Smoked Trout Dip/Sandwich Filling

I served this is a wrap with some lettuce, it would be lovely with some cooked beetroot too.

Smoked Trout Dip/Sandwich Filling (from Hairy Dieter's Good to Eat by Hairy Bikers)
(Serves 2)

150g smoked trout fillet
2 tbsp low fat creme fraiche
1 tsp horseradish sauce
1/4 cucumber, chopped
squeeze lemon juice
salt and pepper

Break the trout into small pieces, removing any bones and put them into a bowl. Add the cucumber, dill, creme fraiche and horseradish and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and squeeze of lemon juice.

Miso and Soy Salmon with Sticky Rice and Crispy Kale

This is a very tasty dinner dish. I loved the crunch of the kale with the soft rice and salmon.

Miso and Soy Salmon with Sticky Rice and Crispy Kale
(from The Guardian)
(Serves 4)

4 salmon fillets
400g sushi rice
2 tbsp rice vinegar
salt
1 tbsp sugar
200g kale
1 tbsp oil

For the marinade
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
½ tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp red miso
1 tsp chilli flakes

 Heat the oven to 200C.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients until well combined, then lay in the fish fillets, turn to coat all over, and refrigerate for at least 30 mins.

Put the rice into a pan with 600ml water and the rice vinegar, season with sea salt and a pinch of sugar, cover and bring to a boil. Immediately turn down the heat to its lowest setting and leave the rice to steam for 15 mins. Turn off the heat, and keep somewhere warm, still covered.

While the rice is cooking, remove the kale stems and finely shred the leaves. Spread the kale out on one or two baking sheets and spray with cooking spray to coat. Sprinkle on the sugar and a pinch of salt, and bake for seven to eight mins, until dark green and crisp, stirring halfway through, so they cook evenly. Watch the kale like a hawk towards the end, so it doesn’t catch and burn.

Put the salmon on an oven tray and roast for 12-15 mins, basting with more marinade halfway through.

Divide the rice between four bowls, then top each serving with a fillet of salmon, any leftover marinade juices from the tray and the kale. Serve with soy sauce, more vinegar and some chilli oil.

Mediterranean Garlicky Fish Stew

This is a wonderful garlicky fish stew. Really flavourful and tasty.

Mediterranean Garlicky Fish Stew (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

2 tbsp oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 leek, halved and sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs of thyme
½ tsp fennel seeds
50ml white wine
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
50ml freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
pinch saffron strands, finely ground and soaked in 1 tbsp hot water
pinch chilli powder or dried chilli flakes
500ml fish stock
salt and pepper
handful chopped parsley, plus extra to serve
500g fish fillet, skinned and chopped into chunks
200g raw prawns
150g squid rings

Heat the oil in a deep sauté pan. Add the shallots and fry gently, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned. Add the leek, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and fennel seeds and fry, stirring continuously, for about 2 mins until fragrant.

Pour in the white wine and fry, stirring, until the liquid is largely reduced. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until thickened and reduced. Stir in the orange juice and zest, saffron and soaking water and chilli powder or flakes. Add the fish stock. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the parsley.

Bring to the boil and cook for about 5 mins. Add the fish, prawns and squid rings and simmer until they are just cooked through – this will take only a matter of mins. Garnish with parsley and serve at once.

Fish Crumble

This was a delicious fish crumble. I loved the use of couscous rather than breadcrumbs or mash on top of this fish pie. It turned out delicious.

Fish Crumble (from Hairy Dieters Fast Food)
(Serves 4)
(12 SP per serving)

600g skinless white fish fillets, cut into chunks
150g smoked haddock fillet, cut into chunks
cooking spray
salt and pepper

1 slice onion
1 bay leaves
peppercorns
50ml white wine
50ml milk
200ml half-fat creme fraiche
1 tsp plain flour
25g reduced fat extra mature cheddar
small bunch parsley

For the topping
100g couscous
120ml just boiled water
25g reduced fat extra mature cheddar
2 tsp oil

Heat the oven to 200C.

