Category: Fish

Fish

Tuna melt canapes

Belinda

These are the grown up version of tuna melt! Delicious and very more-ish so make a lot.
Curry powder, raisins and chutney pair nicely with cheddar cheese in this dressed up version of “tuna melt” canapes. This recipe only serves 2 but it’s easily quadrupled!

2 -3 tbsp good quality mayonnaise
1&1/2 tbsp raisins
1tbsp mango chutney, chopped  (I use Major Grey brand)
1/2 tsp medium curry powder
1 x 5oz can tuna packed in oil, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper , to taste
2 slices good quality white bread or sourdough, crusts removed
2 thin square slices of mature cheddar cheese
8 x 1″ pieces of fresh chives, optional

Heat the oven to broil and arrange a rack about 10 inches from the heating element.
Combine the mayonnaise, raisins, chutney, curry and tuna in a bowl and season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Cut each slice of bread and cheese into 4 triangles. Spoon the tuna mixture on top of the bread pieces and top with the cheese.

Broil the triangles until the cheese is melted and bubbly. About 3 to 5 minutes. garnish with the chives and serve with a good stiff drink!

 

Asian flavors · Fish · Pasta

Spaghetti with Singapore prawns sauce

Belinda

This is fairly spicy, depending on how much Thai curry paste you put in.
I love it with spaghetti. This would use 1lb cooked spaghetti for 4 people.

1&1/2lbs raw, deveined prawns, (not too large)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 oz mushrooms, sliced,
4 tbsp chopped green onions
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger
1&1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1&1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp red Thai curry paste
pinch of five spice powder
10 fl oz coconut milk
salt and pepper

Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan, put in the mushrooms, green onions, garlic and ginger for a couple of minutes.

Add the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, red curry paste and five spice powder and stir well.

The add the coconut milk, a little more salt and pepper and the prawns.

Simmer gently for a few minutes until the prawns have turned pink and serve on a bed of spaghetti, rice or rice noodles.

This sauce can be doubled or trebled, but watch the red Thai curry paste amount. You shouldn’t double that necessarily!

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free

Broiled salmon with cucumber raita

Belinda

Beautiful, light, unusual and easy!

Serves 4

2 tsp curry powder
4 tsp whole grain mustard
4 salmon fillets about 6 oz each, skinned (preferably wild)
1 large English cucumber. peeled, seeded and diced small
1 cup red onion, diced the same size as the cucumber (small)
1/2 cup plain thick yoghurt. (Not low fat)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 heaped tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Coat the salmon fillets in the mustard and sprinkle on 1 tsp of the curry powder then season with salt and pepper. Set aside until the raita is made.

Diced cucumber

In a bowl, stir together the remaining tsp of curry powder, cumin,cucumber, red onion, yoghurt, cilantro and mint. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate until serving. (About 1 hour so the flavors can blend)

Cucumber raita

Put the salmon fillets under a broiler and broil until just done but don’t over cook.
Serve with the raita either over the salmon or under the salmon

NB   You can also poach the salmon then chill it, making the dish a cold one, but I like the salmon hot.

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free

Asian shrimp stuffed mushrooms with orange glaze

Belinda

This is a killer appetizer. I have never made it without my guests taking their first bite and saying”wow!” It’s incredibly light, moist and unexpectedly intense in flavor.
Serves 4

Mushroom-Shrimp

2 tbsp peanut oil
sliced green parts of the green onions  (for garnish)
24 small to medium button mushrooms or in my case I used 16 mini Portabellos as they are perfect for stuffing
1/2 lb raw shrimp
4 minced water chestnuts
1 green onion (spring onion) minced
2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Twist the stems off the mushrooms and discard. Set caps aside.
Shell, devein and chop the shrimp, not too finely as you need to keep some texture.
Combine the shrimp, water chestnuts, green onion, ginger, sherry, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Stuff the mushrooms with the shrimp mixture, put on a platter  and refrigerate them until you cook them  (This can be done ahead of time and don’t worry if the shrimp mixture starts to discolor, it will disappear when cooking)

Asian orange glaze sauce

1 cup chicken stock
4 tbsp dry sherry
4 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp Chinese chile sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
4 tsp grated orange rind

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and stir well.
Set aside.

