Red curry baked hake
SERVES 4 | TOTAL TIME 20–25 MIN
Method
Butter 2 tbsp
Olive oil 1 tbsp
Red thai curry paste 2 tbsp
Garlic, sliced 4 cloves
Tomato paste 1 tbsp
Sugar 2 tsp
Lemon, juiced and zested 2
Coconut cream or coconut milk 1 can
Hake fillets, skin removed
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Fresh coriander, chopped ¼ cup
FOR SERVING
Asparagus, blanched 1 punnet
Baby spinach, wilted handful
Sesame seeds, toasted 1 tbsp
Radishes, sliced 3–4
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large ovenproof skillet.
- Sauté the curry paste and garlic for 2 minutes.
- Stir through the tomato paste and sugar and cook for 3–4 minutes. Add a splash of water if the paste is dry.
- Stir in the coconut cream or coconut milk and lemon juice.
- Nestle the fish into the sauce, cover with a lid and bake for 12–15 minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove the fish from the oven, season well and top with coriander.
- Serve the hake with wilted greens and garnished with the sesame seeds and fresh radish.
Crispy calamari and watermelon with a mint, lime and chilli salad dressing
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME 15-20 MIN
Method
FOR THE CALAMARI
Calamari rings or tubesand tentacles, defrosted 500g
Salt and coarsely ground blackpepper
Fresh coriander 2 tbsp
Vegetable oil for frying Cornflour ½ cup
FOR THE DRESSING
Fresh mint leaves ½ punnet
Fresh coriander leaves ½ punnet
Red chilli, seeds removed 2
Limes, juiced and zested 2
Olive oil ¼ cup
TO SERVE
Fresh rocket 2 handfuls
Watermelon, rind removed and cubed ½
Exotic tomato medley, halved 1 punnet
Spring onion, thinly sliced 2
Method
- Pat down the calamari with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture.
- In a bowl, toss the calamari with the seasoning and coriander.
- Heat the oil in a large pan.
- Dip the calamari into the cornflour, shake off any excess and shallow or deep-fry in hot oil for about 3–4 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
- Blitz the mint, coriander, chilli, lime zest, lime juice and olive oil until it reaches the consistency of a dressing. Season well.
- Arrange the rocket in a serving bowl and top with the watermelon, tomatoes and spring onion. Sca er over the crispy calamari.
- Drizzle the salad with the dressing just before serving and toss through to coat.
Herb and chilli butter-basted roast chicken
SERVES 4
TOTAL TIME 50 MIN
Method
FOR THE ROAST CHICKEN
Butter, softened ½ block
Fresh parsley leaves ¼ cup
Fresh mint leaves, chopped 2 tbsp
Red chilli, deseeded and chopped 3
Garlic, chopped 2 cloves
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Whole chicken, giblets removed 1Lemon, juiced 1
FOR SERVING
Wilted greens like spinach, green beans and sugar snap peas
Lime or lemon wedges
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Combine the butter, herbs, chilli and garlic and divide into 4 parts. 3. Season the chicken. Use your fingers to loosen the skin slightly from the flesh. Be careful to keep the skin intact.
- Rub 1 portion of the herb butter under the skin.
- Smear another portion of the herb butter over the skin to coat the entire chicken.
- Place the chicken in a lined deep baking dish and roast for 40–50 minutes or until cooked.
- Melt the remaining 2 portions of herb butter in a pan along with the lemon juice. Use this melted lemon butter to baste the chicken every 15 minutes while it roasts.
- Serve the chicken on a bed of wilted greens with lime wedges on the side.
Chicken and seared stone fruit salad with whipped feta
SERVES 4 | TOTAL TIME 35 MIN
Ingredients
Chicken breasts, sliced 4
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Fresh chives, chopped 2 tbsp
Smoked or regular paprika 2 tbsp
Garlic, chopped 2 cloves
White wine vinegar ¼ cup
Sugar 2 tbsp
Red onions, sliced 2
Peaches or nectarines, halved or quartered 6-8
Feta 2 rounds
Plain yoghurt ½ cup
Lemon, juiced 1
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Fresh coriander, chopped 2 tbsp
Baby spinach 2 handfuls
Pita breads, charred 4
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Add the chicken, oil, seasoning, chives, paprika and garlic to a bowl and toss.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a greased baking tray and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked.
- Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil in a saucepan for 2–3 minutes and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Pickle the red onions by placing them in a bowl, pouring over the warm vinegar syrup, seasoning well and covering with clingfilm. Set the red onions aside for 15 minutes, then uncover and cool completely.
- Fry the peaches or nectarines in a pan, flesh side down, with a bit of oil or butter for about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
- Blitz the feta, yoghurt, lemon juice, olive oil and coriander until smooth and thick. Season with black pepper.
- To serve, arrange the baby spinach on a platter and top with the chicken, stone fruit and pickled red onions. Top with dollops of whipped feta and the charred pita breads.