Haddock chowder

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 rashers lean bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 sticks of celery, sliced
200gm sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 Tblsp whole grain mustard
2 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce
800ml vegetable stock
300ml milk
2 Tblsp corn flour
2 cups frozen peas
1 x ±400gm tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
400gm haddock fillets, skinned and cut in chunks

Method
Spray a large saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the bacon for 2 minutes, then add the onion, celery and potato.
Cover with a lid and allow the vegetables to sweat for 5 minutes.

Mix the mustard and Worcestershire sauce into the stock, and pour into the sauce pan.
Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes until the potato is cooked through.

Add the peas, beans and fish chunks to the pan.

Mix the corn flour into the milk.
Pour into the sauce pan, stirring all the time, and allow the soup to thicken slightly.
Simmer for 5 more minutes, or until the fish flakes easily.

Serve with whole wheat rolls or toast, if desired.

Because of the beans, this chowder is filling – you don’t really need a starch with it.

Seafood coral pie

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quickish

Ingredients
240gm potatoes
240gm red sweet potatoes
1 onion, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 x ±400gm tin chopped tomatoes
½ cup white wine
Grated rind of 1 lemon
300gm skinless salmon fillets, cut in chunks
200gm prawns, shelled and deveined
200gm frozen peas

Method
Peel the potatoes and sweet potatoes and cut into chunks.
Cook in lightly salted boiling water until soft.
Drain and mash well.

Meanwhile, spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, celery and garlic until the onion starts to soften.
Add the anchovies, tomatoes, lemon rind and wine.
Stir well.

Nestle the salmon and the prawns into the sauce.
Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Thicken the sauce with 1 Tblsp corn flour, if you wish.

Tip the fish mixture into a casserole dish.
Top with the mashed potatoes.

Bake in the oven at 200ºc for 20 minutes, until the top is slightly browned and the sauce is bubbling.

Boil, microwave or steam the frozen peas.

Serve the pie with the peas.

Fish Espagnole

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Grated rind & juice from 1 lemon
1 onion, finely sliced
480gm potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
1 small aubergine, peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
1tsp paprika
100gm green beans, cut in 3cm lengths
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
10 cocktail tomatoes, halved
1 ±400gm tin chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 ±400gm tin chopped tomatoes
480gm skinless hake fillets, cut into big chunks
Roughly chopped parsley, to garnish

Method
Place the fish chunks in a bowl with the lemon rind and juice.
Set aside.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onions and garlic until the onion begins to soften.
Add the potato and aubergine chunks and the paprika and stir well.
Cover and allow to cook for 5 minutes.

Add the green beans, the anchovies, cocktail tomatoes, chick peas and tinned tomatoes.
Cook, covered, for 15 minutes, adding a ½ cup of water if required, until the potatoes are cooked.

Now tip in the fish chunks and lemon, and stir to combine.
Cover again, and cook for another 10 minutes until the fish flakes easily.

Serve garnished with lots of chopped parsley.

Salmon and dill spaghetti

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
300gm spaghetti
1 small onion, thinly sliced
300 – 400gm skinless salmon steak fillets, cut in chunks
±18 – 24 small prawns, cleaned
2 cups fat free milk

3 Tblsp chopped fresh dill
1 Tblsp cornflour

Lemon zest to garnish

Method
Put the spaghetti on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain when al dente and keep warm.

Poach the onion, salmon and prawns in the milk until the fish flakes easily.
Remove the salmon and prawns from the milk.
Thicken the milk with the corn flour slackened with a little water.
Season with black pepper and the chopped dill.
Put the salmon and prawns back into the sauce and heat through.

Serve the fish over the spaghetti, garnished with grated lemon zest and a sprig of dill.
Accompany with a fresh, crisp salad.

Scilly fish

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick

Ingredients
450gm skinless hake fillets, cut in chunks
2 anchovies, chopped
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
2 red ‘bonnet’ chillies, deseeded, thinly sliced
2 x 400gm tins chopped tomatoes
200ml dry white wine (optional)
500ml veg or fish stock
100gm couscous

Lemon zest and parsley to garnish

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion, fennel, chillies and anchovies until the onion begins to soften.
Pour in the tomatoes, stock and wine, and bring to a boil.
Stir in the couscous.
Scatter fish chunks over the top.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.

