Category: Fish

Appetizers · Fish

Smoked salmon and roasted beets with dill-tahini sauce and seeded croutons

Belinda

This elegant and festive platter starts with thinly sliced roasted beetroot and is topped with smoked salmon, a creamy dill-tahini sauce and seedy croutons inspired by ‘everything bagel’ seasoning.

2 beets
3.5 oz of smoked salmon
DILL-TAHINI SAUCE
1 handful of dill, finely chopped, with a few sprigs reserved for garnish
1 tbsp of tahini
8 3/4 oz of natural yoghurt
1 garlic clove, grated
1 tbsp of lemon juice
CROUTONS
1 egg white
2 tbsp of olive oil
2 slices of stale bread, cut into cubes
CROUTON SEASONING
1 3/4 oz of sesame seeds
1 tbsp of nigella seeds
2 tsp onion flakes
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp flaky sea salt

Preheat the oven to 425F/220°C

Wrap the beets in foil and roast for 1 hour or until tender. Different sizes will need different times – smaller beets will take about 45 minutes, and large beets could take up to 1 hour 30 minutes

Preheat the oven to 350F/180°C
Whisk the egg whites until broken up, then add the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until light and aerated, almost like mayo
Dip the bread cubes into the egg white mixture
Mix together the seasoning then spread half on a tray. Add the bread, then the rest of the seasoning, and mix together
Bake the croutons for 20 minutes
Thinly slice the roasted beetroot, then plate up the slices of beetroot and slices of salmon.
Top with croutons, a drizzling of sauce and the remaining fresh dill

Fish · Sauces

Salmon with fennel puree

Belinda

This fennel puree is quite stunning and well worth making. I think you could use many different varieties of fish with it, but I tend to use salmon as it’s easy to get

SERVES 6

FOR THE FENNEL PURÉE
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 tsp ground fennel seeds
2 pinches dried chilli flakes
2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
4 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced, with green fronds reserved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
250ml dry white wine
150ml double cream
1–2tbsp lemon juice

FOR THE SALMON
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
6 thick salmon fillets, skin on, about 175g each

TO SERVE
1 lemon, quartered
Baby potatoes and a green salad

Step 1
To make the fennel purée, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the fennel seeds, ground fennel, chili flakes, onions and 1 tsp salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions start to soften.

Step 2
Add the sliced fennel and cook for another 35 -45 minutes, stirring often, until it has softened and is starting to caramelize in places. Add the garlic and white wine, turn up the heat and cook until the wine has evaporated.

Step 3
Pour in the cream and bubble away for a few minutes more to thicken, then tip into a blender, add 2–3 tsp of the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon (you may need only a little more lemon juice or twice as much, depending on the acidity of the wine), then add a few grindings of black pepper. Put to one side and keep warm.

Step 4
To cook the salmon, heat 4 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan until it starts to shimmer. Season the salmon fillets well on both sides with salt and lemon pepper and add to the pan, skin side down. Leave to cook over a low-medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until the skin is crisp (check after a couple of minutes to make sure the skin is not burning), then turn the fillets over and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until cooked most of the way through, but still a little pink in the middle.

Step 5
To serve, spoon a mound of purée on to six plates and place a fillet on top of each one. Drizzle with more olive oil, scatter with the reserved fennel fronds and add a turn of black pepper.
Serve with lemon quarters for squeezing, buttered baby potatoes and a simply dressed salad.

Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Buttered Salmon with Red Onion, Capers and Dill

Belinda

Recipe by Alison Roman

“While salmon really is the best fish for this dish (the cooking method, the flavor profile, the whole thing), other proxies like trout and Arctic char would also work well here for their comparable fattiness.
To serve it, I just use a large spoon and scoop out large hunks of it (as in, no need to “slice” or cut into even portions). The more rustic and wild, the better.

Serves 4

1 lemon
2lbs (907 g) skin-on salmon fillet (if you can only find skinless, that’s okay)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
½ small red onion, sliced into very thin rings, divided
2-3 tbsp (30 ml) brined capers, drained
1 cup (250 ml) fresh dill (you can use parsley if you absolutely refuse to use dill)
2 tbsp (30 ml) toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325° F (163° C). Thinly slice half the lemon and remove any seeds; save the other half for juicing.

