Fish Pie
1 - Preheat oven to 230c.
2 - Boil the potatoes & the eggs for 15 minutes & steam the spinach above until wilted.
3 - Squeeze excess water from the spinach, cool eggs, de-shell & quarter.
4 - In a separate pan, slowly fry the onions & carrots for 5 - 7 minutes until soft. Add double cream & bring to the boil.
5 - Remove from the heat & add cheese, lemon juice, mustard & parsley.
6 - Put spinach fish & eggs into an oven proof pan. Mix together & pour vegetable sauce over.
7 - Mash potatoes with a little olive oil, salt & pepper & nutmeg. Spread over fish.
8 - Place in oven for 30 minutes until potatoes are golden brown.
Serve with peas & greens.
Ingredients:
50g haddock/ cod/ gurnard/ swordfish/ angel fish filleted & skinned & sliced into strips.
5 big potatoes pealed & diced for smashing.
Big handful of finely chopped fresh parsley.
Salt & pepper & extra virgin olive oil.
Juice of 1 lemon & dash of nutmeg.
2x eggs & 250ml double cream.
2x large handfuls of fresh spinach.
2x big handfuls of mature cheddar cheese.
1x onion finely chopped.
1 x heaped spoon of English mustard.
Patagonian squid salad
1 - Slice squid tubes into thin rings (+/-5mm) place in a large bowl & briskly pour over freshly boiled water. Stir for 1 minute & drain in a colander.
2 - Mix together the other ingredients & pour over hot squid.
3 - Cover & refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. (Will keep for up to 4 weeks if sealed in the fridge)
4 - May be served on a bed of lettuce with a few prawns & canned mussels.
Ingredients:
1 or 2 rainbow trout.
Flour.
60g of butter.
1/4 cup of flaked almonds.
30ml (2 tablespoons) of lemon juice.
15ml (1 tablespoon) of chopped parsley.
Lemon & lime wedges.
Salmon tagliatelle
(serves 4)
1 - Sauté the onion in the oil until soft, then add the garlic and sauté for a further minute, taking care not to burn it.
2 - Add the chopped tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and dill & simmer for about 5 minutes.
3 - Add the drained salmon & wine and simmer for another five mintes. Add the parsley & cream.
4 - In the meantime, cook the tagliatelle in plenty of salted water until it is al dente.
Serve topped with the salmon sauce & some grated Parmiggiano cheese (optional).
Ingredients:
Salt & freshly ground black pepper.
200ml white wine.
150ml single cream.
60ml chopped parsley.
30ml olive oil.
10 ml fresh or dried dill.
5 ml sugar (not necessary if using Cirio!)
2x cloves garlic, crushed.
1x large onion, finely chopped.
1x 410g tin chopped tomatoes.
1x 410g tin red salmon, drained.
Prawn & lemon pepper risotto
(serves 2 generously)
1 - Heat a little olive oil in a pan. Season the prawns with seasoning of your choice (I used the lemon pepper) & heat through for a few minutes over low heat. Keep warm.
2 - Melt the butter together with the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the shallots & saute until translucent & soft but do not let them brown.
3 - Add the rice & cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly so that each grain is well-coated with oil/butter. Add the white wine & lemon juice & keep stirring until the liquid has been absorbed almost completely.
4 - Add the hot stock a ladleful at a time (probably about 150-200 ml per ladle). Keep stirring until each ladleful has been completely absorbed, but do not let the rice dry out & stick to the pot.
5 - Once each ladleful is absorbed, add the next until the stock has all been added. The rice should be soft but each grain should retain some bite in the centre, perfectly al dente.
6 - Before you add the last ladle of stock, stir in the prawns. When the rice is cooked to your liking, stir in the Parmiggiano & remaining butter in cubes. Check for seasoning & season with lemon pepper.
7 - Serve in wide, shallow bowls, garnished with grated Parmiggiano & fresh lemon wedges.
Ingredients:
Lemon pepper.
Olive oil.
750ml fish stock.
100ml dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc).
300g short-grain risotto rice (I used arborio).
250g cooked, peeled prawns.
50g grated Parmiggiano.
20g butter, plus 20g cubed for later.
2x tbsp olive oil.
2x tbsp lemon juice.
2x large shallots, finely chopped.
1x large clove of garlic, crushed.
Trout with almonds
1 - Wash fish & pat dry. Remove backbone & remaining bones, then trim with scissors.
2 - Coat with flour in a large frying pan & heat half the butter, add fish & cook for 4 minutes each side until golden brown. Cover with oil.
3 - Heat remaining butter add flaked almonds & stir until golden brown. Add juice, parsley, salt & pepper. Stir until sauce heats through.
4 - Pour over fish & serve with lemon wedges.
Ingredients:
1kg of small squid tubes, cleaned.
250ml (1 cup) sunflower oil.
250ml (1 cup) white vinegar.
125ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice.
80ml (1/3 cup) water.