Serve garnished with lemon zest and chopped parsley

The couscous is the starch here, but you could serve with crusty bread if you wish.

Salmon Surprise

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 x 400gm tin pink salmon in brine, drained
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
4 eggs, hard boiled and sliced

2 cups fat free milk
1 – 2 Tblsp corn flour

400gm potatoes
1 large tomato, sliced
45gm strong cheese, grated
1 Tblsp chopped fresh parsley

Method
Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water.
Once cooked, drain well and mash.

Heat the oven to 200ºc.

Make a white sauce with the milk and corn flour.
Fold in the peas and salmon.

Place the salmon/sauce mix in a deep dish.
Cover with slices of hardboiled egg.
Then spoon the mashed potato over the top.

Decorate the dish with the tomato, cheese and parsley.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and the sauce is bubbling.

Serve with a fresh salad.

Hurry fish curry

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 – 2 Tblsp curry paste
450gm skinless hake fillets, cut into large chunks
400gm tin chopped tomatoes
250ml veg stock
2 cups green beans

240gm rice

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

Spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry fry the onion until it begins to soften.
Stir through the curry paste.
Add the tomatoes, stock and green beans.
Lastly add the fish chunks.
Bring to a simmer.
Cook for 5 minutes.

Serve the curry with the rice and sambals of your choice.

Tuna Pasta

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm penne
2 small tins tuna chunks in brine or spring water, drained
2 Tblsp pine nuts
1 red pepper, sliced
200gm button mushrooms, sliced
2 courgettes, chopped
150gm cherry tomatoes, halved
2 spring onions, sliced
¼ cup water

Method
Put the pasta on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain when al dente and keep warm.

Spray a saucepan with non-stick cooking spray.
Toast the pine nuts slightly and then add the red pepper slices, the courgettes and tomatoes.
Add the mushrooms, spring onions and water.
Stir well.
Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Tip the drained tuna and the pasta into the vegetables.
Stir to combine.

Serve with a mixed lettuce and fresh basil salad.

Cabbage and beans with white fish

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
4 large fillets of hake (skin on)

4 rashers back bacon, all visible fat removed, chopped
1 onion, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 large carrots, chopped
2 baby cabbages, shredded
1 large potato, cut into small chunks
½ cup dry white wine (optional)
250ml chicken stock
1 x ±440gm tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Method
Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray and place over heat.
Dry fry the bacon for a few minutes and then add the onion, celery and carrots.
Continue stir frying until the onion begins to soften.
Add the potato pieces.
Pour in the wine (if using) and the stock.
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cabbage and the beans and lots of black pepper.
Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. (The cabbage should still have some crunch)

Now spray a large frying pan with non-stick cooking spray and place over heat.
Spray the fish with non-stick cooking spray, too.
Place the fish in the pan, skin side down.
Cook for about 5 minutes before turning.
Cook the other side until the fish flakes easily.
(Cooking time depends on whether your fish is fresh or frozen)

Serve the fish on top of the cabbage and beans.

I cut my fish fillets in half to accommodate them in the pan – they were about 140gm each. Cabbage done this way is really delicious. I left the skin on my potato and par-cooked it in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

Lemon and rosemary fish with chips

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
8 small fillets hake (about 60gm each)
1 tsp dried rosemary
40gm dried breadcrumbs
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

4 large tomatoes, halved
2 cups frozen peas
400gm oven chips
1 small pack mixed lettuce

Method
Cook the oven chips according to the packet instructions.
Grill or microwave the tomato halves.
Microwave, steam or boil the frozen peas.

Mix the breadcrumbs, rosemary and lemon rind together.
Brush the fish with lemon juice and coat lightly with the breadcrumb mix.

Meanwhile, spray a frying pan with non-stick cooking spray and heat.
Dry fry the fish for about 5 minutes each side (longer if cooking from frozen), or until the flesh flakes easily.

Divide the chips and other vegetables between 4 plates, with two fish fillets each.
 

