Mackerel fishcakes

There's only a few weeks left until I will be flying half way round the world to Australia. My cousin is getting married and asked me to be her bridesmaid. No-one could turn that opportunity to travel to a new country, especially with the heatwave that's souring out there at the moment. 46 degrees is a little too hot for a girl that's used to the mild English climate but I'm sure I'll get used to it. The bonus is we get to see these pretty awesome sunrises on frosty winter mornings:


So, as a result of pretty much being in a bikini for the next month, I'm on a healthy plan. I'm running more and eating better (I can't quite say no to wine though...but we all need our treats!)

I've done many healthy recipes (although I do love butter and cream) where it's great to feel refreshed and not stuffed after a meal.

These fishcakes are so easy and very cheap to make. I buy the smoked or peppered mackerel in the vacuumed packet from the supermarket. My Mum would be shocked to hear me using it as it used to make me feel sick when I was younger but now, knowing how healthy it is for you, my taste buds have changed and it's great.

So, break up the smoked/peppered mackerel into a large bowl then add mash potato. Fry diced onion and add in too once cooled a little. Add an egg, salt, pepper, dill, any other herbs you have, maybe some horseradish or mustard. Shape with hands into fat disc and coat in flour. Fry off until golden on all sides. They can be baked in the oven also if you don't want to fry. It's as easy as that!

Serve with broccoli and lemon.

Oh and one last thing, in my previous post about dinner parties, I mentioned that I was going to a big dinner party/get together and planned on doing chilli con carne. I chose well as it went down a storm. I also made a side of nachos using salsa, cheese and jalapenos and serving with guacamole and sour cream on the side:

ZP x

Plaice, potato rosti, tomato salsa, and cucumber relish

One of my quickest dinners is potato, green veg and fried fish with a caper butter. The fish I use ranges from salmon, trout, whiting, plaice or whatever the fishmonger has on offer/needs to get rid of. If I'm going all out and cooking something special then I'll get some turbot or halibut, but usually this is a mid week dinner that takes half an hour, and is really healthy (well...maybe if I used a little less butter!)

The way I cook the fish stays the same; I tend mix up the accompanying sides to make every dish a little different (it usually involves finding what in the fridge would go with the fish...).

Start with the thing that takes the longest and in this case it’s the potato. Grate potato and onion. Add mustard seeds and fennel seeds with salt and pepper and an egg. Mix well and shape with your hands into a flat disc about the circumference of a large mug. Fry in oil (I used rape seed as I got some Cotswold stuff in the local shop on offer) for 5-10 mins on a medium hot pan then flip and add a little butter for another 5-10 mins until golden.

While that’s cooking, cut up your tomatoes into small cubes (you can flash boil for 30 secs to remove the skin and seeds inside but I don’t do this if I don’t have the energy) and add spoonful of sugar, chopped fresh basil, chopped fresh parsley, 1 crushed garlic clove, oil, salt, pepper. 

For the cucumber relish, peel it with a y-shaped potato peeler (it does work!) in thin strips then marinade in a mixture of vinegar and sugar, then take out and add dill and salt and pepper. The slightly cool cucumber crunch with the soft white fish is amazing.

Rub the fish with a touch of oil, salt and pepper, and fry on each side until golden (few minutes on each side on a high heat). When you put it in the pan, don't fiddle around with it as a crusty skin outside won't form: put it in a pan and leave it to sizzle until you turn it over. Add butter at the end to colour it (capers optional). Baste it with the caper butter by using a spoon to spoon the frothing butter over the fish. Once the butter turns a medium brown colour, take off the heat and plate up immediately.

Serve on the rosti, with salsa, relish and lemon.

ZP x

Baked sea bass, fennel, tomatoes, and lemon

*Recognise the background of this blog? It's my chopping board from this recipe!*

There's nothing like a big, fat, fresh fish that's been steamed in wine with veg. YUM.

Buy the sea bass whole and gutted (fishmongers do this with ease so ask if it’s not already done - I got mine done in the Oxford Covered Market) then place on a large square of foil on top of sliced fennel, tomato, lemon wedges, salt, pepper, and any herbs you fancy. I like stuffing mine with flat leaf parsley, maybe some thyme, dill or whatever fresh herbs you have around. Salt and pepper the fish, then start wrapping it up from one side (like a pasty) and once one side is air tight, pour half a glass of white wine through the gap on the other side. Seal it all the way up and place on a baking tray for 20-30 mins at 180. 

Here in the pic, there are scallops too. I will show this recipe (we had it for starter) in the next blog post, click here to view it. 

I've made homemade mayo (2 egg yolks and a few drops of white wine vinegar whisked with oil gradually until it emulsifies the egg and amalgamates) to go with this:

Serve with boiled new potatoes coated in butter and salt, along with the rest of the white wine. 

Only use wine in cooking that you like to drink (it improves the quality of the cooking but you can also enjoy the leftovers!)

So, appreciate you local fish mongers and get healthy cooking!

ZP x