5ml of salt (1 teaspoon)
2ml (1/2 teaspoon) ground black pepper.
2ml (1/2 teaspoon) dry english mustard.
2ml (1/2 teaspoon) crushed garlic.
2ml (1/2 teaspoon) dried tarragon - optional
Fish & onion soup
1 - In a large heavy pan, sauté the onions in half the olive oil until lightly browned.
2 - Add the water, bouquet garni, salt & pepper. Bring to the boil, then cover & cook over moderate heat for 15 minutes.
3 - Add the fish, re-cover & simmer over low heat for one hour.
4 - While the fish is cooking, fry the bread in the remaining olive oil and rub each slice with half a clove of garlic.
To serve, carefully remove the fish from the pot with a slotted spoon & arrange in a warmed deep dish. Top each piece of fish with a slice of fried bread. Taste soup & adjust seasoning, if necessary, then pour over the fish.
Serve immediately.
Ingredients:
Freshly ground pepper
Bouquet garni.
(thyme, parsley, bay leaf, oregano)
1.25 litre water
6x tablespoons olive oil.
4x medium onions, sliced.
4x thick pieces hake.
4x slices French bread.
2x cloves garlic, peeled & cut in half.
1x tsp salt.
Sardines & greens stew
Canned sardines, often imported from Morocco, are cooked in stews throughout Central Africa. Any other sort of dried, smoked, or salted fish can be used in place of the sardines. If using dried or salted fish:
1 - Soak fish in water for a few hours, rinse & remove any skin or bones, & cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2 - Heat a few spoonfuls of oil in a large saucepan & fry the onion & garlic for a few minutes.
3 - Add the spinach (or greens) & fry them at high heat for a few minutes, stirring continually. (just a few minutes for spinach, but a few minutes more for other greens).
4 - Stir in the tomatoes (or canned tomatoes with their juice, or tomato sauce or paste), the salt and pepper, & a cup of water. Reduce heat, cover, & allow to simmer for twenty minutes or until the greens are nearly tender.
5 - Add the sardines (or other preserved fish) & contine to simmer until the greens are ready to eat.
Serve with rice.
Ingredients:
Oil for frying (palm oil is most authentic, but any vegetable oil will do)
Salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper or red pepper (to taste)
Canned sardines (2 or 3 cans is good, but 1 can will do if you're on a tight budget).
1x onion, finely chopped.
1x clove of garlic, minced.
1 to 2 ripe tomatos, chopped (or canned tomatos, or tomato sauce or paste).
1 to 2 pounds of spinach, cleaned, stems removed or cassava leaves (Feuilles de Manioc), kale, collards, or turnip greens or similar, cleaned, stems removed & parboiled (or some combination of these).
Malay fish cakes
1 - Preheat oven to 180 ºC. Grease an ovenproof dish.
2 - Heat oil & sauté onion until golden brown. Add mushrooms & cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3 - Remove any skin & bones from haddock & cut into strips. Add to pan & cook for 1 minute.
4 - Chop tomatoes & stir in with juice, tomato paste, thyme & chilli sauce. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken.
5 - In a large saucepan, cook potatoes in salted water until tender, then drain.
6 - Add cream & butter to potatoes, mash until smooth & season with salt & pepper to taste.
7 - Pour fish mixture into prepared casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes on top of fish.
8 - Bake for 30 minutes until heated through. Grill top of fish pie until potatoes are golden brown.
9 - Squeeze of lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg & mix all together & form into balls, roll in flour & fry in oil. The mixture must not be too soft. For variation mince meat can replace the fish.
Ingredients:
Flaked raw fish (skinned & boned).
Chopped raw tomato.
Salt & pepper.
2 thin slices bread soaked in a little water & cooking oil.
8x fresh mushrooms, sliced.
6x potatoes, peeled and diced.
750 g haddock fillets.
410 g whole tomatoes.
80 ml warm cream.
30 ml butter, melted.
30 ml oil.
15 ml tomato paste.
5 ml thyme.
2 ml chilli sauce.
2 onions, thinly sliced.
Crumbed Sardines
Next time there is a sardine run at the South Coast, here is what you do with your catch...
1 - Dust the sardines with flour.
2 - Beat the egg and milk together and dip the fish in the mixture.
3 - Roll the fish in the breadcrumbs, coating them completely
.
4 - Deep fry in hot oil, then drain on absorbent paper.
5 - Sprinkle the fish with coarse salt & serve them immediately.
Ingredients:
Sunflower oil.
Coarse salt.
400g fresh or frozen sardines (anchovies can be used as well).
125ml dried breadcrumbs.
50ml cake flour.
15ml milk.
1x egg.
Fried fish & groundnut sauce
The distinctive flavour of groundnuts (peanuts, grondboontjies) feature prominently in central African recipes. This is another of Africa's many peanut sauce recipes.
1 - Rub salt & pepper onto the fillets.
2 - Heat oil in deep frying pan until very hot. Fry fish in hot oil, one side at a time, until fish is browned & crispy, turning once.
