Home-Brew Recipes

Archive for the ‘Fabulous Fish & Shellfish’ Category

Let us see the preparation of a simple dish the fish curry. First heat the pan with adequate amount of oil so that it is enough for the red chillies, mustard and cumin seeds to be roasted and then cool it and grind it to powder. Then grind the tomatoes, garlic and garam masala powder along with coconut and keep it separately.

Squeeze out the tamarind to remove all the pulp and keep it separately. Now heat desired amount of oil in the deep-bottomed pan and add the above masala one after one. When they get cooked well add two cups of water and the tamarind pulp to the mixture and allow it to heat. Stir well and when it gets heated add the fish till it gets cooked well. Tasty fish curry is ready!

Served with chunks of crusty bread to mop up the sauce, and a green salad, this simple dish is all you need for a tasty, satisfying meal. Whole mackerel and anchovies can also be cooked and prepared the same way.

Ingredients:

8 – scaled, gutted and thoroughly washed large sardines, 6-8 – fresh thyme sprigs, juice of ½ lemon, 4 – garlic cloves smashed flat, 1 – bunch of fresh purple or green basil, lemon wedges to serve, 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes drained of juice, 60-75 ml – olive oil, 5ml – sugar, salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Preparation Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180^o  C. Lay the prepared sardines side by side in a shallow, over proof dish, place a sprig of fresh thyme between each one and squeeze the lemon juice over them.
2. In a large bowl, mix the drained tomatoes, olive oil, smashed garlic and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in most of the fresh purple or green basil leaves, then tip the mixture over the sardines.
3. Put the dish in the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining basil leaves over the top and serve hot, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Passata and canned tuna are very good value for money and endlessly versatile for making weekday suppers. A variety of herbs can be added – choose from basil, marjoram or oregano – and use fresh herbs, as the short cooking time does not allow the flavor of dried herbs to develop fully.

Ingredients:

8-10 – pitted black olives which is cut into rings, 175g – tuna in olive oil, 499g – dried farfalle, 600ml – passata bottled strained tomatoes.

Preparation Method:

1. Cook the pasta in a larger pan of lightly salted boiling water according to the instruction on the packet.
2. Meanwhile, gently, heat the passata in a separate pan and add the olive rings.
3. Drain the canned tuna and flake it with a fork. Add the tuna to the sauce with about 60ml of the hot water used for cooking the pasta. Mix well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
4. Drain the pasta thoroughly and tip it into a large, warm and serving bowl. Pour the tuna sauce over the top and toss lightly to mix. Serve immediately.

The classic combination of potatoes and smoked fish is reworked in pasty. Always ask your fishmonger for pale smoked rather than yellow haddock as the latter trends to have been dyed to look bright and often has not been smoked properly at all. It is all worth paying the extra for the real thing.

Ingredients:

115g – cold butter which is cut into chunks, cold water to mix, 2 – pale smoked haddock fillets, 60ml – full-fat milk, 150ml – double cream, 2 – eggs, 200g – peeled and diced potatoes, 225g – plain flour, pinch of salt, 3-4 – black peppercorns, sprig of fresh thyme, ground black pepper to taste.

Preparation Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200^o C. Use a food processor to make the pasty. Put the flour, salt and butter into the food processor bowl and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Pour in a little cold water and continue to process until the mixture forms a ball. If this takes longer than 30 seconds add a  dash or two more water.
3. Take the pasty ball out of the food processor, wrap it in clear film and leave it to rest in cool place for about 30 minutes.
4. Roll out the pasty and use it to line a 20cm flan tin. Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork then bake bind in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
5. Put the haddock fillets in a pan, with the milk, peppercorns and thyme. Poach for 10 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan, using a slotted spoon and flake the flesh into a small chunks. Allow the poaching liquor to cool.
6. Whisk the cream and eggs together in a large bowl, then whisk in the cooled poaching liquid.
7. Arrange the flaked fish and diced potato in the base of the pastry case, and season to taste with black pepper. Pour the cream mixture over the top.
8. Put the flan in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until lightly browned on top and set.

Always buy really fresh fish and seafood: look for bright-eyed fish when plump flesh and bright undamaged skin; they should not smell “fishy” but should have a faint aroma of the sea. Store fish and shellfish, covered, towards the button of the refrigerator, and use within a day of purchase.

Oily Fish: The rich flesh of oily fish is tasty and rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which are an essential part of a healthy diet. Oily fish are also usually cheaper than other fish.

Mackerel: These very economical fish have iridescent skin and quite firm, brownish flesh.

Salmon: Wild varieties tend to be very expensive, so only eat them occasionally. If you buy farmed salmon, check that it is from a reputable supplier. Canned salmon can be used in pasta and rice dishes.

Sardines: Wild varieties tend to be expensive, so only eat them occasionally, if you buy famed salmon, check that it is from a reputable supplier. Canned salmon can be used in the pasta and rice dishes.

Whitebait: These are the small fry of herring and sprats and taste excellent fired and eaten whole.

Rich, meaty fish: This group of firm-fleshed fish has a meaty texture and includes monkfish, red muller, seabass, swordfish and tuna. They are often expensive, so look out for special offers in the supermarket or fishmongers. Canned tuna makes a good, cheap alternative to fresh tuna and can be used in omelettes, salads and pasta dishes.

White fish: These fish firm yet delicate white flesh and are excellent cooked simply with subtle or piquant flavoring.

