Recipes serve four
POACHED SKATE, SALSA VERDE AND ROASTED CARROTS
800g carrots, organic if possible, trimmed and rinsed
olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped gherkins
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, peeled, chopped and mashed with a little salt
2 lemons
white wine vinegar
800g skate, cut into four pieces
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees/gas seven. Toss the carrots in two tablespoons of olive oil, season generously with salt and pepper and place at the top of the oven. They will take 30-40 minutes and should be turned once or twice during that time.
For the salsa, combine the parsley, capers, gherkins, mustard and garlic with five tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice (taking care with the salt and lemon juice, depending on whether you are using salted capers or the type preserved in vinegar).
Heat a shallow pan of salted water to which you have added a dessert spoon of white wine vinegar. When it is boiling, slide in the fish and poach for eight to 10 minutes, or until cooked. Place the carrots on four plates. Lay the skate on top and spoon the salsa verde on top of the fish. You may need more olive oil. Serve with a large wedge of lemon.
ROAST COD, SPINACH AND CHICKPEA PILAF AND RAITA
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
half tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods
half tsp turmeric
half tsp fennel seeds
6cm piece cinnamon
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 mug Basmati rice
1 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
250g spinach, washed and roughly chopped
4 chunky fillets of cod
half a cucumber, grated
100ml plain yoghurt
1 garlic clove, peeled, chopped and mashed with a little salt
1 lemon, quartered
Gently saute the onion in three tablespoons of oil for 10 minutes, or until it is soft, but not browned. Add the mustard seeds, cumin, cloves, cardamom pods, turmeric, fennel seeds and cinnamon and cook for a further two minutes or until the spices lose their raw aroma.
Add the rice, stirring so it is well coated in the oil. Pour in enough water to cover by a centimetre, stir and put on the lid with a sheet of greaseproof paper between it and the pan, to improve the seal. Cook for 10 minutes then remove the pan from the heat and set it aside, without disturbing the lid.
Blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for two minutes or until just tender. Strain it, refresh with cold water and gently squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Squeeze as much moisture from the cucumber as possible and then combine it with the yoghurt and garlic and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees/gas six. Lay the cod fillets on a roasting tray. Lightly dress them with with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for eight to 10 minutes, or until cooked. Stir the chickpeas and spinach into the pilaf and serve with the fish on top of the rice, the raita and a lemon quarter on the side.
GRILLED MACKEREL WITH SOBA NOODLES AND PICKLED GINGER
2 small mackerel (or one large one) filleted
6 tbsp soy sauce
6cm piece of ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped and mashed with a knife
6 tbsp dry sherry
200g soba noodles
1 heaped tbsp pickled ginger
Cut the mackerel into eight-centimetre lengths and place it in a shallow bowl. Mix the soy, fresh ginger, garlic and sherry together, divide in half and pour half over the fish, making sure the ginger is equally divided. Set the fish aside for one hour in the fridge. Cook the soba noodles as you would pasta, but in unsalted water, then drain and refresh under cold water. Place a pile of cold noodles on each plate along with a shallow bowl of the reserved marinade. Grill the mackerel on both side for four to five minutes or until cooked. Serve with the noodles, dipping sauce and a little of the pickled ginger.