Fish is delicious for lunch or dinner, and these recipes make it easy to have fantastic seafood on the table in a flash. Gone are the days when fish was a meal to be enjoyed only at a restaurant.
These recipes by chef Naledi Toona, taken from “Ocean Cookbook 2024”, will show you that you can prepare classy meals in the comfort of your home, without spending all day in the kitchen.
Creamy coconut hake with grilled seasonal vegetables
Serves: 2
Ingredients
4 MSC-certified hake fillets or any other MSC-certified white fish
32g flour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs avocado oil
175ml coconut cream
1 tbs lemon juice
3 tbs fresh coriander (chopped)
50g tenderstem broccoli
50g baby corn
50g sugar snap peas
½ tbs garlic flakes
Method
Dry the hake fillets with a kitchen towel. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Coat the hake with the seasoned flour and dust off excess flour.
Heat 2 tablespoons avocado oil in a pan. Place the fillets in the pan and cook for 2 minutes each side. Remove from the pan.
Add the coconut cream to the same pan. Leave it on the heat to simmer until it starts to thicken slightly. Stir in the lemon juice and add the fillets back into the pan. Cook for a further 2 minutes, turning them over.
Mix in the coriander, and taste for seasoning. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper, according to taste.
For the grilled vegetables:
Rinse the vegetables under running water. Place them in a pan with a lid for 2 minutes.
This allows the vegetables to steam using the excess water. Next, remove the lid and pour in 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Season with garlic flakes, salt, and pepper and leave to sauté for 4 minutes, turning them regularly.
Serve the hake with sauce and the hot vegetables.
Chef’s tip: Always opt for seasonal vegetables.
Fish burger
Serves: 4
Ingredients
450g MSC-certified hake or haddock
1 egg
2 tbs fish or seafood stock
3 tbs chopped herb dill
1 tbs salt
1-2 pinches black pepper
4 hamburger buns
8 lettuce leaves
1 big tomato
600g potatoes to bake in the oven (optional)
For the roe sauce
200ml crème fraîche
2 tbs mayonnaise
3 tbs MSC-certified red lumpfish roe
1 red onion
2-3 tbs chopped dill
1 tbs lemon juice
1 pinch salt
Pickled fennel
100ml vinegar
200ml powdered (caster) sugar
300ml water
1 pcs fennel
Method
To make the pickled fennel: Mix together the vinegar, sugar, and water to make the syrup. Heat and let it boil. Stir and let cool. Cut the fennel thinly, using either a knife or mandolin. Place the fennel in the syrup to pickle for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Roughly dice the fish fillets and then in a blender, mix them into a batter with the eggs and spices. Shape into 4 patties.
Roe sauce: Mince or finely dice the red onion and dill. Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the potatoes in half. Top with rapeseed oil and salt. Cook in the oven, at 200ºC, until they are golden brown.
Pan-fry the fish patties in butter for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Start to build the burger with a generous layer of roe sauce on one half of the bun.
Add the lettuce, tomato, fish patty, and fennel. Serve with potatoes if you wish and enjoy!