Final stage

Just before serving, place a large skillet (about 12″) over medium heat.
Pour in the peanut oil, then add the mushrooms carefully, button sides down. (stuffing upwards!)
Fry until the oil sizzles and the bottoms of the mushrooms are starting to brown, about 3 -4 minutes.
Pour in the Asian orange glaze sauce, cover the skillet and cook until the shrimp filling starts to turn white, about 3 – 4 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn the heat up to high and cook the mushrooms until most of the sauce has disappeared and glazes the mushrooms.
This is where the flavor gets really intense as the sauce has reduced so much and become very rich.
During the final minutes of cooking gently ladle what sauce is left over the tops of the mushrooms, glazing them with a shiny brown glaze.
Tip out the mushrooms and glaze onto a platter, decorate with the sliced green onion tops and serve immediately



Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Soup

Spicy coconut mussels with lemongrass (CleanCuisine)

Belinda

Thank you to the NY Times for this recipe. it is divine and one can’t stop slurping the sauce and mopping it up with chunks of baguette!

Serves 2
Takes about 35 minutes

2 tbsp coconut or safflower oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass trimmed (outer layers of leaves removed) and finely chopped
1/2-1 small hot chile,(like Scotch Bonnet, Jalapeno, Thai bird or Serrano) seeded and finely chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 lbs fresh mussels, rinsed well
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 tsp Asian fish sauce, or to taste
1/2 cup whole cilantro leaves
lots of fresh baguette

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot until hot.
Add the shallot, garlic, lemongrass and chile, cook over a medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and the mussels. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook until the mussels have opened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the mussels to a large bowl, leaving the liquid in the pot.
Stir the lemon zest and juice, fish sauce and cilantro into the pot. Taste and add more fish sauce and/or lemon juice if needed. (The fish sauce provides the salt)

As the mussels are cooking, halve the baguette lengthways and heat the broiler. Place the halved pieces cut side up on a baking sheet. Heat under the broiler until just golden.
Put the mussels in two wide, shallow bowls, ladle the broth over them and serve with the baguette.

Do-ahead · Egg based · Fish

Crab Quiche

Belinda

Delicious and light.
Serves 6

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (with 1/2 cup set aside)
1 cup crabmeat, chopped and picked over for any bits of shell
4 eggs
1 & 1/2 cups light cream
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
3/4 tsp chopped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
fresh crushed garlic to taste ( use 2 cloves)
A 9 inch deep frozen pie crust (defrosted)

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Place the cheese and crabmeat in the bottom of the pastry shell the set aside
Beat the remaining ingredients together thoroughly and pour into the pie shell over the crab. Sprinkle the top with the extra 1/2 cup of grated cheese.
Place on a baking sheet and cook on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the filling is just set, puffy and golden.
Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack for 10 minutes before cutting into.

Note  You can also substitute shrimp that is cleaned, peeled, deveined and chopped up

Fish · Pasta

Salmon cream tagliatelle

Belinda

This is a recipe from Debbie Cottis in England. It is so simple and is lovely as a small starter for a dinner.
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely
4 oz good smoked salmon shredded
4 fl oz dry white wine
10 fl oz heavy cream
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
6 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
1lb fresh egg tagliatelle
salt

Het the olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Fry the onion gently until softened, around 5 minutes.
Add the smoked salmon and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes
Pour in the white wine, bring to the boil and cook briskly for 1 minutes
Mix in the cream. Mix in the cayenne pepper, paprika and 5 tbsp of dill. Cook, stirring for a further 3 minutes.
Meanwhile bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the tagliatelle and cook until al dente, around 3 minutes; drain.
In a large serving bowl toss together the tagliatelle and the salmon cream sauce.
Sprinkle over the remaining dill and serve at once

 

Fish · Pasta

Spaghetti with grilled shrimp, zucchini and salsa verde

Belinda

Summer is the perfect time for this recipe.You can BBQ the zucchini and shrimp but I do them on the ridged pan over two gas elements. Like this one below.