Put the couscous into a bowl and cover with the just boiled water. Cover and leave the couscous to stand for 10 mins until all the water has been absorbed, then fluff it up with a fork.

Put the onion and bay leaf in a saucepan with the peppercorns. Pour in the wine and milk, then stir in the creme fraiche. Put the pan over a low heat and whisk in the flour and cheese. When the sauce is well combined and the cheese has melted, leave to simmer gently for a couple of mins, then add the fish. Continue to simmer for 3-4 mins.

Finely chop the parsley and set aside 2 tbsp. Stir the rest into the sauce. Spray an ovenproof dish with oil. Spoon the fish and sauce into the dish and season.

Mix the rest of the parsley with the couscous and sprinkle over the sauce. Sprinkle the cheese in top, then drizzle over the oil. Bake the crumble for about 10 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve.

Salmon Bulgar Risotto

This really does have a risotto like texture despite not being made anything like a risotto. It was also very tasty and felt like the flavours of summer in the middle of January!

Salmon Bulgar Risotto (from Beauty Bites)
(Serves 4)

4 tomatoes, chopped
4 salmon fillets, chopped
200g bulgar wheat
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp oil
1 pepper, chopped
handful coriander, chopped
handful dill, chopped
handful green olives, chopped
1 tbsp capers

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the bulgar according to packet instructions. Drain.

Add the tomatoes to frying pan and heat over a medium-high heat for a few mins, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to fall apart and start looking like a sauce. Then add the bulgar and chopped salmon and mix together. If you need to, add some water.

After 3-4 mins cooking, stir in the garlic and oil. Cover and stir from time to time for another 3-4 mins. Turn off the heat and add the pepper, coriander, dill, olives and capers, cover and let sit for a few more mins on the warm stove. Serve.

Sweet Leek and Fennel Tuna Pasta Bake

Yummy, yummy pasta dish full of veggies. Bit of a different version of a tuna pasta bake! I didn't have any olives so I used 2 tsp of capers instead. Anything slightly salty would do!

Sweet Leek and Fennel Tuna Pasta Bake (from Super Food Family Classics - Jamie Oliver)
(Serves 4)

4 black olives, torn up
4 cloves garlic, sliced
oil
2 leeks, sliced
1 bulb fennel, sliced
2 400g tins plum tomatoes
2 tins tuna in spring water
300g wholewheat pasta
1/2 parsley, chopped
150g cottage cheese
20g parmesan, grated

Add the olives and garlic to a large pan over a medium heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Add the leeks and fennel and cook with the lid on for 15 mins or until softened, stirring regularly.

Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta for 5 mins, drain.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C. Tip the tomatoes into the pan, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, then just over half fill one of the empty tins with water, swirl around and pour into the pan. Drain and flake in the tuna, then simmer for 10 mins.

Add the pasta, cottage cheese and parsley to the tomato pan, season. Tip into a baking dish, sprinkle over the parmesan and bake for 25-30 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve.

Tuna Burger

This is a yummy tuna burger. Add as much or as little chilli as you like depending on your tolerance. Lovely Asian flavours.

Tuna Burger
(Serves 2)

150g tuna steak
1 egg
15g fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp grated lime zest
1 cm ginger, grated
2 tbsp chopped coriander
1/4 red chilli, chopped
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
squeeze lime juice
2 wholemeal buns

Put the tuna in a food processor and whizz until quite finely chopped but not pureed.

Mix the salmon with the egg, lime zest, ginger, coriander and chilli. Shape into 2 large flat burgers.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add a little oil. Add the burgers and cook for 4-5 mins per side.

While the burgers are cooking, mix together the mayonnaise, chilli sauce and lemon juice.

Lightly toast the bun and spread the sweet chilli mayo on both halves. Top with the tuna burger nd some lettuce and serve.

One-Pot Cod with Chorizo, Butter Beans and Goat's Cheese

I loved this dish, it was so easy to make with minimal washing up and super tasty. Really one worth making.

