Fish in banana leaf with egg and peanut salad

Ingredients
For the Parsee fish
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground turmeric
4 grey mullet, head and backbone removed (ask your fishmonger to do this)
1 fresh coconut, flesh grated (or 200g/7oz desiccated coconut, soaked in water and squeezed dry)
2 large bunches fresh coriander, leaves only
4-5 long green chillies
6-8 garlic cloves
7.5cm/3in piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp caster sugar
1-2 limes, juice only
1 large bunch fresh mint, leaves only
3-4 tbsp water, as necessary
4 banana leaves, trimmed, any hard stem removed (available from some Asian grocers, sometimes frozen)
4 tbsp malt vinegar

For the egg and peanut salad
5 free-range eggs, hard boiled, cooled, peeled
6 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or desiccated coconut, soaked in water and squeezed dry)
1-2 large green chillies, trimmed, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp tamarind pulp (or 1½ tsp tamarind concentrate, available from Asian grocers)
3-4 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
1 tbsp chopped shallots
2 tbsp chopped fresh tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

For the Parsee fish, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

In a bowl, mix together the salt and ground turmeric until well combined, then rub the spice mixture into the fish.

Blend the grated coconut, coriander, chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, sugar, lime juice and mint to a paste in a food processor. If necessary, gradually add enough water, a tablespoon at a time, to loosen the mixture.

Rub the paste all over each seasoned grey mullet, both on the outside skin of the fish and inside the belly cavities.

Pass one side of each of the banana leaves over the flame of a gas cooker (5-10 seconds is sufficient) to soften the leaves. Alternatively, soften the leaves using a chefs' blow torch.

Place one piece of fish into the centre of each banana leaf. Fold the leaves over to make four parcels. Tie each parcel securely with string.

Place the banana leaf parcels into a roasting tray. Sprinkle over the malt vinegar and a few drops of cold water. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

For the egg and peanut salad, cut each of the hard-boiled eggs in half. Remove the yolks from the whites. Crumble the yolks, then finely chop the whites.

In a bowl, mix together the diced egg whites, crumbled egg yolks and the remaining egg and peanut salad ingredients. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, place one banana leaf parcel into the centre of each of four serving plates. Remove the string from the banana leaf parcels and open them up. Serve a portion of the egg and peanut salad alongside each Parsee fish portion, inside the banana leaf.

Coconut and prawn broth with rice, spinach and chilli

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
5 large prawns, shells and heads only
½ fresh green chilli, chopped
25g/1oz fresh ginger, sliced
¼ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
300ml/½ pint boiling water
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp tomato purée
1 tbsp grated fresh coconut
1 lime, juice only
handful fresh spinach
25g/1oz basmati rice, cooked
small handful fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Preparation method
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan, add the prawn shells and heads, chilli, ginger, onion and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the water, curry powder, tomato purée, grated coconut and lime juice. Bring to the boil and cook for ten minutes.

Place a fine sieve over another clean pan, pass the mixture through the sieve and discard everything that is left in the sieve. Add the spinach and rice to the broth and stir.
To serve, pour into a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Crab and coconut cakes with homemade sweet chilli sauce

Ingredients
For the sweet chilli sauce
2 garlic cloves
6 long red chillies
1 tbsp fish sauce
100g/4oz caster sugar
100ml/4fl oz rice vinegar
For the crab cakes
250g/8oz fresh crabmeat
75g/3oz fine dried breadcrumbs
25g/1oz unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 free-range egg
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
pinch ground white pepper
vegetable oil, for shallow frying

To serve
crisp lettuce leaves
handful fresh coriander leaves
 
Preparation method
For the sweet chilli sauce, pound the garlic and chillies to a paste using a pestle and mortar, then transfer to a saucepan with the remaining sweet chilli sauce ingredients and 100ml/4fl oz of water. Bring the mixture to the boil and continue to boil for five minutes, or until the mixture has reduced to a syrup-like consistency. Set aside to cool.

For the crab cakes, in a mixing bowl mix together the crabmeat, breadcrumbs, coconut, egg, garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce and white pepper. Knead with your fingers until thoroughly combined, then break off small pieces and shape them into mini patties.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the crab cakes, in batches if necessary, for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.
Serve the hot crab cakes on a bed of lettuce leaves, scatter over the coriander and serve with the chilli sauce on the side for dipping.

Cod with mussels chorizo fried croutons and saffron mayonnaise

Ingredients

saffron mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
mussels
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots (about 2 small)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 cup smoked Spanish chorizo,* diced
1/4 cup finely diced seeded tomato
1/4 cup finely diced roasted red pepper from jar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
fried croutons
Canola oil (for deep-frying)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 1-inch torn pieces crustless sourdough bread (about 5 ounces)
Cod
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 12-ounce cod fillet, cut into 4 equal pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil


Preparation

SAFFRON MAYONNAISE
Mix lime juice and saffron in small bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in mayonnaise, oil, and hot pepper sauce. Cover and chill at least 4 hours to allow flavors to develop. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.