Place the salmon skin side down on a baking sheet or in a large baking dish and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter has started to brown, 2-3 minutes. Add the olive oil, sliced lemon and half the onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until the lemon and onion have started to brown and frizzle, 2-3 minutes (you’re looking for a kind of crisped rather than softened and caramelized). Add the capers and let them pop and fry a minute or two.

Pour the brown butter-lemon mixture over the salmon. Place it in the oven and roast until just cooked through but still medium rare inside, 12-15 minutes; the flesh will more translucent, less opaque. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish.

Meanwhile, toss together the dill and sesame seeds, if using, in a medium bowl. Give a squeeze from the halved lemon and season with salt and pepper. Scatter on top of the salmon, along with the remaining sliced onion.

Appetizers · Dairy-free · Fish

Rosé Shrimp

Belinda

Recipe by Eric Kim for the NY Times

“This zippy, pink shrimp dish captures the crisp and flowery flavors of rosé wine in just 20 minutes. A dusting of herbes de Provence, bloomed in hot, shrimpy olive oil, amplifies the savoriness that crustaceans cooked in butter and wine tend to provide, like that of shrimp scampi. Piment d’Espelette — the fruity, moderately spiced pepper named after a commune in France and prevalent in Basque cooking — turbocharges the color and flavor of the shrimp. This chili can be swapped in a pinch, but don’t skip the orange zest; it brings out the wine’s inherent fruitiness. Serve this dish as an appetizer with crusty bread, or as an entrée with pasta or white rice, whatever can sop up the rosy pan juices.”

Serves 4
1 lb extra-large peeled and deveined shrimp
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp herbes de Provence
½ tsp piment d’Espelette, plus more for garnish
1½ cups dry rosé wine
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick)
Orange zest, for serving

Step 1
On a plate, season the shrimp with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add the oil. Lay the shrimp down in a single layer and cook on the first side, undisturbed, until rosy around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes, then flip and continue cooking, about 30 seconds. Transfer to the plate. (The shrimp will still be gray in spots at this point, but it will continue to cook in the sauce later.)

Step 2
Stir the herbes de Provence and piment d’Espelette into the hot, shrimpy oil until fragrant, just a few seconds. Add the rosé and brown sugar. Raise the heat to high to bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until glossy and reduced by three-quarters, about 10 minutes.

Step 3
Off the heat, add the butter, stirring constantly until melted. Toss the shrimp in the hot, buttery sauce, then let sit until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Top with freshly grated orange zest and a final sprinkle of piment d’Espelette. Serve immediately.

TIP
You can easily find piment d’Espelette, or Espelette pepper, online as well as in many supermarkets and specialty spice stores. Its sunny flavor is worth seeking out for this particular dish, but gochugaru, Aleppo pepper and red-pepper flakes, though different in taste, are all adequate substitutions.

Dairy-free · Fish

Coconut fish and tomato bake

Belinda

Recipe by Yewande Komolafe

A coconut-milk dressing infused with garlic, ginger, turmeric and lime coats fish fillets in this sheet-pan dinner. Accompanying the fish are bright bursts of tomatoes which turn jammy under the broiler and relinquish some of their juices to the pan sauce. This sauce is silky enough to coat a spoon and packed with flavor. It pairs well with anything from snapper to flounder and even salmon, so choose the fillets that look best at the market. You’ll want to sop up the sauce with thick slices of grilled or toasted baguette, or spoon it over steamed rice.

Serves 4
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1(1-inch) piece fresh ginger, scrubbed and finely grated
1 garlic clove, finely grated
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp red-pepper flakes
1 tbsp honey
Kosher salt
2 limes
½ cup chopped cilantro
4(6-ounce) fish fillets, such as snapper, haddock, striped bass, fluke, sablefish or salmon, skin on or off
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
3 tbsp olive oil

In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, ginger, garlic, turmeric, red-pepper flakes, honey and 1 teaspoon salt.

