Appetizers · Fish · Gluten Free · Salad

Sweet herring salad with apple and dill

This is so refreshing and tangy and a lovely way to start a meal.

Serves 4 to 6

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
pinch of sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 tart apples, like Granny Smith, cut into thin slices, or bite sized cubes
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dried dill weed
2 x 8oz jars pickled herring, drained and cut into bite sized pieces
chopped chives for garnish, if you fancy

Combine the sour cream, yoghurt, lemon juice, sugar, sliced onions that have been separated into rings, apple and dill.

Alternate herring and sour cream mixture in layers in a dish.

Cover and refrigerate for 5 hours or more.

Serve very cold

Asian flavors · Fish · Pasta

Addicting Asian sesame garlic noodles

This recipe is to die for and you won’t be able to stop eating them. You can serve this dish hot or at room temperature and is perfect for a pot luck as you can make the sauce ahead of time, prep whatever you’re going to add to the noodles, and just cook the spaghetti nearer the serving time.
You can augment this recipe as much as you want, but be careful with the red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like it.

These noodles are great just with a few chopped scallions added, but you can also add;
cooked prawns
chopped cilantro
chopped scallions
cooked chicken pieces
chopped red pepper
corn

Sauce recipe for 1/2 lb spaghetti. If making 3/4 lb spaghetti for 4 people, double the sauce recipe. You need the extra sauce as it gets soaked up by the hot noodles.

The Sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 large garlic cloves, chopped roughly
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup vegetable or avocado oil

Add the sauce ingredients to a food processor.
Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water, according to the instructions of the packet. Drain the pasta and put it into a large bowl and add the sauce into the hot drained pasta.
Add anything else you want and toss well.
Enjoy!

Fish · Pasta

Pasta with cauliflower and anchovies

This is a Marcella Hazan recipe which is so simple and so flavorsome. It was brought to my attention recently by the person who served me at the Beverly Hills Cheese Store. Thank you!!

You can adjust the amount in this recipe if you’re using less than 1lb of pasta.

Serves 4

1 & 1/2 lb head of cauliflower
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped fine
6 flat anchovy fillets, chopped
1/4 tsp chopped red chile pepper
salt
1lb packaged penne or other pasta
2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped

Break apart the cauliflower into florets; steam until tender, about 10 – 12 minutes.
Put the oil, garlic and chopped anchovies into a medium-sized saute pan.
Turn on the heat to medium and saute until the garlic begins to turn golden, stirring and mashing the anchovies.
Put in the cauliflower and break it up with a fork, crumbling it into peanut-sized pieces, mashing some of it into a pulp to create a sauce.
Add the hot pepper and a liberal amount of salt. Cook for a few minutes more.
Cook the pasta, place in a serving bowl and pour the sauce over it.
Toss and add the parsley.

 
Do-ahead · Fish

Easy roasted tomatoes and shrimp with feta, oregano and fennel

This makes about 4 servings depending on what you’re serving it with.

Lovely, easy and light.

5 – 6 medium sized fresh red tomatoes, cut into pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp minced garlic
1 heaped tbsp fried oregano (preferably dried Greek oregano)
1 tsp ground fennel seed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lb medium sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined. (31 to 40 count)
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup crumbed Greek feta cheese (or more)
2 – 3 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Thaw the shrimp overnight in the fridge, if frozen.
Preheat the oven to 350 F

Dice the tomatoes into pieces about an inch square and put them in the bottom of a heavy baking dish, large enough to fit the tomatoes in one layer.
Drizzle olive oil over the tomatoes, then sprinkle with the minced garlic, dried oregano, ground fennel seeds and freshly ground black pepper.
Put the tomatoes into the oven on the top rack to roast for 30 minutes.

While the tomatoes are cooking, crumble the feta cheese, squeeze the lemon juice, and clean the shrimp as needed. Take the tails off.
Chop the parsley if you’re using it.

When the tomatoes have cooked 30 minutes, arrange the shrimp over the tomatoes, sprinkle over the lemon juice and feta cheese and put the dish back into the oven on the top rack to cook the shrimp for 8 to 10 minutes
Watch them carefully so the shrimp don’t overcook. They’re done as soon as the shrimp turn pink and are barely firm.

Sprinkle the dish with the chopped parsley if using.

This is lovely served over rice or angel hair pasta or even just with some good quality focaccia or ciabatta bread to mop up all the gorgeous juices

Asian flavors · Fish

Five spice fish

This is so full of flavor, spicy, sweet and sour all at once and really quite simple.  Also pretty low in calories and ready in minutes.

Serves 4

4 white fish fillets, such as cod, sea bass, halibut, flounder, sole (about 6 oz each)
1 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder
4 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sesame oil or sunflower oil
3 scallions, shredded
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
5 oz button mushrooms, sliced
4 oz baby corn, sliced
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp dry sherry or apple juice
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper

Mix the cornstarch and 5-spice powder together and toss the fish in the mixture to coat.

Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok and stir fry the scallions, ginger, mushrooms and corn for about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the fish and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once.

Mix together the soy sauce, sherry and sugar then pour over the fish.
Simmer for about  4 minutes, (you can cover the pan for some of the time, if you need to) adjust the seasoning, then serve with noodles, stir fried vegetables or plain steamy white rice

 

Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free

Easy, quick smoked trout mousse

This is something you can whip up in seconds! Thanks to James Martin for this recipe.

