Fabulous Fish Recipes

ONE-PAN FABULOUS FISH

Steps:

• In a large shallow casserole pan on a high heat, mix the rice with 2 heaped teaspoons of tapenade, then pour over 600ml of water.
• Put the lid on and let it come to the boil while you halve the tomatoes and, in a bowl, mix them with 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and red wine vinegar.
• Taste, season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper, and tear in most of the basil leaves.
• Cut the fish into four equal-sized pieces and place in the pan, pushing them into the rice.
• Scatter over the dressed tomatoes. Put the lid back on and boil for 10 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through, then remove the lid and cook for a further 2 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated.
• Spoon the remaining tapenade over the fish, pick over the remaining basil leaves, drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil, and dish up.

FABULOUS FISH STEW

Steps:

• To make the saffron aioli, smash a clove of garlic, a tiny squeeze of lemon juice, and the saffron (if using) with a small pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar until it turns into a mush. Add a tablespoon of mayonnaise and pound again. Stir in the rest of the mayonnaise. Taste and season with a little more lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Give the mussels and clams a good wash in plenty of clean cold water and scrub any dirty ones lightly with a scrubbing brush, pulling off any beardy bits. If there are any that aren't tightly closed, give them a sharp tap. If they don't close up, throw them away.
• Heat a large, wide saucepan or stewing pot and pour in a splash of olive oil. Slice up the rest of the garlic and fry it in the oil until lightly golden. Add the wine, tomatoes and the basil stalks and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced a little.
• Add all your fish and shellfish in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Push the fish down into the liquid and put the lid on. Cook gently for about 10 minutes or until all the clams and mussels have opened and the fish fillets and langoustines or prawns are cooked through. (Discard any clams or mussels that don't open.)
• Toast the bread on a hot griddle pan and get out the serving bowls. Put a piece of toast in each bowl and ladle the soup over the top, making sure the fish is divided more or less evenly. Top each bowl with some fennel tops, basil leaves, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a big blob of saffron aioli.

FABULOUS BAKED FISH AND ASPARAGUS SPEARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the EVOO to the pan, once around the pan. Add the fennel seeds, garlic, and shallots to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
• Rinse the fish fillets and pat them dry. Season the fish with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the capers, tomatoes, the remaining tablespoon of EVOO, the balsamic vinegar, basil, and clam juice. Add the mixture to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Slide the fish fillets into the pan. Spoon the sauce over the fish and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake the fish for 15 minutes, or until cooked through, adding the bread to the oven to warm through for the last minute or two.
• While the fish cooks, boil the asparagus in an inch of water for 3 minutes, then drain and dress it with a little lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
• Serve the fish with lots of juice for mopping up with crusty bread and the asparagus spears alongside.