Fish, with reservations
I don't love it. I cook it anyway. You're welcome.
I’m not sure if it’s because I grew up inland, far from the ocean, but fish has never ranked high on my list of favourite things to cook or eat. Crustaceans and other creepy crawlies of the sea? Absolutely. Fish, on the other hand, I mostly find boring. Sorry. And yet, here we are… This is precisely why these recipes exist: if I’m going to prepare fish, it has to be worth it. Consider this my attempt to change my own mind.
Whole baked fish served on moutabal, white beans and peppers
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
The moutabal
4 firm large brinjals
½ cup tahini
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt to taste
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
The beans
2 large red peppers, blackened on an open flame (or under the grill), cooled
400 g baby spinach, washed (plus a drizzle of olive oil to wilt)
2 x 400 g cans white beans, drained and rinsed
60 ml olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
a few sprigs of thyme, leaves removed
juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt and black pepper
The fish
± 1,2 kg white flesh fish, whole, but cleaned
olive oil
salt and pepper
To serve
fresh lemon wedges
Method
Prick the whole brinjals with a fork and grill them over an open flame until they are blackened on the outside and creamy and soft inside. Remove from the fire and allow them to cool. When cooled, slit the skin and scoop out the flesh. Drain the excess liquid and squeeze a little lemon juice over this to prevent discolouration. Mash well. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
When the peppers have cooled, remove the skins and pips, and cut them into strips. Set aside. Drizzle a little olive oil into a hot pan and wilt the spinach. Remove from the heat and allow to drain in a sieve.
Pour the olive oil into a bowl. Add the crushed garlic, thyme, lemon juice and zest, wilted spinach, and the white beans. Toss to coat evenly.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the fish on an oven tray, season both sides, and then drizzle with oil. Place in the oven and cook until the fish is white and flaky in the middle and the skin slightly charred.
To serve, spread the moutabal on a platter. Top with the bean mixture and then the red pepper strips. Top with the fish, and the lemon wedges, and serve.
The smokiness and creaminess of this dish makes for a dreamy meal!
Note: This dish is even better if the fish is done outside on an open fire!
This dish is the result of something that happens often in my kitchen: a little chaos and a lot of curiosity. One summer I had a surplus of granadillas and was experimenting with a dessert using their pulp and mint. At the same time, dinner that evening happened to involve salmon. Long story short, the two ideas collided, and the result was refreshing and unexpectedly delicious! Best served at room temperature.
Seared Norwegian salmon served with fresh granadilla and mint
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 x 300 g salmon fillets, skin on
salt to season
pulp of 4 granadillas
a bunch of mint, finely chopped
Method
Heat the oil in a fish pan until the pan is very hot. Place the fillets of salmon in the pan, flesh side down, and sear for a few minutes before turning them onto the skin. Cook for a few minutes more, about 7 minutes in total, season with salt and remove from the heat.
Scrape the pulp from the granadillas onto the salmon and top with the mint.
Serve warm or at room temperature with a steamed potato and avocado pear or for a carb free option, just with a fresh, green salad.
I don’t cook fish often, but when I do, I cook like this - bold flavours, refreshing and exciting. If you already love fish, this will make you happy. If you don’t, it might just change your mind! Either way, let me know…
Dates for cooking classes from July to September have just gone live - click here to make sure you secure your spot. Really excited to share my kitchen with you this year!
Chat again soon xx