Zest and juice 1 lime directly into the coconut milk mixture. Stir in ¼ cup chopped cilantro. Add the fish fillets and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position. Arrange another rack in the position closest to the broiler heat source. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Place the tomatoes on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Place the marinated fish between the tomatoes and spoon all the marinade from the bowl over the fish. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the fish. Transfer the pan to the lower-middle rack and roast until the surface of the fish is opaque but the center is not cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. The fish should not flake easily with a fork. Remove the pan from the oven and heat the broiler to high.

Move the pan to the broiler and finish cooking, rotating the pan once, until the fish is tender and the tomatoes are just beginning to brown in spots, 5 to 6 minutes, depending on thickness of the fish. Slice the remaining lime into wedges.

Divide the tomatoes and fish among dishes and tip the pan juices over the fish. Garnish with the remaining ¼ cup cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Appetizers · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free

Halibut and rhubarb ceviche with salted almonds

Belinda

Ceviche is a Latin American dish of fresh raw fish dressed in an acidic marinade – known as tiger’s milk – made from citrus juice, cilantro (coriander) stalks and chili (although there are many variations). This version uses the natural tartness of rhubarb to add a fruity twist, along with that gorgeous rosy hue.
Halibut is used in this recipe for its meaty texture, but any white fish works.

Serves 2

50g rhubarb
Juice 1 lemon
Juice 1 lime
¼ bunch fresh cilantro, stalks and leaves separated
1 green jalapeno chili, halved through its centre
¼ red onion
2 tbsp salted almonds
350g skinless halibut fillet

Roughly chop the rhubarb and put in a blender with the lemon and lime juice. Whizz until smooth, then transfer to a bowl and add the cilantro stalks, the top half of the chili and a pinch of salt. Leave in the fridge to infuse for at least 30 minutes but ideally 1 hour.
Finely slice the onion and put in a bowl of cold water to crisp up. Finely slice the remaining chili into rings and roughly chop the coriander leaves and almonds. Cut the halibut into roughly 2cm chunks and put in a large bowl.
Once the ceviche dressing has infused, strain it through a fine sieve and discard the chili and cilantro stalks.
Pour the liquid over the halibut, then stir in the chopped cilantro leaves, drained red onion, sliced chili and salted almonds. Leave for 5 minutes so the acid in the marinade begins to ‘cook’ the fish and turn it opaque, then divide between 2 serving dishes.

Appetizers · Fish

Shrimp With Feta and Tomatoes

Belinda


Recipe by Malabar Hornblower

This recipe is a riff on the Greek classic shrimp saganaki, adapted from Do-Ahead Dining by Malabar Hornblower. It features shrimp folded into a fresh tomato sauce brightened with white wine, then topped with feta and broiled for a bold finish. The unexpected additions of Dijon mustard, sugar, and lemon juice highlight the sweetness of the tomatoes—no matter how imperfect your market haul may be.
Hornblower’s 1986 cookbook was ahead of its time in featuring dishes that could come together in just minutes of active kitchen time.

Serves 4

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, patted dry
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste
2 lb. fresh plum tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup finely chopped basil
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup finely chopped parsley, plus more for serving
3-4 oz. feta, crumbled
Toasted country-style bread (for serving)

Step 1
Heat 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, patted dry, in a single layer; season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook until shrimp are bright pink and nearly cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a plate.

Step 2
Reduce heat to medium and melt 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in same skillet. Cook 1 medium onion, finely chopped, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add 2 lb. plum tomatoes, chopped, ¼ cup finely chopped basil, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp. sugar; stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are beginning to fall apart and juices have thickened, 12–15 minutes.

Step 3
Pour in ½ cup dry white wine and 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Return shrimp along with any accumulated juices to skillet; stir in ¼ cup finely chopped parsley. Remove from heat and scatter 2 oz. feta, crumbled, over.

Step 4
Heat broiler. Transfer skillet to oven; broil until cheese is browned in spots and shrimp is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed.

Step 5
Divide among shallow bowls; top with more parsley. Serve with toasted country-style bread.

