Fresh Fish Recipes
Smokie haddock pots with Montgomery Cheddar recipe
An elegant starter containing seasonal ingredients that will impress guests at Christmas or any winter dinner party.
Ingredients
- 800g spinach, washed and large stalks removed
- 1kg undyed smoked haddock fillet, with skin
- 400ml milk
- 600g tomatoes, halved
- 35g unsalted butter
- 500ml double cream
- 200g Montgomery Cheddar, grated
Method
- 1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/ fan170°C/gas 5. Put the spinach in a large saucepan, in 2 batches, and place over a medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until the leaves have just wilted. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess liquid. Roughly chop, put into a bowl and season well. Set aside.
- 2. Put the haddock in a frying pan with the milk. Bring just to the boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low and poach gently for 10 minutes, until just cooked. Use a slotted spoon to lift the fish from the milk and, when cool enough to handle, flake into pieces, discarding the skin and any bones. Transfer to 8 x 300ml gratin dishes or a 2.5-litre dish. Discard the milk.
- 3. Deseed the tomatoes and slice. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a high heat, add the tomatoes and sauté until softened and the cooking juices are reduced. Season and set aside.
- 4. Add the spinach to the dishes/ dish, followed by the tomatoes. Pour over the cream and top with the grated cheese. Bake in the hot oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Serve immediately.
Lemon Sole Roulades filled with Goats Cheese and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 x 170g (6oz) Dover or lemon sole fillets, skinned
- salt and black pepper
- 2 x 15ml spoon (2 tablespoons) fresh chopped dill
- 2 x 15ml spoon (2 tablespoons) medium fat goats cheese or soft cream cheese
- 4 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
- zest and juice of half a lemon
Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF, Gas Mark 6
Place the fillets onto a board, skinned side up. Season. Sprinkle over half the dill. Reserve the remainder.
Lay the goats cheese over the fish and top with the tomatoes. Roll up and place into a greased ovenproof dish.
Add the lemon zest and juice and remaining dill. Cook in the oven for 10-15 minutes.Garnish with the dill and serve with asparagus.
Risotto with crayfish and wild mushrooms
Ingredients
- 15g/½oz butter
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 sprig thyme
- handful chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
- 250g/9oz risotto rice
- 100ml/3½fl oz dry white wine
- 600ml/1 pint hot fish stock
- 225g/8oz cooked crayfish tails
- 2 tbsp mascarpone or double cream
- 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
Method
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the shallot and garlic for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the thyme and mushrooms and gently fry for 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice until coated in the fat. Pour in the wine and allow to bubble for a minute or so.
Add a ladleful of the stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring constantly.
Add another ladleful of stock and stir again until absorbed. Continue adding more stock in this way until the grains of rice are plump and creamy. It should take about 15-18 minutes.
Fold in the crayfish tails for the last few minutes of cooking, followed by the mascarpone and parmesan. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir through the parsley.
Cajun Mackerel
Ingredients
- 4 small mackerel, cleaned
- 3 x 5ml spoon (3 teaspoons) coriander seeds
- 3 x 5ml spoon (3 teaspoons) allspice berries
- 3 x 5ml spoon (3 teaspoons) green peppercorns
- 3 x 5ml spoon (3 teaspoons) cumin seeds
- 3 x 15ml spoon (3 tablespoons) white wine vinegar
- 1-2 drops of Tabasco sauce
- 1-2 drops of Angostura bitters
- 1-2 drops of Worcestershire sauce
- 55g (2oz) butter or margarine
- chilli flowers, lime or lemon slices, to garnish
Method
Grind the spices using a pestle and mortar or place in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Mix the vinegar, Tabasco, bitters and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl and stir in the crushed spices.
Make 3 diagonal cuts on one side of the fish and brush with the spice mixture. Leave to marinate in a cool place for about 1 hour.
Melt the butter or margarine in a large shallow pan until sizzling. Fry the mackerel for 5-6 minutes until the spices have turned black. Turn the fish over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Garnish and serve with hot rolls and a crisp green salad.