Fish Pie - Always a Favourite

We had lovely fresh Gurnard for dinner on Thursday. I was very generous with my quantities and there was enough left over for another meal

When fish has been sitting in the fridge for a couple of days, it is not quite so good just pan fried, so I turned it into Fish Pie

With a Bechamel Sauce doctored with veggies and lemon and this is a delight to eat.

I topped it with a mix of Mashed Potato and Kumara Yum

This will feed 3 or a greedy 2 people

The beauty of this fish pie is with the addition of the veggies into the sauce, you have a complete meal

You have to be quick to take a photo of the completed pie

Very very tasty

So you will need

300 gms of Gurnard or any other white fish

50 gms butter

3 tablespoons Flour

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

50 gms butter

1/2 leek finely sliced

1 carrot grated

1 red onion peeled and diced

splash white wine

1 lemon  zested and juiced

300 mls milk

1 large potato peeled and diced

1 large Kumara peeled and diced

A big knob of butter and a splash of milk

Toss the gurnard in seasoned flour, shake excess flour off and reserve

in a pan melt 50 gms butter when med hot add the fish

Cook till just golden about 4 minutes

Remove from pan onto a plates and add milk to the pan to soak up those wonderful juices

Meanwhile Into a pot add butter 

Melt over med heat

Add red onion and saute till soft but not brown

Add leek and carrot, saute gently until soft

Add reserved flour and mix well, cook through for about 3-4 minutes

Add warmed milk and stir well and cook gently until thickened,

Add lemon zest and juice 

Taste and add more seasoning if needed

Grease a casserole dish and add cooked fish

Pour the sauce of the top and set aside

Meanwhile cook the potato and Kumera in salted water till tender

Remove from heat, drain

and mash with milk and butter

Spread over the fish sauce and fork it well to get a nice ridged pattern

Dot with butter and cook for approx 30 mins at 180C

There ya go Golden and so so good

Leeks and Fish An Excellent Blend

Leeks are such an excellent. vegetable, so pretty, sweet and tasty 

Sweat them down in some beautiful butter and a touch of Olive oil

I can guarantee you will love them

Served with mashed potatoes with some spinach leaves added and sweet carrots on the side

A Beautiful dinner

This recipe embraces the Leek and combines it with beautiful Fresh Fish

For 4 people

You will need

1 filet fish per person

Olive Oil

Butter

2 leeks cleaned and finely sliced

Zest of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

Chili Flakes

50 gms grated Parmesan Cheese

2 carrots washed and cut into half moons

Maple Syrup

Sea salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

4 filets of white fish e.g. Snapper or Hapuka

4 large Potatoes

60 gms Butter

1/3 cup Milk

1 Packet  200 gms Baby Spinach lightly chopped

Small bunch  of Parsley

Heat the Oven to 200C/ fan forced 180C

Line a baking sheet with baking paper

Toss the carrots with a good glug of Olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Into oven until tender about 25 minutes

Remove toss with 1 tbs of Maple syrup and 

return to the oven for about another 5 minutes

Remove from oven and set aside

Roughly chop the  Baby spinach

and finely chop the parsley

Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces,

Cook till tender

Remove from heat add milk put back on heat till milk bubbles

Remove again Mash potatoes

Add the butter and half the chopped parsley and the baby spinach

Mix well, the spinach will wilt 

Set aside

Meanwhile in a pan add a good slug of Olive oil and 30 gms butter

Add the sliced leeks and gently cook till softened

Add garlic then

Season with sea salt and a pinch of Chili Flakes 

plus the zest of the lemon

Cook gently for another 3-4 minutes till fragrant

add the Parmesan cheese and mix well

Set aside

Lightly oil the fish and season with sea salt and freshly ground Black pepper

Lay the fish on a baking sheet lined with baking paper

Cover with the leek mixture and return to the oven for another 6-8 minutes till the fish is cooked

Remove and serve with the sweet Carrots and Mashed Potato

Garnish with the remaining parsley

Guaranteed a winner for these cold winter night coming up

Baked Fish Fillets with Leeks and Tomatoes

Can you think of anything better ?