One-Pot Cod with Chorizo, Butter Beans and Goat's Cheese
(Serves 4)

4 pollack fillets
25g plain flour, for dusting
oil
400g can butter beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cooking chorizo cut into strips
200ml chicken stock
500g baby spinach
100g goat's cheese
2 tsp butter
crusty bread

Dust the pollack fillets with flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat a frying pan until hot, add a little oil and fry the fish fillets for 3-4 mins until golden brown. Carefully turn the fish over and fry for a further 1-2 mins or until golden and just cooked through.

Add the butter beans and chorizo to the pan, then add the stock and cook for 4 mins to heat through.

Add the spinach, goat's cheese and butter to the pan and cook until the cheese has melted. Place each fish fillet into a shallow serving bowl and spoon the butter bean mixture around. Serve with crusty bread.

Smoked Mackerel and Beetroot Frittata

This was a delicious fritttata, it's along time since I've made one, but this was definitely a success. Yummy!

Smoked Mackerel and Beetroot Frittata (from The Times)
(Serves 1)

1 cooked beetroot, diced
1 smoked mackerel fillet, flaked
oil
3 eggs
1 tsp sage

Preheat the grill to high. Heat the oil in a small frying pan, add the beetroot and smoked mackerel and cook for 2-3 mins.

Whisk the eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour them into the pan, making sure all the ingredients are well spread out and are covered by the eggs. Sprinkle over the sage and cook over a medium heat for about 4 mins, until the underside is cooked.

Transfer the pan to the grill and cook for 4 mins, until the eggs have set. Serve.

Steamed Salmon and Lemongrass Pilaff

This was really delicious. Perfectly cooked. I added the veggies in at the same time as the salmon. Yum!

Steamed Salmon and Lemongrass Pilaff (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, sliced
40g fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp oil
salt
300g long-grain rice
750ml chicken stock
4 200g skinless salmon fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
handful coriander leaves
handful thai basil leaves
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
soy sauce, to serve

Place the lemongrass, ginger and garlic in a small food processor and process until the mixture is finely chopped.

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the lemongrass mixture and salt and cook, stirring, for 4 mins.

Add the rice and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 12 mins.

Place the salmon on top of the rice mixture, cover and remove the pan from the heat. Allow to stand for 6 mins. Top the pilaf with coriander and basil leaves, spring onions, chilli and soy sauce to serve.

Smoked Salmon and Spelt Kedgeree

This is absolutely delicious. I had it for lunch, so I left the spelt to cool before topping with the salmon and egg. It's a great big hit of vitamin D too.

Smoked Salmon and Spelt Kedgeree
(Serves 2)

1 leek, sliced
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp curry powder
100g pearled spelt
500ml chicken or veg stock
2 eggs
100g green beans, chopped
juice 1/2 lemon
handful chopped dill
100g smoked salmon

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the leek, cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder and cook for 1 min. Add the spelt and stock and simmer, stirring occasionally for 15-20 mins, until the liquid has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, put the eggs in a saucepan full of water bring to the boil and boil for 9 mins, adding the green beans for the last 2 mins of cooking time.

Peel and quarter the eggs. Season the spelt and stir in the juice 1/2 lemon, the beans and the dill. Top with the smoked salmon and eggs. Serve.

Broccoli and Smoked Mackerel Gratin

This was a delicious bake, use homemade or store bought bechamel sauce.

Broccoli and Smoked Mackerel Gratin (from The Guardian)
(Serves 4)

200g broccoli
375g smoked mackerel
2 large tomatoes, quartered
500ml bechamel sauce
4 handfuls fresh breadcrumbs
4 tbsp grated parmesan

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and leave to cook for 3-4 mins until bright and still a little crisp. Drain and cool under cold running water, then set aside. Set the oven at 180C.

Remove the skin from the smoked mackerel and break the flesh into large pieces, removing any bones as you go. Put the smoked mackerel, drained broccoli and tomatoes into a shallow ovenproof dish or baking tin.

Pour over the béchamel sauce, scatter with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 45 mins or so, until crisp and bubbling.

Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot, Potato and Horseradish Bake

This was a very easy bake to make full of smoked fish and beetroot.

Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot, Potato and Horseradish Bake (from M&S)
(Serves 4)

500g Jersey Royal potatoes
100g cooked beetroot in natural juices
175g smoked mackerel
bunch dill
250ml double cream
150ml milk
1 tbsp horseradish sauce

Heat the oven to 190°C. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 15 mins, until just tender. Drain well.

Arrange the potatoes in a baking dish with the beetroot. Remove any skin and bones from the mackerel and break the flesh into chunky flakes. Add to the potatoes and beetroot and scatter over half the dill.

Mix together the cream, milk and horseradish and season. Pour over the potato mixture and bake for 25 mins, until bubbling.

Serve, scattered with the remaining dill.

Salmon and Bulgar Pilaf Salad

I served this as a salad but I think the original recipe was meant to be eaten hot. Delicious!

Salmon and Bulgar Pilaf Salad (from BBC Food)
(Serves 4)

4 salmon fillets, boned and skinned
1 tbsp smoked paprika
250g bulgur wheat
85g frozen peas
200g runner beans, chopped
2 tbsp chopped chives
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper
juice 1/2 lemon

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Sprinkle the smoked paprika over the salmon and cook in the oven for 12-15 mins, or until the salmon is cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the bulgar wheat according to packet instructions. Add the beans for the last 5 mins of cooking time and the peas for the last 3 mins.

Flake the salmon and mix it into the bulgur wheat with the peas and beans. Add in the chives and parsley and squeeze over the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Creamy Smoky Fish and Spinach Gratin

This was absolutely delicious, one of the best recipes from my cuttings box. It was also very easy to mix and used up the mashed potato I had languishing in the freezer. 

Creamy Smoky Fish and Spinach Gratin (from The Times)

(Serves 4)

1 tsp oil, plus extra to oil the dish
1 small onion, diced
sprig of thyme
salt and pepper
half glass of wine
200g spinach or chard leaves, roughly chopped
500g cooked potatoes, mashed, or in crumbled pieces (if roasted or boiled)
150ml cream or crème fraîche
few gratings of nutmeg
200-300g smoked fish, such as mackerel, kippers, haddock or pollock, broken into large flakes

For the topping
40g breadcrumbs
40g cheddar, parmesan or emmental, grated

Preheat the oven to 200C. Lightly oil an ovenproof dish, about 28cm in diameter.

Heat the oil in a medium-large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and thyme, and a pinch of salt and sauté gently, until the onion is softened, for about 15 mins.

Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the spinach or chard leaves, put the lid on and cook for 1-2 mins, until just wilted.

Remove from the heat and add the potatoes and cream or crème fraîche. Stir to combine and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Gently fold through the fish. Tip the fish mixture into the oven dish. Toss together the breadcrumbs and cheese and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 25 mins until golden and bubbling.

Leave to cool for a few mins before serving with a green salad.

Tapenade Salmon with Runner Beans and Preserved Lemons

This was absolutely delicious, really flavourful. I used tomatoes from my garden and runner beans from my Mum's garden, lovely and fresh tasting.

Tapenade Salmon with Runner Beans and Preserved Lemons
(from Waitrose Weekend 14 August 2014)
(Serves 4)

450g runner beans, cut into thin ribbons
2 preserved lemons, chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp olive oil
4 salmon fillets
2 tsp tapenade

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Toss the runner beans with the preserved lemons, onion and tomatoes. Arrange over the base of a small roasting tin. Season and drizzle with oil.

Make several slashes in the skin of the salmon and spread with the tapenade push it into the slits. Place skin side up on the beans.

Cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until the fish is cooked through. Serve with potatoes.

Secret Recipe Club: White Fish Curry

It's time for Secret Recipe Club! I love being able to  explore new blogs and this month I got Searching For Spice, written by Corina. She loves using spice in her cooking, and loves making curries, stir-fries and spicy salads, and with a blog title like that I had to make a curry! There were so many recipes I could have picked but I went for a quick fish curry, I'm going to make many more of her recipes in the future. It was absolutely delicious and really quick to make. I served it over noodles but I think it would be better with rice. 