Tuna basil pasta

Serves 4 : Very easy : Quick

Ingredients
240gm pasta penne
1 aubergine, chopped
1 cup frozen peas

2 x 170gm tins tuna in brine, drained and flaked
150gm cherry tomatoes, halved
±10 large basil leaves, chopped
½ cup tomato puree
½ cup water

Method
Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water for 10 minutes.
Add the chopped aubergine and the frozen peas and simmer for a further 5 – 10 minutes until the aubergine is transparent, and the pasta is al dente.
Drain and set aside.

Using the same saucepan, pour in the tomato puree and water.
Add cherry tomatoes and basil.
Simmer for five minutes.

Tip in the flaked tuna and the drained pasta and vegetables.
Turn gently to combine.
Allow to heat through.

Serve with a crisp green salad.

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.

Honey-mustard hake

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients

2 Tblsp honey
2 Tblsp whole grain mustard
Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
4 large skinless hake fillets

150gm baby carrots
150gm sugar snap peas
150gm green asparagus
500gm new potatoes, scrubbed and halved

Method

Put the potatoes on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Boil, steam or microwave the carrots, peas and asparagus.
Once cooked, drain and keep warm.

Mix together the honey, mustard, lemon juice and rind.
Brush onto the fish.

Spray a large pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Dry-fry the hake, about 5 minutes per side.
Pour any remaining honey/mustard mix into the pan.

Make a bed of baby vegetables on each plate.
Place the fish on top of the veg.
Spoon any juices from the frying pan over the potatoes.

Salmon in lemon-butter sauce

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
4 salmon steaks each ±100gm

3 Tblsp low-fat spread
2 Tblsp chopped parsley
1 Tblsp capers, rinsed and chopped
2 – 3 Tblsp lemon juice
Grated rind of 1 lemon

500gm new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
8 courgettes, sliced
±20 baby carrots, scrubbed
±200gm asparagus stems

Method

Put the potatoes on to cook in lightly salted boiling water.
Drain and keep warm once cooked.
Steam or microwave the asparagus, carrots and courgette slices.

Meanwhile, spray a non-stick frying pan with cooking spray.
Spray the salmon with non-stick cooking spray.
Cook the fish in the frying pan, about 5 mins each side, or until the fish flakes easily.
Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Wipe the frying pan out with kitchen paper.
Place the pan back over a low heat.
Melt the spread.
Add the parsley, capers, lemon juice and rind.

Plate up the fish and vegetables.
Spoon the lemon-butter sauce over the fish.

You don’t have to use salmon; any firm white fish goes well with this dressing.

Smoked haddock in mushroom cheese sauce

Serves 4 : Easy : Quick
Ingredients
±500gm smoked haddock, skinned and cut in chunks
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fat free milk
250gm button mushrooms, sliced
400gm broccoli florets
400gm rice
1-2tsp maizena, mixed to a paste with a little milk or water
80gms strong cheese, grated

Chopped fresh parsley

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

Meanwhile, spray a large pan with non-stick spray.
Put the fish, onion, mushrooms, broccoli and milk in the pan.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove everything from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the milk in the pan.
Thicken the milk with the maizena paste.
Add the cheese and stir well.

Put the fish and vegetables back into the sauce.
Turn gently to coat everything with the sauce, but be gentle so as not to break
up the fish any further.

Serve the fish in the sauce over rice. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

To get closer to your 5-a-day, you can serve peas with this. You can cook them in the rice.

Tuna Salad with avocado

Serves 4 : Very easy : Very quick
Ingredients

2 x 170gm tins tuna in brine or spring water
1 small chilli, finely chopped
Juice and rind of 2 small lemons
1 large, firm mango, peeled and cubed

1 large, ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
±24 mini Italian tomatoes
½ medium cucumber, sliced
Small bag mixed lettuce

Method
Drain the tuna. Tip into a bowl and break up slightly with a fork.

Add the lemon rind and juice, the chopped chilli and the mango cubes.
Toss gently to combine.

Make a bed of mixed lettuce on each of four dinner plates.
Divide the tuna between the plates.
Garnish with avocado, cucumber slices and tomatoes.


The chillies in the photograph are from my garden.
We have had an absolute glut of them this year!