A bed of Sautéed Leeks cooked gently, to bring out the sweetness 

The tanginess Of Roma Tomatoes

And to top this Fresh Fish Fillets, perfectly seasoned, 

beautifully cooked till it just flakes 

There’s not a lot to better this

Plus it’s So So Simple
You will need:

2 leeks,  Outer leaves removed washed and finely sliced 

2 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Slosh of wine wine 

2 Roma tomatoes sliced about 1 cm

A little olive oil

S&P

150 gms white fish fillets. I used Terakihi

2-3 tablespoons Olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Zest of a lemon

Juice 1/2 lemon

In a deep skillet that can go in the oven

Heat olive oil

Add leeks and season well with S &P

Gently cook over Med Heat till the leeks start to soften

About 10 minutes 

Turn heat up to high

Add slosh of white wine 

Let bubble away about 2 minutes till wine is absorbed

Turn heat off

Set aside

Meanwhile marinate the fish fillets with olive oil, S&P and lemon zest

Massage well

Best to marinate for at least 30 minutes minimum

To cook

Heat oven to 180C

Place sliced tomatoes over leeks in skillet

Season with S & P

Drizzle over with a little olive oil 

Place marinated fillets on top

Into oven for about 7 minutes

Test with your finger it should be soft, if it is done

Squeeze

Remove and serve

I served with Baby Potatoes boiled and tossed in Butter 

Delicious

What Shall We Have For Lunch - Well Fish Cakes Of Course

Fish Cakes _  A Waste Not Want Lunch

I’m back for cooking for one and I have overdone it of course
So I had leftover Jersey Benne Potatoes and some lovely snapper from last night’s dinner

I could have just made a salad but I’ve decided to jump it up a notch
Fish cakes
Easy Peasy
I’m normally not a fan of Gluten Free products, I am so pleased people with difficulty in digesting wheat, are now so lucky, there is so many products
A lot are seriously hard to swallow but there are some outstanding products
For example
These Gluten Free Bread crumbs

They are superb for coating any protein
Such a fabulous crunchy crust
So a pantry necessary now

2 eggs
2 tablespoons mayo
1/4 Cup flour
4 jersey Bennes  cooked and grated
100 gms White Fish cooked and flaked
Chives or spring onions
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Zest half lemon
Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
Extra egg


I’m back for cooking for one and I have overdone it of course
So I had leftover Jersey Benne Potatoes and some lovely snapper from last night’s dinner

I could have just made a salad but I’ve decided to jump it up a notch
Fish cakes
Easy Peasy
I’m normally not a fan of Gluten Free products, I am so pleased people with difficluteus in digesting wheat are now so lucky, there is so many products
A lot are seriously hard to swallow but there are some outstanding products
For example
These Gluten Free Bread crumbs
They are superb for coating any protein
Such a fabulous crunchy crust
So a pantry necessary now

I grated the potatoes and flaked the fish

Put 2 eggs in a bowl with 2 tablespoons mayo
And flour
Season with salt and pepper and the zest of half a lemon
Beat well

Add fish and potatoes chives
Mix well

Let sit in fridge for at least an hour
The mixture was too wet, so I added some breadcrumbs
Perfect
Big dollop of mix into breadcrumbs and shape into cakes

Turn into cakes
Dip in breadcrumbs
Then to add that extra luxury

Double dipping
I egged and breadcrumbed them again
You don't have to do this, but I like it
Back into fridge to set

Fry in rice bran oil till golden
5 minutes each side on Med heat

Actually I cooked them on the sides
not compulsory

Just add a crisp little salad and Lunch is served

Add some lemon slices and an extra dob mayonnaise for dipping

Best Red Peppers - Stuff them with a Thai Fish Mousse - Perfect Appetizer

It's my Son's birthday today and we are having Family Dinner
I'm on  the "Befores"
Of course, I am making the signature dish of Pizza Flavoured Pinwheels
Click here  to get the recipe
The Grandchildren love them
However we need Grownup Food
So going back I found this post from 2007

I reckon this will make an excellent fish course
So here we go

I remember having a sort of fish mousse stuffed green pepper at Yum Char we loved them...they are delicious.