White Fish Curry (from Searching For Spice)
(Serves 2)

2 fillets white fish
100ml yoghurt
100ml water
chunk ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
1 small onion, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder

Heat a little oil in a frying pan and add the onion, cook until soft.  Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and continue to fry for 2 more mins. Then add the bay leaf and other spices. Stir as it cooks for a few mins.

Lower the heat and add the yoghurt and the same amount of water. Bring slowly to the boil and then simmer for about five mins.

Add the fish and push to the bottom of the pan so the sauce covers it. Simmer gently for about 10 mins.

Serve over rice and noodles.

An InLinkz Link-up

Freekeh Salad with Salmon

I've been struck down with gastritis, which is making eating rather unpleasant, so these are meals from a long time ago that I never got around to posting.

This was a yummy salad I took to work one day.

200g freekeh
½ large onion
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 bay leaf
salt
4 skin-on salmon fillets
1 tbsp oil
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
juice 1 lemon
60g plain Greek yogurt
4 small cucumbers, cut into rounds
bunch fresh dill, chopped
bunch fresh mint, chopped
bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Put the onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth; tie closed with kitchen twine. Drop the sachet into a large pan of boiling water, add the freekeh, and cook according to packet instructions.

Season the flesh side of salmon with salt. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the salmon, starting skin side down, until golden brown, about 4 mins per side for medium-rare. Transfer salmon to a platter and leave to rest for 15 mins.


Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and yogurt in a large bowl. Add the cooled freekeh, season with salt, and toss to coat. Mix in the cucumbers, dill, mint, and parsley. Divide among 4 plates. Flake salmon into bite-size pieces and arrange over the top.


Stuffed Swordfish

This was seriously one of the most flavourful dishes I have made in a while. It was a little bit of a faff to make but it just was so so good. I served it with crushed potatoes and salad.

Stuffed Swordfish (from Cooking Channel)
(Serves 1)

1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
2-3 cubes butter
60g wild mushrooms (shiitake, oyster), finely chopped
30g raw prawns, chopped
90ml white wine
1 tsp chopped spring onions
30g crabmeat
30g toasted breadcrumbs
salt and pepper
1 200g piece swordfish
40g plain flour
3 tbsp butter
60ml fish stock
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Heat the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic (minus a pinch) and red pepper flakes and sauté for 5 mins. Then add the mushrooms and prawns and continue sautéing until the prawns turns pink.

Add half the wine and simmer for a couple of mins before adding the spring onions. Add the crabmeat and the breadcrumbs, to tighten up the stuffing, and season with salt and pepper. Leave the mixture to cool for about 5 mins before stuffing the swordfish portions.

Sprinkle the swordfish steak with salt and pepper and lightly dust with the flour. Then, once the stuffing is cool, cut a slit in the side of the fish and make a pouch with your fingers. Fill the pouch with the stuffing.

Heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and saute the swordfish a over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 mins until lightly browned, then turn it over and put the frying pan in the oven for about 8 mins to finish cooking.

Once the fish is done, take the pan out of the oven, add the pinch of minced garlic to the pan and lightly brown over medium-high heat. Then deglaze the pan with the remaining wine. Add the fish stock and lemon juice to the pan and a knob of butter, stir until melted. Season the sauce with a little salt and add the parsley.

Take the swordfish out of the pan and place on a serving dish. Pour over the sauce and serve.

Tuna Kebabs

For the Friday of the last Bank Holiday I had a home made takeaway of kebabs and rice. I went for Tuna with an Asian feel and peppers and cherry tomatoes but you could pretty much use any veg that's good on a kebab. I served it over egg fried rice with salad.

Tuna Kebabs (from Better Recipes)
(Serves 4)

4 tuna steaks, cut into chunks
2 onions, quartered
2 peppers, cut into large chunks
8 cherry tomatoes

For the marinade
1/2 bunch coriander, chopped
30ml toasted sesame oil
juice 1 limes
1 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 piece ginger, grated
1 tbsp soy sauce

Mix together marinade ingredients.

Thread the tuna and vegetables onto skewers. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 5 minutes before so they do not burn. Pour half the marinade over the skewers and refrigerate for half an hour.

Preheat the grill and grill kebabs for 5-7 mins per side. Serve.