Appetizers · Fish

Gorgeous Green Shrimp

Belinda

Recipe from Bon Appetite Magazine

Takes about 20 minutes

This is a blazing-fast one-pan dish that will have you sopping up the sauce long after the last juicy shrimp have gone.
Bright, herbaceous, and just spicy enough, the sauce comes together entirely in a blender and cooks in the residual heat from the pan, leaving its verdant color and bold flavors intact.
A drizzle of cooling yogurt moderates the spice levels, though you could temper the heat further by removing the ribs and seeds from the jalapeño. And if you only have Greek yogurt around, just thin it with a little water or milk.
I like using a toasted baguette for the sop job—the crustiness adds a nice crunch—but rice, couscous, or farro would be just as welcome.
Another personal preference: tail-on shrimp, because I love eating with my hands. If you’d rather a utensils-only dinner, pinch off the tails before adding the shrimp to the pan.

4 servings
1 baguette, sliced 1″ thick on a diagonal
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1½ lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined
¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground pepper
1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
8 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed if desired
4 garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt

Preheat broiler. Arrange 1 baguette, sliced 1″ thick on a diagonal, in a single layer on a baking sheet; drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Broil bread until toasted and charred in spots, about 2 minutes.

Pat 1½ lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, dry with paper towels; season lightly with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.

Purée 1 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups), 8 scallions, coarsely chopped, 1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed if desired, 4 garlic cloves, 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 3 Tbsp. water in a blender until green sauce is very smooth.

Heat 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter and remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook reserved shrimp, undisturbed, until lightly browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and cook, tossing often, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour green sauce over; stir to combine.

Whisk ¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt and a drizzle of water in a small bowl to loosen; season with salt.

Drizzle yogurt sauce over shrimp in pan. Season with more black pepper. Serve with toasts.

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free · Rice

Killer crack salmon muffins

Belinda


Makes 12

3 sheets nori paper
1½ cups cooked sushi rice, fully cooled

Killer crack salmon:
1 lb salmon, skin removed + cubed small
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 tbs unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tbs honey
1 tbs ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs sesame seeds
2 scallions, diced
Glaze:
1 tbs toasted sesame oil
2 tbs honey
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Sriracha sauce
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp sesame seeds
Optional toppings:
sliced scallions, shredded carrots

Preheat your oven 400℉. Grab scissors and cut your nori sheets into 4 equal squares.
In a large bowl, whisk the olive, oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds and scallions. Add in the cubed salmon and marinate for an hour or up to overnight.
To each nori square, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of rice and spread out slightly. Transfer the square to your muffin slot, pushing down gently to center the rice in the middle with the edges coming up along the sides of the slot. Grab out 4-5 salmon cubes and fill each muffin slot. Transfer the pan to your oven and bake for 15 minutes. Broil, if needed, at the end, to get a little tan on the salmon .. 1-2 minutes.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze. Taste and adjust if needed.

Special Note: I find my Silicone Muffin Tray to keep them from getting soggy the best (as compared to my metal muffin tray).
Make sure your rice is fully cooled prior to adding to the recipe.
And don’t over fill with salmon.

Fish · Pasta

Easy creamy prawn linguine

Belinda

Recipe from food blog, Skinny Spatula

Creamy prawn linguine (linguine con gamberi) is the stuff pasta dreams are made of. Smothered in a creamy garlic sauce with lemon, this prawn and pasta recipe is ideal for date night or simply when you feel like a treat.

Serves 4

350 g (12 oz.) linguine
30 g (1 oz.) butter
250 g (9 oz.) shrimp
4-5 garlic cloves
100 ml (1/2 cup) dry white wine
1/2 tsp Italian herbs
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
200 ml (1 cup) double cream
2 tbsp creme fraiche
25 g (1 ounce) grated Parmesan
Juice of half a lemon
Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Boil the linguine two minutes less than recommended on the package.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan, add the prawns and cook for five minutes until slightly brown.
Add the garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant.
Add the wine, herbs, and chili flakes and simmer for 5 minutes until the wine evaporates.
Stir in the double cream, creme fraiche, and parmesan, cook for another minute until all creamy and bubbly and stir the pasta in.
Season to taste, add the lemon juice and parsley and serve immediately.