MUSSELS
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, crushed red pepper, and saffron and sauté 4 minutes. Add wine; bring to boil. Add mussels and thyme; cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Strain mussel broth into large saucepan; add chorizo, tomato, roasted pepper, and parsley to liquid. Remove mussels from shells.

DO AHEAD Mussels and cooking broth can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.

FRIED CROUTONS
Pour enough oil into heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 3 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan. Heat oil to 350°F. Whisk eggs, milk, and cayenne in large bowl. Add bread; stir to coat. Let soak 2 minutes. Drain off excess liquid. Working in batches, add bread to hot oil and cook until brown, turning as necessary, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and drain.
meanwhile, prepare COD

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring clam juice and wine to simmer in small saucepan. Pour into 7x5-inch baking dish. Add cod pieces to dish; sprinkle with salt and drizzle with oil. Bake until fish is opaque in center, basting with poaching liquid twice, about 8 minutes.
Bring mussel broth to simmer. Add mussels and heat through. Divide mussels and broth among 4 shallow soup bowls. Top each with piece of cod, 3 croutons, and dollop of saffron mayonnaise.

Whole Pan-fried Reef Fish

2 – serving

Bush – Lemon – Soy Vinaigrette
15 Grams Garlic
5 Grams Ginger
30ml sesame oil
60ml Olive oil
50 ml Lemon Juice
30 ml Hosin Sauce
5 grams Coriander Leaves

Method Sauté garlic and ginger in the sesame oil till soft & place into a small insert. Add the other ingredients and blend with a mixer until smooth.

Preparation Fish
1 Reef Fish 800grams
50 grams carrots Julianne
50 grams Capsicum Julianne
50 grams Cheese cabbage Julianne
100 Grams Flour
20 grams Garlic
20 grams ginger paste
30ml Lemon Juice 300ml Vegetable oil for frying

To Prepare:
Score Fish with a knife. Rub garlic & ginger into all crevices. Season with salt & pepper & coat with
lemon juice. Dredge Fish in flour and pan fried on both sides till done. Transfer Fish to a platter. Blanch vegetables in salted water and arrange on top of Fish and bring the lemon – Soy Vinaigrette to a boil in a smallpan and pour over the Fish and vegetables, garnish and serve

Pan fried fillet of Coral Trout

Fillet of coral trout – 200grs
Steamed dalo – 100grs
Dalo leaves 50grs
Half pawpaw peeled
Butter 100grs

Method Fish fillet to be seasoned with oil, salt, crushed garlic, lemon and ginger juice, for few minute only, get pan heat the pan on a very low heat with butter, deep the fish in the flour to dry up, then put the fish in the pan, when its brown turn the fish and take the pan away from the stove, it will be cooked by the heat of the pan, Get another pan stir fry the steamed rourou leaves with finely chopped onions, Get another pan put some butter when it is lightly heat, place the sliced steamed dalo till brown, Pour the fried rourou on the centre of the plate, then lay the fish on top of the rourou, place the thin slice fried dalo around the plate, and garnish with ripe sliced pawpaw

Kokoda - Fijian Fish Ceviche

by Fijian Food Safari

served in a half coconut shell

The Kokoda (“Koh-konda”) is one of Fiji’s traditional & most well known fish dishes.  Like the Peruvian “Ceviche”, Fijian’s ‘cook’ Walu mackeral by curing it overnight in lemon juice,  then mixing it with a coconut salsa to enjoy as a cold seafood salad.

1kg        Fresh Walu Spanish Mackeral (or any firm white flesh), cubed 1" square
1 cup     Lemon juice
1 cup     Coconut cream (fresh is better but canned ok)
¼ cup   Tomato, diced
1 T         Spring onion
¼ cup   White Onion, finely chopped
Red chilli, chopped fine (optional)
                 salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:
Cut fish into small cubes, 1” square
Place fish pieces into bowl with lemon juice and little salt
Store marinated fish in refrigerator for minimum of 2 hours or overnight
Rinse the fish under cold water, removing the excess proteins
In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients, check seasoning
Mix the cured fish with the coconut mixture
Serve chilled

Thai Garlic Fish

-Fijian Food Safari

1 cup         Fresh coriander (dhaniya)
5 cloves     Fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 small pc  Fresh ginger, chopped fine
¼ cup         Water
1 Tbsp       Lime juice
1 Tbsp       Light soy sauce
2 Tbsp       Thai Fish sauce
2 Tbsp       Brown or raw sugar
½               Red or green capsicum, deseeded & diced
1 Tbsp       Salt

Put the water, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce and brown sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. 
Add the chopped herbs and capsicum and cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Set aside.
Score (cut) fish and squeeze lime juice on both sides and inside the stomach. 
Rub inside and out with salt and allow to marinate for about 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towel. 
Fry the fish in about 1 cup of vegetable oil, 4-5 minutes per side.   Garnish with cucumbers, coriander, fresh capsicum
Serve with rice or root crops

