Goan Fish Curry

Goan Fish Curry

If you have read my blog before you will be well aware that my hubby and I love fish and seafood. However, my other half always maintains that fish has no place being in a curry. When he saw me making this dish the other day he, exclaimed ‘oh thats risky’, indicating that there was a chance that he wasn’t going to enjoy the dish!

I took the recipe from  Lean in 15 by Joe Wicks ; a book full of healthy recipes and fitness ideas, which you can complete in just 15 minutes. I’ve tried out several recipes already but this is definitely one of my favourites. The gentle warmth from the chilli and spices combined with the meaty fish and dash of lime really works and it is an excellent alternative to an Indian Takeaway. Despite his earlier misgivings, my hubby declared that if this dish was available at his local Curry House he would be ordering it every time…high praise indeed!

Goan Fish Curry

Prep 15 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, chopped
3cm ginger, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped – with seeds if you like it hot, although I removed them in my version and the curry was just right for me and my hubby who likes spicy food.
2 chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp coconut oil or 6-8 squirts or coconut oil spray
1 red onion, diced
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 x 400ml tin of full-fat coconut milk
500g haddock fillet, skinned and cut into large chunks (or use 300g and add 8-10 king prawns, as I did in this recipe)
Juice of 1 lime
½ bunch of coriander leaves chopped

Method

1. In a food processor (I used my mini processor) add the the garlic, ginger, chilli and tomatoes and blitz until smooth, then leave to one side.
2. Spray coconut oil in the pan and fry the onion under a medium heat for 2 minutes, stir throughout.
3. Add in the garam masala and cumin and then continue to stir as for 30 seconds.
4. Add the ingredients you blended earlier and bring to the boil before pouring in the coconut milk. Once added, make sure that the sauce is brought to the boil again. At this stage, I turned off the heat and left the sauce on the hob as I wasn’t ready to cook the fish just yet, but if you are ready, you can simply proceed with the next stage of the recipe.
5. Add the haddock pieces and the prawns to the curry, and simmer gently. Cook the fish for about 3 minutes, or until it is cooked through.
6. Season and stir in the lime juice and then taste to ensure you are happy with the flavours and add more lime or seasoning as required.
7. Serve with a sprinkling of coriander and a wedge of lime.
8. This recipe freezes well, although I would probably freeze the sauce in batches and add the fish or even chicken when needed.

El Chiringüito Beach Bar, Denia, Spain

el Chiringüito Beach Bar

There are many beach bars and restaurants along the Denia coast line, but we always seem to gravitate towards Chiringüito beach because it is well away from the centre of Denia and less crowded. The front of the bar is furnished with cushioned seating in attractive blues and pinks and it has a wonderful view overlooking the sea. A little further back is the restaurant area and whilst there is a regular menu the specials change daily, many of which are seafood.

My husband and I opted to share several plates of food, starting with locally grown organic tomatoes, dressed in oil and sherry vinegar, accompanied with pickled olives, chillies and topped with fresh anchovies. The clean flavours and the freshness of the salad was sublime and in our opinion the epitome of ‘health on a plate’. The salad provided an excellent accompaniment to the two fish dishes we chose. Firstly a sumptuous plate of freshly grilled sardines, which brought back childhood memories of eating grilled sardines and boiled potatoes in the tiny port of Ericeira in Portugal, but the star of the show was the cuttlefish. It is the first time that either of us has eaten cuttlefish (sepia) and it was a revelation.

Cuttlefish is of course very similar to octopus and I am well aware that you either cook it for a very short time or cook it slowly for a long time. I was expecting this dish to be rubbery, but it was far from that and instead we found it deliciously soft and tender and the accompanying garlic and parsley dressing worked perfectly. The restaurant is a ‘no frills’ kind of place, but the waiters are helpful and attentive, despite their limited English and our even more limited Spanish. It was quite simply a delicious lunch in a wonderful location.

For more information and reviews check out TripAdvisor.

Turbot alla Livornese

Turbot alla Livornese

My husband loves fish so when I have the time to really cook something different, I try to ensure I source the freshest fish possible and that usually means heading to our local fish stall on a Saturday morning. I wasn’t sure what type of fish to choose when I visited yesterday, but I knew I wanted to make a Livornese sauce to accompany whichever fish I selected. I have only recently learnt about this sauce after watching one of the Masterchef contestants, under the guidance of the wonderful Massimo Bottura, create the most beautiful fish dish with a Livornese sauce. This sauce originates from Livorno in Tuscany and whilst it is a relatively simple recipe the flavours are heavenly. The taste of the sea, ripe tomatoes and hint of garlic immediately transport you to the world of mediterranean cuisine. The dish feels healthy yet at the same time, indulgent and the colour of the sauce looks stunning on the plate.

For this recipe I chose a very large and quite expensive Turbot, which my friendly fish man filleted for me. Traditionally a Livornese sauce is served with Red Mullet, but after a little research I found that other fish such a sole or turbot also work well with this recipe. Whatever fish you choose to buy to accompany your Livornese sauce, be sure to ask your fishmonger for some fish bones and possibly some large raw, king prawns to help you make the base for the sauce. I also purchased a small bag of clams, to add to the dish just before serving. The result was delicious and I made so much sauce that I have been able to freeze some for another day.