Serves 4

Salsa Verde
2/3 cup lightly packed Italian parsley leaves
3 tbsp drained capers
1 large clove garlic
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp anchovy paste
a level 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1&1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Rest of the dish
2 tbsp olive oil
2 zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices
1&1/4lbs large shrimp, shelled and deveined
wooden or metal skewers for cooking the shrimp
3/4lb spaghetti

Put the parsley, capers, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, mustard, 1/2 tsp of the salt and the pepper into a food processor, Pulse, just to chop, 6 to 8 times. With the machine running, add the 1/2 cup olive oil in a thin stream to make a coarse puree.
Leave this salsa verde in the food processor, if necessary, pulse to re-emulsify just before adding to the pasta.

Light the grill or heat the ridged pan to hot. Brush the zucchini with 1 tbsp of the oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of the salt.
Grill the zucchini, turning, until just done, about 10 minutes in all.
When the slices are cool enough to handle, cut them crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces and put them in a large bowl.

Thread the shrimp onto the skewers. Brush the shrimp with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt.
Grill, turning, until just done, about 4 minutes in all.
Remove the shrimp from the skewers, slice them in half horizontally and add them to the zucchini

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the spaghetti until just done, about 12 minutes.
Drain. Add the pasta to the grilled zucchini and shrimp and toss with the salsa verde.

 

Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Meat

Tonnato sauce (Italian tuna sauce) with sliced pork fillet

Belinda

This is the easiest and most delectable cold sauce to put over thinly sliced pork fillet.
You can also use thinly sliced turkey, chicken, veal and even roasted peppers. It’s so versatile and I highly recommend it.

Serves 4

For the pork
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1lb pork fillet

For the sauce
3.5 oz a good brand of canned tuna in olive oil, drained
2 egg yolks
2 anchovy fillets
8 – 9 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 -2 tbsp capers
freshly ground pepper
chopped parsley to garnish

Pout the stock into a large saucepan and poach the pork fillet for 20 minutes until cooked through. Leave it to cool in the stock.
When the fillet is quite cold, remove them it the stock and slice thinly. Arrange on a serving plate.

Meanwhile, put the drained tuna into a food processor with the egg yolks and anchovy fillets. Turn the motor on and gradually add the olive oil in a very thin trickle.
Add the ground pepper and lemon juice, to taste
Spoon the sauce over the pork and scatter with capers
Garnish with parsley and serve

 

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Nuts · Poultry · Salad

Marie Claire’s Vietnamese prawn and chicken salad (CleanCuisine)

Belinda

This is so light and tangy and one of the best salads I know. Well worth making and wonderful for entertaining in the summer!

Serves 4 – 6

12 oz small cooked prawns
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp fish sauce
4 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
15 fresh mint leaves, finely sliced
1 tsp sugar
2 cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, shredded
2-3 carrots, grated
4 oz snow pea sprouts or other sprouts
1&1/2 English cucumbers peeled, seeded and diced
6 scallions (spring onions) , finely sliced
3 x baby cos (romaine) lettuce, finely sliced
1 -2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
optional  1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
optional  1 avocado, cubed

Peel the prawns and put them in a bowl
In a small bowl, combine the cumin, fish sauce, lime juice, olive oil, sesame oil, mint and sugar.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then pour the mixture over the prawns and toss until the prawns are well coated.
Add the chicken, carrot, snow pea sprouts, optional cubed avocado, cucumber, spring onion and lettuce.
Lightly toss together then pile onto a serving platter or into individual bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  (dry roasted peanuts)