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I am not a great lover of fish, it has to be said; battered or in fingers maybe, but it’s only since moving to Spain that I began to appreciate fish and how easy it is to cook. We had some vegetarian visitors very early after moving to Spain, so that got me started. Now we often have fish cakes or fisherman’s pie on our menu with my recipes below. Fish should smell fresh and not fishy! It should not curl at the edges or be discoloured and should be firm and springy to the touch. Whether you are grilling, barbequing, cooking in salt or frying your fish, remember, it is very easy to overcook fish so always test with a knife. The flesh should appear opaque and flake easily when tested with a fork. Fish of course is very healthy and contains lots of ingredients that are good for us. Your local fish mongers will gut and clean your fish for you if you can’t tackle it yourself.
Buen Apetito
Fisherman’s pie
575g potatoes
Salt and pepper
50g butter
225ml milk
225g haddock
225g white fish fillet
3 tsp lemon juice
1oz plain flour
75g cheddar cheese
Small pkt of frozen peas
Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Salt and boil in water for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash with 25g butter and 125ml milk. Rinse fish and pat dry. Cut into bite-size cubes and sprinkle with lemon juice. Melt remaining butter and add flour. Heat for a further minute and then add milk. Stir until thick sauce is created and then add fish and peas. Pour fish sauce into an oven proof dish and cover with the mash. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake on 200º for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Fish Cakes
350g salmon
175g haddock
300ml milk
3 bay leaves
450g potatoes
25g butter
1 tbsp tarragon and dill
Pinch of nutmeg
50g flour
2 eggs
75g breadcrumbs
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Put the fish in a pan with the milk and bay leaves. Bring to boil and simmer until flakey. Peel and chop potatoes. Cook in boiling water until tender. Drain and mash with butter. Mix in herbs and nutmeg. Skin fish and break into large flakes. Mix with mash and shape into patties (makes around 8). Coat each one first with flour then egg and finally dip in breadcrumbs. Cook fishcakes for 3 minutes on each side in oil until golden.
Chilli Tuna Balls
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red pepper
1 green chilli
1 tbsp olive oil
185g can/fresh tuna
75g breadcrumbs
1 egg yolk
1 lemon
Salt and pepper
4-6 tbsp plain flour
Peel and chop the onion and garlic. De-seed and chop the pepper and chilli. Fry the chopped vegetables in olive oil for 5 minutes or until soft. Cook tuna or drain the tuna and flake into a bowl. Add vegetables and mix in the breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg yolk into the mixture. Grate and then squeeze the lemon into the mixture. Season and divide into balls. Coat each ball with flour. Heat oil and cook tuna balls for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Fish Gratin
575g any white fish
3 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Bechamel sauce
1 onion
2 sticks of celery
25g butter
25g flour
150ml milk
150ml fish stock
125ml double cream
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
125g Gouda cheese
Wash fish and pat dry with kitchen towel. Cut fish into small chunks and remove any bones. Sprinkle with lemon juice, cover with cling film and chill in fridge.
Make the sauce. Chop onion and celery finely. Melt butter and fry onions until golden brown. Sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 minute stirring constantly. Gradually add milk and fish stock stirring so the sauce is smooth. Add the celery and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the fish pieces and cream then season and add the Worcester sauce mixing well. Spoon the mixture into an oven proof dish, sprinkling the cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes or until golden 200º/Gas 6.
Catalonian Monkfish Ragout
275g tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 large red pepper
2 large onions
6 tbsp olive oil
400g potatoes
425ml fish stock
500g monkfish (available all year but best from October to January)
1-2 tbsp flour
Salt and pepper
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
Freshly chopped parsley
Put tomatoes in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 1 minute then drain and peel. Cut in half, de-seed and dice. Peel and chop garlic. Halve the pepper, de-seed and chop. Peel and chop onions. Heat half the oil in a large pan, fry onions, garlic and peppers for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Wash potatoes and dice. Add to the sauce, pour in stock and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Cut fish where necessary, put flour on a plate and season. Coat fish with flour and heat remaining oil and fry the fillets for 4 minutes each side or until fish is cooked. Stir parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper and Tabasco into the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes then add the monkfish to warm through but not to cook. Serve immediately.
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