Cod: Stocks of cod are diminishing due to overfishing, so check whether the fish comes from before buying. Hoki or pollard are much cheaper and make good alternatives.

Haddock: This flaky fish can also be used instead of cod Smoked haddock is delicious and avoid the bright yellow dyed variety and go for the paler, undyed version.

Halibut: This flat fish is very good value and tastes a bit like turbot. Do not overcook it, or the flesh will become dry.

Sea Food: This group includes mollusks, such as mussels, crustaceans, such as crabs and prawns and squid. Store in the refrigerator and use within 2 days.

Crab: This is available raw ready-cooked or in a can, fresh crab is relatively expensive, so use canned crab in baked pasta or rice dishes as a cheaper alternative.

Squid: This economical seafood is available all year. It needs to be cooked either very quickly or very slowly.

Risottos are a great way of making more expensive ingredients, in this case smoked trout stretch further. The strong flavor of the smoked fish permeates all the way through the dish, and I combination with the cream and white wine, produces a rich and delicious all-in-one dish supper, perfect for the cold months of winter.

Ingredients:

2 – finely chopped onions, 1 cup – white wine which is dry, 3 tablespoon – grated grano padano cheese, 4 tbsp – chervil, 30ml – olive oil, 3 cup – risotto rice and salt and black pepper.

Preparation Method:

1. First, oil should be heated in a saucepan or any other pan. Onions which are chopped should be fried for few minutes until onions become softened.
2. Secondly, rice should be added to the pan and allow it to heat for 5 minutes because the rice grains should be clear.
3. White wine will add taste and flavor to the recipes so add it to the pan and mix well for 5 minutes so that the wine will be absorbed by the rice.
4. Next, you have to add hot stock to the pan and stir continuously and wait until it gets absorbed. Then, you can add some more hot stock to the pan and allow it to get absorbed by the rice.
5. When all the mixture gets thickened, you can be sure that risotto will be cooked properly and the boiled rice will have a soft texture.
6. Switch off the stove and stir the mixture in the sour cream and grano padano cheese so that the risotto will be delicious to taste.
7. Finally, chopped chervil and smoked trout, salt and black pepper can be added. Stir for few minutes and garnish with chervil sprigs also. Serve it immediately and you can also well-flavored fish stock so that the recipe will taste great.

The addition of fresh salmon to this Asian stew helps to make it an extremely nourishing dish, as well as delicious winter warmer. The canned beans are an added energy boost.

Ingredients:

150g – salmon which is skinned and any bones removed, 2oz – fresh shitake mushrooms and stalks removed, 1 – peeled small carrot, ½ – peeled mooli, 5g – dashi-konbu about 10cm square, 7.5ml – mirin or dry sherry, 2.5cm – fresh root ginger peeled to garnish, salt and pepper.

Preparation Method:

1)      Slice the salmon into 1 cm thick strips. Place in a colander, sprinkle with a sea salt and leave for 1 hour. Wash away the salt and cut the salmon strips into 1cm cubes. Par-boil in a pan of rapidly boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain. Rinse under running water to prevent them from cooking further.

2)      Slice the ginger for the garnish thinly lengthways, then stack the slices and cut them into thin threads. Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes, and then drain well.

3)      Drain the can of black-eyed beans into a medium pan. Reserve the liquid. Chop all the fresh vegetables into 1cm cubes. Wipe the dashi-konbu with a damp dish towel, then snip with scissors. Cut everything as close to the same size as possible.

4)      Put the salmon, dashi-knobu and vegetables into the pan containing the liquid from the beans. Add the beans, 60ml water and 1.5ml salt. Bring the boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 6 minutes or until the carrot is cooked.

5)      Add the shyou and cook for further 4 minutes. Add the mirin or sherry and remove the pan from the heat. Mix well. Leave to rest for 1 hour. Serve warm cold, with the ginger threads.

This stunning fish loaf is made using canned salmon, making it an economical option for the savvy cook. Served with the lemony cucumber slice it is perfect as a  light and elegant summer lunch or summer dish and you can slice the loaf and eat it at picnics on its own,.

Ingredients:

115g – fresh white breadcrumbs, 2 beaten eggs, butter for greasing, 75mg – celery chopped, 400g – can salmon, grated rind and juice of  1 lemon, lemon slices to garnish, 1 – peeled, seeded and chopped cucumber, 25g – butter, rind and juice of ½ lemon, 1 – egg yolk, salt and ground black pepper to taste and 15ml – plain flour.

Preparation Method:

1. Put the breadcrumbs in a large bowl, pour in the milk and the beaten eggs. Mix well to combine, then leave to stand for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180⁰ C loaf tin with butter.
3. Drain the salmon, the put in a bowl and flake with a fork. Add to the breadcrumbs mixture with the chopped celery, grated lemon rind and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Stir the mixture until evenly blended. Pour into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Leave the loaf in the tin to cool.
5. Make the sauce. Place the cucumber pieces in a small pan, cover with cold water and simmer until just tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cucumber and set it aside. Pour the cooking liquid into a measuring jug. Add enough water to make up the liquid to 300ml.
6. Melt the butter in the small pan. Stir in the flour using a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, then add the reserved cooking liquid, stirring until it boils and thickens.
7. Add the lemon rind and juice to the pan, then stir in the cooked cucumber.
8. Beat the egg yolk in a separate container and stir in a little of the hot sauce. Pour into the pan and heat gently, without boiling, until the sauce thickens a little more. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper.