Winter fish specials

In mid-winter, whether I'm in Winchelsea with access to the Rye Bay Catch, or in Alsace where our local Rond Point, Carrefour and Leclerc supermarkets all have good fish counters, I can count on a great selection of fresh fish and shellfish. Here's a selection of seasonal recipes, all of them quick and easy. They make a nice change of pace from stodgy winter fare.

 

WINTER WARM SALAD OF RED MULLET WITH LAMB’S LETTUCE AND CHICORY

A last-minute, super-speedy salad of delicious contrasts: white chicory leaves, dark green lamb’s lettuce, pink fish and a blood orange dressing.  

Serves 4
2 heads chicory
100g lamb’s lettuce (mâche/Nüsslisalat)
4 tbsp vinaigrette 
500g red mullet fillets
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
juice of 2 blood oranges
sprigs of fresh herbs (chervil, chives)

• Arrange the chicory leaves in a star shape in soup bowls (5 to a bowl) and put a nest of lamb’s lettuce in the centre
• Cut the fish fillets in 2-3 bias-cut strips 
• Season the fish and dust lightly in flour – shake off any excess in a colander
• Heat the oil fiercely in a heavy pan and fry the fish pieces very briefly, turning them once 
• Sprinkle with a little lemon juice and arrange them decoratively over the salad 
• Deglaze the pan with the blood orange juice, swirl it around and splash it over the fish
• Sprinkle with fresh herbs of your choice, and serve at once with crusty bread

STIR-FRY OF SQUID WITH PEPPERS AND PASTA


A quickly prepared, light supper dish of squid strips and roasted peppers with fresh pasta. 

Serves 4-6
1 red + 1 yellow pepper
3-4 medium-sized squid
200g fresh pasta (e.g. tagliatelle, paglia e fieno)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
optional: 1 preserved lemon (citron confit)*, finely diced
plenty of chopped chives or dill

• Rub the peppers with oil and grill (broil) or roast until thoroughly blackened
• Put in a plastic bag for 10 minutes, rub off the skin under running water
• Remove seeds and stalk and cut the peppers into strips
• Clean the squid as shown, set the tentacles and wing flaps aside
• Slit the bodies down the side, open out and cut into strips
• Cut the tentacles and wing flaps into similar lengths
• Pat the squid dry with paper towels
• Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, drain and keep warm in a low oven, along with some soup bowls
• Heat a film of olive oil in a wok or large frying pan and cook the garlic briefly without allowing it to brown. 
• Add the squid and stir-fry for not more than 1 minute – just long enough for it to stiffen and become opaque
• Add the pepper strips, season to taste, and fry some more
• Stir in the pasta, diced lemon and herbs and cook till just heated through
• Serve immediately in heated bowls 

STUFFED SQUID WITH TOMATOES, BREADCRUMBS, OLIVES AND CAPERS

Serves 4 for a light main course or supper dish, 8 for a starter
4 medium or 8 small squid
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, mashed
3 tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped
lots of parsley, chopped
½ cup fresh white breadcrumbs or cooked rice
12 black olives, stoned (pitted) and chopped
2 tbsp capers, drained
salt and pepper
salad leaves for serving
vinaigrette

• Clean the squid, rinse out the bodies, pull off any black film and pat them dry on paper towels 
• Chop the tentacles and wings in small pieces
• Heat the oil and soften the onion for 5 minutes, add the garlic and cook a little more
• Add the chopped tentacles and wings and cook briefly till opaque
• Add the tomatoes, raise the heat and cook till the moisture is evaporated
• Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and breadcrumbs or rice, olives and capers
• Season to taste with salt and pepper
• Stuff the squid with this mixture, close the tops with toothpicks
• Heat the grill (broiler) or a grill pan (or barbecue)
• Grill the squid for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and just stiffened (don’t overcook or they will be tough)
• Serve over dressed salad leaves

Any fillets of firm white fish will do for this quick fishy fix – take a look in your fish counter and see what’s best and/or on special. Sea bass, rascasse, cod, haddock or monkfish would all work well.

Serves 4
500g firm white fish fillets
salt and pepper
2 chunky slices bread, crusts removed and cut into chunks [OR 100g fresh white breadcrumbs]
a handful of fresh or dried mixed herbs
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, mashed
juice of ½ a lemon

• Heat the oven to 220oC/425oF
• Season the fish with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer in a lightly oiled ovenproof dish
• If you have a food processor, put the bread chunks into it and process with the herbs and a little salt till nicely crumbly
• Through the funnel, add the oil, garlic and lemon juice and process till well mixed
• [Alternatively, in a bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, finely chopped herbs, oil, garlic and lemon juice]
• Spread the crumb mixture over the fish, pressing down well
• Chill the fish until ready to bake
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the fish is just opaque and the crust lightly golden
• Serve with fennel or broccoli

Serves 4
1 whole fish, cleaned and scaled, ca. 1 kg
salt, pepper, fennel or thyme
2 slices lemon
1 cup water or white wine
Sauce
a bunch of cilantro
a walnut-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic
1-2 red or green chiles, seeded and finely chopped
5 tbsp stock or water (from cooking the fish)
200ml crème fraîche épaisse (thick sour cream)
1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch (Maizena)
salt and pepper

• Heat the oven to 200oC
• Make an estimate of how thick the fish is at its thickest point - allow approximately 10 minutes’ cooking per inch (2.5cm) of thickness
• Slash the fish in several places on both sides and lay it in an oiled ovenproof dish
• Tuck the herbs and lemon slices into the cavity, season with salt and pepper and pour the water or wine over it
• Bake fish till flesh is just opaque and lifts easily off the bones (e.g. 20’ for a 900g bream)
• Put the cilantro (leaves and stalks), ginger, garlic and chiles in the blender with the stock, cream, cornflour/cornstarch and salt and pepper and blend till smooth – don’t overdo it or it will curdle
• Tip it into a small pan, bring the sauce to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, no more or it will lose its colour
• Scrape skin off fish, lift off top fillet and divide between serving plates, remove the bone and serve the second fillet
• Serve with the sauce and Basmati rice