3 - Reduce heat & cover. Allow fish to cook a few more minutes until it is done. Remove fish from pan. Place fish in covered dish in warm oven.
4 - Increase heat under frying pan. Fry the onions in the same pan, until fully cooked. Remove onions & place them over the fish. Reduce heat.
5 - Add peanut butter & curry powder (or other spices) to frying pan. Mix well with remaining oil. Reduce heat to very low.
6 - Slowly stir in enough water (about a cup) to make a smooth sauce.
7 - Pour sauce over fish and onions. Serve with Rice.
8 - Variations: include tomatoes, green pepper, hot chilli pepper, & or garlic when frying the onion.
Ingredients:
1 - 2lbs pounds fish fillets.
Salt & black pepper to taste.
1 - 2 onions - finely chopped.
One-half cup of peanut butter (natural, unsweetened) or a homemade groundnut paste made by grinding fresh roasted peanuts.
1x cup cooking oil.
1x spoonful of curry powder (or any similar spice or spices).
Prawn Curry
(serves 2-3)
1 - Stir-fry the onion, curry leaves & chillies in a little heated oil until the onion is golden brown.
2 - Stir in the garlic & ginger paste.
3 - Add the masala, turmeric & tomatoes & braise for a few minutes before simmering until the tomatoes are fragrant.
4 - Add the prawns, cover & simmer for another 5-7 minutes or until the prawns are done.
5 - Season with salt & sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves.
Ingredients:
500 g prawns, shelled & alimentary canal removed, but keep tails intact
Fresh coriander leaves.
Oil.
3-4 green chillies.
30-45 ml mixed masala (curry powder).
15 ml garlic & ginger paste.
5 ml turmeric.
6x medium-sized jam tomatoes, peeled & pureed.
1x large onion, finely chopped.
Fish Curry
1 - Season the fish with salt & pepper, sprinkle with the lemon juice & set aside.
2 - Heat a little oil in a saucepan & sauté the onion & the garlic for 5 minutes or until the onion is transparent.
3 - Add the curry powder & the turmeric & mix well.
4 - Sprinkle the flour over & stir it in.
5 - Add the water & bring to boil, stirring. Reduce the heat to low & add the fish, allspice & bay or lemon leaf.
6 - Simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Mix the vinegar, sugar & apricot jam & add to the saucepan.
7 - Simmer, stirring occasionally for another 15 minutes. Add more salt & pepper if necessary.
Serve immediately with rice.
Ingredients:
1 kg unsalted snoek, sliced. (other firm flesh fish can also be used, yellowtail etc).
Juice of half lemon.
Sunflower oil.
2x cloves garlic, crushed.
2x allspice berries.
1x large onion, finely chopped.
1x bay or lemon leaf.
250 ml water.
20 ml sugar.
15 ml smooth apricot jam.
15 ml curry powder.
10 ml cake flour.
5 ml turmeric.
5 ml vinegar.
5 ml salt.
2 ml milled pepper
Cape Malay pickled fish
1 - To firm up the flesh, sprinkle coarse salt on both sides of the fillet & let it stand in the sink for 20 minutes.
2 - Rinse under running water & pat dry with a paper towel. Cut the fish in portions with the skin attached.
3 - Do not cover fish with flour or butter but pan-fry pieces in oil till cooked through.
4 - To make the sauce, simply boil then simmer the rest of the ingredients together till the onions are cooked but still crisp to the bite (about 7 minutes).
5 - Layer the fish pieces in a ceramic or glass serving dish & cover each layer with the sauce & some onion. Be sure that the last layer is covered with sauce.
Let it cool, then refrigerate. Will keep for a week in a cool place and longer in a fridge.
Ingredients:
1 kg yellowtail, scaled & filleted, skin on.
Coarse salt.
Oil for pan frying.
8x peppercorns.
5x cloves garlic, chopped.
4x allspice berries.
4x cloves.
2x large onions, sliced.
2x bay leaves.
2x tsp coriander, ground.
2x tsp cumin, ground.
1x tbs masala.
1x tsp turmeric.
1x cup grape vinegar.
Half cup water.
Half cup golden brown sugar.
Thai green curry mussels
1 - Heat the butter & oil in your largest pot.
2 - Add the shallots & gently sauté until translucent.
3 - Stir in the curry paste, fish sauce and coconut milk & add the lemongrass. Stir until starting to bubble.
4 - Add the mussels, simmer over low heat with the lid on for about 5 minutes, until all the shells are open.
Serve garnished with the chopped fresh chilli on jasmine rice to soak up the delicious broth.
Ingredients:
2 kg fresh mussels.
30g butter.
Stick of lemongrass.
6x shallots, finely chopped.
2x tbsp sunflower or canola oil
2x tbsp Thai green curry paste.
2x tsp fish sauce.
1x 410g tin of light coconut milk.
1x fresh green chille, chopped (optional).