and black pepper
- First of all, mix the thyme leaves, garlic and almonds together, half this mixture into two small bowls ready to add to the fish pan during cooking.
- Put the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Dip each fillet into the flour, coating it thoroughly but shaking off any excess.
- Melt half the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan, when it is beginning to sizzle add two of the plaice fillets (I find it easier to do them skin side up first). Fry for 2 minutes.
- Carefully turn them over and add the herb mixture from one of the bowls, moving it around so that the almonds and garlic begin to colour. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove the plaice from the pan and pour over the herb/butter mixture, keep warm.
- Repeat steps 3 and 4 to cook the other 2 plaice fillets.
- Serve immediately with the lemon wedges, the baby roast potatoes and a salad of your choice with a lemon vinaigrette.
Menu Mistress 