So why not stuff red pepper halves with the a mixture for Thai Fish Cakes

The fish cakes were from a recipe I had seen Rick Stein prepare.
so I though I would adapt his recipe.
A good one too. It's that Thai fish cake texture you are looking for almost a bit rubbery.

Thai Stuffed Red Peppers

6 red, or orange or yellow peppers or a combo

500 gms meaty white fish cut into chunks
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 chili chopped
3 tablespoons coriander stalks and all,
2-3 Kaffir lime leaves chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 big teaspoon Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 egg

Coconut Cream

Put all of the ingredients into the food processor except for cream
Whiz until it forms a paste
Add some cream to thin it out a little (1-2 tablespoons)

Take a spoonful and fry it in a little oil to make a little cake
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Tasting pretty good

Halve and core peppers
Blanch in boiling water
Cool

Drain on a rack to dry

Drizzle with oil and massage it in

Fill with mixture
Place in an oiled baking tray
Add ½ cup water
Cover with foil and bake about 20 minutes at 200C

You can make these early in the day and refrigerate
Take out at least an hour before serving to bring to room temperature
Cut into half and arrange on a platter and garnish with sliced basil and chopped coriander

I was pleased with this dish.
It’s quite filling so actually 1 quarter each is enough for hand around.

Would make a good first course on a bed of dressed greens
2 quarters each would do.
Garnish with lime quarters
Here's the Birthday Boy when he was small, over 40 years ago
How did we all get to be so old?

 

Spicy Qunioa Coated Fish- with Roasted Sweet Potato- Dont forget the leftovers!!! #grainfree

Once again thanks to Donna Hay and Bon Appetit for this recipe
I'm a bit philosophically anti Quinoa...as I am about the Term Super Foods and other..."Let's be
Over Healthy" Food Fads
It's the hype that bores me also I had to chase all over town to buy these flakes!!!
Luckily it wasn't a hot hot day.
Meanwhile there are some very good uses for all these foods and I love eating ALL beautiful produce
AND I do

On my Grain Free "feed the mob" week, I found this recipe of coating Fish with Quinoa Flakes.
It was very delicious and I may even... in fact I will... do it again

Served with Spicy Roasted Kumera (sweet potato)
A winner

Ingredients
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
Cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups quinoa flakes
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
2 eggs
4  snapper fillets
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

Mayonnaise and lime wedges, to serve


Preheat oven to 200C
Place the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the chili flakes and 1 teaspoon of the salt in a bowl
and mix to combine.
Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and
Sprinkle with half the salt mixture, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the oil.
Roast, turning halfway, for 20 minutes or until golden.

Place the quinoa, lime zest, remaining chili flakes, salt and pepper in a bowl
and mix to combine.
Place the eggs in a bowl and whisk to combine.       
Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Dip the fish into the egg and press into the quinoa mixture to coat. 

Cook for 2–3 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.

Serve the fish and potatoes with the remaining salt mixture,
the parsley, mayonnaise and lime wedges.

So not to forget the Leftovers... which we had, as I had been very generous, with the amount of fish that I had bought

Fish Cakes for lunch. Double Quinoa Use!
Yes in fact, I suggest,  cook excess so that you have enough to make these little gems
So so tasty

Hard to give exact amounts but as a rule of thumb, I would suggest
Equal amounts of potatoes and fish and enough egg to bind

Crumbed Fish
Potatoes, peeled cubed
Olive oil
Parsley finely chopped 2-3 tablespoons
Egg
Sea Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper
Quinoa Flakes

Oil for frying

Cook the potatoes in salted water and mash roughly with a little olive oil
Meanwhile flake remaining crumbed fish and
Add to potatoes
Add parsley and beaten egg
Season to taste

Meanwhile roll into balls and dip into Quinoa Flakes

 Place oil in medium hot pan and cook Fish Cakes, till Golden all round

 While Dan cooks
Games are being played

 Serve with a nice green fresh salad

  Definitely a keeper