Scottish style hake

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
8 hake ‘medallions’
1 egg white, beaten
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tblsp chopped parsley

3 large carrots, julienne
2 – 3 stalks celery, julienne
8 baby corn, quartered lengthways
150gm green beans, halved

Method
Heat the oven to 190ºC.
Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix the oats, breadcrumbs, parsley and parmesan in a shallow dish.
Roll the medallions in the beaten egg white and then in the oat mix.
Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.

Combine the prepared vegetables and steam until tender.

Make a bed of vegetables on each of four dinner plates.
Top with 2 medallions per person.

Crunchy salmon

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
250gm cherry tomatoes
2 Tblsp balsamic vinegar
4 salmon steaks

1 Tblsp soy sauce
1 Tblsp honey
3 Tblsp sesame seeds

480gm new potatoes, halved
1 head broccoli
300gm spinach

Method
Heat the oven to 180ºC.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for about 20 minutes.
Drain and keep warm.
Steam the broccoli until tender.
Keep warm.
Wilt the spinach, drain well and keep warm.

Combine the soy sauce and honey.
Brush this over the fish and then roll each fillet in the sesame seeds.
Place the coated fish on the lined baking tray.
Place the tomatoes in an oven proof dish and sprinkle with the vinegar.
Bake the salmon and the tomatoes for 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.

Serve as shown in the photograph.

Salmon with asparagus

Serves 4: Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 salmon fillets

200gm green asparagus spears
200gm green beans, quartered lengthways
4 courgettes, sliced
100gm rocket salad, torn
1 x 400gm tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 Tblsp olive oil
2 Tblsp lemon juice
2 Tblsp chopped parsley
2 tsp wholegrain mustard

Method
Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mustard and parsley.
Set aside.

Steam the green beans and courgettes for about 5 minutes.
Cool slightly with cold water and drain.

Tip the cannellini beans into a bowl and add the salad leaves.
Now add the green beans and courgettes.
Toss well and divide between two dinner plates.

Steam the salmon for about 5 minutes, until it changes colour.
Add the asparagus and continue steaming for another 5 minutes.

Arrange the asparagus spears on the salad.
Top with the salmon.
Spoon over the dressing.

Creamy fish with spinach and mash

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
400gm mashing potatoes
200gm butternut
1 small onion, finely chopped
125ml fat free milk
300gm spinach

480gm hake fillets (skinless)
250ml fat free milk
1 Tblsp cornflour
1tsp wholegrain mustard
Freshly ground black pepper

Method
Cut the potato and butternut into chunks.
Cook together with the onion in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain well and mash.
Beat in the 125ml milk.
Keep warm.

Steam the spinach until it wilts.
Drain off any excess moisture and keep warm.

Poach the fish in milk until it flakes easily.
Remove from the pan and break into flakes.
Add the mustard and cornflour paste to the milk along with black pepper to taste.
(You may need to add a little more milk to the pan.)
Once the sauce has thickened, tip the fish flakes back into the pan.

Make a bed of mash on each of four dinner plates.
Top with the spinach and finish with the fish.

Tortilla wraps

Serves 4 : Very easy : Takes longer if you make the wraps

Ingredients
Tortillas:
1 cup cake (plain) flour
1 cup nutty wheat flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
10ml vegetable oil
190ml fat free milk, lukewarm
Pinch salt
Extra flour, for rolling out
My filling:
1 x 425gm tin tuna in brine, drained
1 stick celery, sliced
90ml low fat mayo
1 lettuce, shredded
2 carrots, grated
3 tomatoes, sliced
½ red onion, cut in rings
2 eggs, hard boiled and sliced

Method
Mix the flours, salt and baking powder into a bowl.
Make a ‘well’ in the centre and pour in the milk and oil.
Work it all into a sticky dough.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 3 minutes.
Rest the dough, covered with a damp cloth, for 10 – 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8 equal sized balls and rest again for 15 minutes.

Take one ball of dough at a time and roll it out to ±20cm circle.
Spray a heavy-based pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry each wrap for 3 – 4 minutes each side.
Remove from the pan and lay on a clean tea cloth; cover with a sheet of foil (to keep in the moisture).

For the filling, combine the tuna, celery and mayo.
Spread this down the centre of each wrap and top with all the other salad-y bits.
Roll up each wrap and hold closed with a toothpick.

These tortillas are far superior to the commercial ones and well worth the effort of making. They also freeze well (unfilled, of course!) – seal in plastic and freeze for up to a month. Thaw fully, wrap in foil and reheat in a warm oven before filling with whatever you like.

Salmon mousse

Serves 4 : Very easy : Extra time needed for setting

Ingredients
1 x 230gm can salmon in brine, drained
1 small onion, chopped
¼ cup Helman’s low fat mayo
¼ cup lite tomato sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 dessert spoon gelatin
¼ cup warm water
¼ cup white wine vinegar

Lettuce leaves
Sliced tomato and cucumber
Baby sweetcorn
Spring onions
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered

Method
Tip the salmon into a bowl and flake it.
Add the onion, mayo and sauces to the bowl.

Dissolve the gelatin in the water, then add the vinegar.
Pour this mixture into the salmon mix and stir well.

Pour into 4 individual moulds or one large one.
Allow to set in the fridge.

Lay out the salad ingredients, in rings, around each of four plates, leaving a space in the middle.
Turn out the set mousse into the centre.
Garnish with the egg quarters.

Serve with crusty bread, if desired.

Fish with lemon and herb mayo

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 skinless hake fillets
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
4 Tblsp grated parmesan
2 Tblsp fresh chopped parsley
Grated rind of ½ lemon

For the mayo:
3 - 4 Tblsp fat free plain yoghurt
2 Tblsp Helman’s low fat mayo
30ml lemon juice
Grated rind of ½ lemon
2 Tblsp chopped fresh basil

Method
Make the dressing by combining all the dressing ingredients and mixing well.
Set aside.

Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley and lemon rind in a shallow dish.
Pat the fish with kitchen paper to absorb any excess moisture.
Dip the fish in the breadcrumb mixture and press gently to coat.
Gently shake off any excess crumbs.
Spray the coated fillets with non-stick cooking spray.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the fish for about 5 minutes each side, or until the flesh flakes easily.

Serve with a dollop of the dressing.

I served mixed salad leaves, cocktail tomatoes, oven chips and frozen peas with the fish – the choice of accompaniments is up to you!