Tray-baked salmon with olives, green beans, anchovies and tomatoes

Serves 4

200g/7oz green beans
20 small red cherry tomatoes
1-2 good handfuls of black olives
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 x 225g/8oz thick salmon fillet steaks, with or without skin but definitely pinboned
2 lemons
1 handful fresh basil
12 anchovy fillets

1 Tail the green beans, blanch them until tender in salted, boiling water and drain. Put in a bowl with the cherry tomatoes and the stoned olives. Toss in the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

2 Preheat the oven and roasting tray at the highest temperature. Give the salmon fillets a quick wash under the tap and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Squeeze the juice of a 1/2 lemon over the fillets, on both sides, then season both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Put the salmon at one end of the roasting tray.

3 Toss the basil into the green beans, etc and place this mixture at the other end of the roasting tray. Lay the anchovies over the green beans. Roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and serve with lemon quarters.

Very tasty with some homemade mayonnaise or aioli.

Salt Cod with Potatoes Onions and Black Olives

Serves 6

1-1/2 pounds dried salt cod (Bacalhau)
1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
6 medium red or white rose potatoes
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons fruity Spanish olive oil
4 medium onions, cut crosswise into 1/8 inch slices and separated into rings
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups fish stock or clam juice
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
24 oilcured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Directions
To prepare the salt cod: Rinse the cod well and then immerse it in a container of cold water (cut into chunks, if necessary, to fit). Refrigerate, changing the soaking water 2 or 3 times, until softened (12 to 24 hours, depending on how stiff it was to begin with). Drain the cod, place it in a large saucepan with the onion and the bay leaves, and cover with cold water. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, and cover (taste the water at this stage and, if it seems excessively salty, then drain, cover again with fresh cold water, and bring to a boil). Simmer very gently until the fish is opaque and plumped, and falls apart into heavy flakes when prodded, about 20 minutes.
Drain, pat dry, and remove the bones and skin, if necessary. Separate into large flakes and use right away, or refrigerate for up to 2 days before continuing with the recipe.
In a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes whole for about 20 minutes, or until they are tender but not falling apart. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion rings and, stirring frequently, cook until they are softened and translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. In a heavy saucepan, reduce the wine by half over medium high heat. Add the fish stock and again reduce by half, then add the cream and reduce by 1/3, so that you have about 2 cups liquid remaining.
Pour this liquid into an earthenware or ceramic casserole about 8 inches in diameter with 4 inch sides. Spread half of the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole, cover them with half of the cod and half of the onions, using a slotted spoon to transfer the onions. Scatter half of the olives over the first layer. Repeat the layer with the remaining potatoes, cod, onions, and olives.
In a small bowl, toss the cheese, bread crumbs, black pepper, and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil together, then distribute this mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp. If desired, run the dish under a hot broiler briefly to crisp the topping even more. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve directly from the casserole.

Prawns with coriander, ginger and cardamom

12 green king prawns

Marinade:
2 small hot red chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbs ginger, finely chopped
3 tbs coriander, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
4 tbs grapeseed oil
salt and pepper
lemon quarters to serve

Combine the prawns and marinade in large shallow dish - leave for an hour. Brush the grill with oil and grill the prawns for 2-3 mins on each side, pouring all the marinade over them.

Serve with lemon quarters

Prosciutto-wrapped salmon with yoghurt lentil salad

Serves 4

255g/9oz lentils
4 225g/8oz salmon fillets, skinned and pin-boned
salt and pepper
8 slices prosciutto
olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
2 good handfuls of mixed herbs (parsley, basil, mint) chopped
3 large handfuls of spinach, chopped
200ml/7oz natural yoghurt

Preheat the oven to 220C /425F. Put the lentils into a pan, cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Seasons the salmon with pepper before wrapping them in the prosciutto. Leave some of the flesh exposed. Drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.

Drain away most of the water from the lentils and season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and 4 lugs of olive oil. Just before serving, stir the herbs and spinach into the lentils on a high heat, until wilted. Place on to plates with the salmon and finish with a drizzle of lightly seasoned yoghurt.

Squid and Bean salad

Serves 4-6

1kg/2 pound 3 oz squid, trimmed and gutted
salt and pepper
400g tin cannellini beans or 170g/6oz dried ones soaked and cooked until tender
1-2 fresh chillies, red and green
2 good handfuls of rocket
juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon
olive oil

Score the squid lightly in a casual criss-cross and set it to one side. Get a griddle pan very hot (or use Wok or BBQ). Season the squid lightly then add it to the pan. After a minute it should be nicely charred, turn it over, cook for another minute then remove it and set it aside.

Heat up the cannellini beans and sprinkle them into a bowl. Add the sliced chillies to the bowl with the rocket, lime/lemon juice, olive oil and season.

Cut the squid at irregular angles and toss it in. A good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to finish it off.