14 oz smoked trout
2 tsp creamed horseradish, optional
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 squeeze lemon juice
1 pinch black pepper

Flake the smoked trout and place in a mixing bowl with the creamed horseradish, if using, and the heavy cream.
Mash with a fork until well mixed and add a squeeze of lemon juice and season to taste with some salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with hot buttered toast points!

Do-ahead · Fish · Nuts

African Fish Pie

This is unusual and really delicious with the mild curry flavor and raisins taking it to a different level.

Serves 6

1 oz butter, plus a little extra for greasing the tin
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp mild curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
3 1/2 oz raisins
1/3 cup whole blanched almonds, chopped
1 cup whole milk
2 thick slices white bread
2lbs 4 oz skinless cod, or another similar fish, finely chopped
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 375 F
Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the onion. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until soft and lightly golden, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Mix in 1 tbsp of the curry powder, the turmeric, lemon zest and juice, raisins and almonds.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Pour 2 1/2 tbsp of the milk into a bowl and soak the bread in it for 10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes.
Squeeze the bread dry then tear it into small pieces and put in a large bowl.
Add the fish, one of the two eggs and the mixture from the frying pan to the bowl, season well with salt and pepper and mix together.

Scoop into a lightly buttered non-stick square baking tin that is 2 3/4 inches high.
Bake for 15 minutes. Towards the end of the 15 mins, whisk together the remaining milk, curry powder and egg. Pour the liquid over the top of the mixture in the tin.
Bake for a further 45 mins or until set.
Cool for 15 mins, then cut into squares to serve.

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free

Roasted salmon with miso, orange, marmalade glaze

This is dead simple, really light and gorgeous.

Serves 4

1/3 cup white miso
1/3 cup orange marmalade
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
1.5 tbsp finely grated orange peel

4 x 6oz fillets of wild salmon
finely chopped scallions (green onions)

Whisk the miso, orange juice, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, marmalade and orange peel together in a small bowl.
Put the mixture into a plastic bag and add the fillets of salmon.
Marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, turning the mixture to make sure it’s well submerged.

Preheat the oven to 350F
Line a baking sheet with non-stick aluminum foil, take the salmon out of the marinade and place on the foil.
Roast for about 17 minutes checking after 15to see if the salmon is cooked.
Remove when the salmon looks done, sprinkle with the chopped scallions.

Note: I love to make this as an orange-themed meal with:
“orange and currant pilaf”
and
“spicy orange salad Moroccan-style”, both on my blog

Fish · Gluten Free · Whole30 compliant

Mediterranean fish

This recipe is one I made up when I only had a few things in the fridge. I was looking for something light but flavorful and was thrilled with the way this came out and it only took 15 minutes to cook!

Serves 2

2 x 6oz pieces of fish like sole, cod, halibut, but not too thick.
3 medium sized onions, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 lemons, juice and grated rind of both of them
1 lemon for squeezing the juice over the fish and grated rind when seasoning the fish
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1/8 to 1/4 cup drained capers, roughly chopped
3/4 pint (punnet) of cherry tomatoes, halved
salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter and 2 turns of the pan of olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil and /or parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Season the fish fillets with salt, pepper, grated lemon rind and sprinkle with a little olive oil. Set aside.

In a shallow, heavy pan that has a lid, (I have a heavy round cast iron one) heat the butter and olive oil gently until starting to sizzle, then put in the onions and garlic, stirring to coat with the oil and butter.. Leave them on a low heat to caramelize for about 45 mins, stirring occasionally, then add the capers, olives, cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper and lemon rind. Stir and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add the lemon juice, parsley/basil and mix well. Lay the seasoned fish fillets on the mixture in the pan and spoon the sauce over to 3/4 cover the fish so it picks up the flavors of the mixture. Sprinkle with the extra lemon juice and put the lid on.

Bake at 400 F for about 15 mins, checking to see if the fish is cooked. Don’t over cook! There should be a good amount of juice in the dish.

This is lovely served with my leek and dill pilaf recipe.

 

Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Whole30 compliant

Spicy chargrilled prawns

These are so wonderful to have in the fridge to throw in salads, serve hot or cold with a spicy mayonnaise or Romesco sauce or any other dish. The possibilities are endless once you’ve made them.

1 lb large (16 to 20 count) raw, peeled and deveined prawns
4 tbsp olive oil, approx
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 tsp granulated garlic  (If you use fresh garlic, it can burn and taste bitter)
3/4 tsp paprika sweet or smoked
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Put the prawns into a glass bowl, throw in all the other ingredients and mix really well. The prawns will turn golden because of the the turmeric. Heat a heavy ridged cast iron griddle to high and when it starts to smoke, turn it down a bit and add the prawns.
By the time you lay them all down on the griddle and count to 20 slowly, it will be time to turn them over. The 2nd side won’t take so long.
 Don’t over cook them!

They will turn a nice toasty color like the picture above and the yellow from the turmeric won’t be so apparent!  They are delicious hot with a spicy mayonnaise dip, or cold in Caesar salads or just as a snack and they pack a punch with flavor too.
I’m sure you will come up with different spices to add to what I suggested so have fun and experiment!