Serving up some great ideas for cooking up fish
By: Eric Stern
Cape Malay fish curry
Serves 4
1kg fresh hake fillets cut into bite-sized cubes
200g seasoned flour for dusting
3 large onions
1 cup cooking oil
Sauce
1 litre water
150g onions
250g sugar
25g curry powder
15g Robertson’s fish spice
Dust the fish cubes generously in flour. Heat up the oil in a large frying pan. The oil should not be very hot. Fry the pieces of fish in the oil on all sides, not for too long, just to seal them. Remove them from the pan and place them on paper towel to drain off excess oil.
Boil all the sauce ingredients for about 10 min in a medium-sized pot (one that will fit the sauce and the fish). Let the sauce reduce by a quarter. Reduce the heat to medium. Place the fish pieces in the pot and allow to cook on medium heat for about 10 min or until you see it starting to get thick. Remove from heat and place in a Corning Ware or glass dish to serve. Serve with butternut and potato mash, couscous, or savoury rice.
Moroccan fish
Serves 6
1kg fresh hake cut into thick fingers (can be frozen)
4 large potatoes sliced
300g fresh coriander
1 tin chick peas
1 cup Cooking Oil
1 cup water
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1 tsp salt
3 dried red chillies (optional)
Layer the bottom of a Pyrex dish with the sliced potatoes. Divide the coriander into two bunches. Place the one bunch on top of the potatoes. Spread the fish out on top of the coriander. Drain the chickpeas and spread them over and around the fish. Cover everything with the other bunch of coriander. In a separate bowl mix the oil, water, paprika, salt, and garlic together. Pour the mixture over the dish. Cover the dish with foil and cook at 180°C for about 40 min. When the dish is cooked and you want to keep it on a hot tray, just add a little more water to it.
Hot smoked salmon
Advanced cooking (requires a smoker)
1kg Salmon
Curing paste
250g sugar
150g salt
150g biltong spice
Make up the curing paste in a mixing bowl. Smear it all over the fish. Cover with glad wrap and leave in fridge overnight. Remove from the fridge and drain excess water off. In your smoking unit place a hand full of wood chips into the smoker. Put the fish onto the grids on the smoker and place over a medium heat for 15-20 min. The fish should be firm when you press it with your finger.
Kedgeree
Serves 4
2 large eggs
700g smoked haddock
2 bay leaves
180g basmati rice
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Fresh ginger about the size of a kalamata olive, finely chopped
1 onion finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 tbsp curry powder mild
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 chopped tomatoes no seeds
200g coriander chopped up rough
Juice from 2 lemons
Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, then hold them under cold running water. Put the fish and bay leaves in a shallow pan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 5 minutes until cooked through. Remove from pan and leave to cool. Remove the skin from the fish, flake into chunks, and set aside.
Cook the rice in salted water for about 10 minutes and drain. Refresh in cold water, drain again, and leave in the fridge until needed. Heat up the olive oil and add the ginger, onion, and garlic. Soften for about 5 minutes then add the curry powder and mustard seeds. Cook for a further 3 minutes then add the chopped tomatoes and lemon juice.
Quarter the eggs. Add the fish and rice to a pan and gently heat through. Add the eggs, coriander, and chilli and stir gently. Place in a warm serving dish.
Thai fish curry
Serves 4
1kg salmon cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp onions, chopped
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp ginger chopped
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp coriander, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sugar
3-4 basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Marinate the fish cubes in salt, pepper, curry powder, and lemon juice and set aside. Heat some oil in a pan, add the onions, ginger, and garlic and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and the fish cubes. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chopped coriander, lemon juice, and sugar. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve with steamed rice.
