Curry-ander fish

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
8 small hake fillets
2 tsp chopped coriander
2 tsp curry paste

1 small avocado, sliced
±8 cm cucumber, julienne
1 small green pepper, sliced
2 handfuls lettuce, torn
2 tsp chopped coriander
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

240gm rice
Method
Put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain when tender, and keep warm.

Combine the avo, cucumber, green pepper and lettuce in a bowl.
For the dressing, combine the 2 tsp coriander with the lemon juice and rind.

Combine the other 2 tsp of coriander with the curry paste.
Spray a ridged pan with non-stick cooking spray and put on to heat up.
Dry fry the fish, presentation side down, for 4 – 5 minutes.
Brush the curry mix on the wrong side.
Turn the fish, and brush the presentation side with the rest of the curry mix.
Cook for a further 4-5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

Serve 2 fish fillets per person with the rice and salad.
Serve the salad dressing separately.


Depending on the curry paste you use (I used Patak’s Tikka Masala), this has a very mild flavor.

Tarragon mustard fish cakes

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
1 x 350gm tin pink salmon, drained
350gm potatoes
250gm butternut
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 large tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 Tblsp Helman’s low-fat mayo
1 Tblsp tomato puree
4 Tblsp flour
1 egg, beaten
2-3 slices bread, crumbed
2 Tblsp olive oil

4-6 Tblsp fat free yoghurt
Snipped fresh chives

Method
Peel the potatoes and butternut and cut into small chunks.
Cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain and mash and allow to cool.

Mix the mustard, tarragon, mayo, tomato puree and anchovies together.
Add this and half the salmon to the mashed potatoes.
Beat well then gently stir through the remaining salmon.

Shape into 8 cakes.
Dip each in flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcumbs to coat.

Fry the fish cakes in a little oil, about 5 minutes each side until nicely browned.

For the dressing, mix together the yoghurt and snipped fresh chives.

Serve 2 fish cakes per person, accompanied by the dressing and a fresh salad.

The anchovy is not essential, but does give the fish cakes a little more depth. Without, they are a little bit bland.

Seafood pasta

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm curly spaghetti

1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 x ±400gm can chopped tomatoes
1 Tblsp tomato puree
1 red chilli, finely chopped

400gm prawns, shelled and
de-veined

Chopped fresh parsley

Method
Cook the curly spaghetti in lightly salted boiling water until al dente.
Drain and keep warm.

Meanwhile, spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion until it starts to soften.
Add the garlic, chilli, tomatoes and puree.
Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add the prawns and continue cooking for another five minutes.

Serve the sauce over the curly spaghetti and garnish with lots of fresh parsley.

Chilli lime fish

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
8 small hake fillets
4 Tblsp sweet chilli sauce
Grated rind and juice of 1 lime
Soy sauce

240gm rice
1 large carrot, chopped
4 courgettes, chopped
200gm frozen green beans

Method
Preheat oven to 200ºc.

Using a large saucepan, put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Add the carrots, courgettes and beans to the same pan and stir.
Drain and keep warm once cooked.

Meanwhile, cover a large baking sheet with foil (shiny side up).
Spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Place the fish on the foil and brush with sweet chilli sauce.
Scatter over the grated lime rind.
Squeeze over the lime juice.
Drizzle on a little soy sauce.
Cover with another sheet of foil, and seal all round.
Bake at 200ºc for 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove fish from the oven and take off the top sheet of foil.
Serve 2 fish fillets per person, with the veg and rice on the side,
Spoon any juices from the baking tray over the rice.

Serve with extra soy sauce and lime wedges

I nearly always cook my fish from frozen: if you are using fresh or thawed fish, reduce the time in the oven to 15 minutes. Also bear in mind that I am cooking at altitude; my oven doesn’t get as hot as it would at sea-level, so food doesn’t cook as fast.

Sweet and sour fish

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick

Ingredients
500gm smoked haddock, skinless
1 onion, quartered and thickly sliced
150gm button mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, cut into cubes
1 ±410gm tin chopped tomatoes
1 ±220gm tin pineapple pieces in fruit juice
60ml cider vinegar
3 Tblsp soy sauce
1 Tblsp tomato puree
2 Tblsp maizena
250ml water

240gm rice

Method
Put the rice on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Once cooked, drain and keep warm.

Cut the haddock into chunks.
In a bowl, mix together the maizena, soy, vinegar, tomato puree and water.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Put the onion pieces, mushrooms and peppers into the pan.
Dry fry for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes and pineapple pieces and juice.
Add the fish pieces.
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the combined maizena and liquids.
Allow the sauce to thicken while stirring.

Serve the sweet and sour fish over the rice.