Seafood shines during the Easter season, and we’re here for the soirée! Whether it’s a big braai bash or a simple family dinner, fresh fish on your coastal holiday or frozen seafood if you’re living inland, there’s a seaside feast for everyone on the menu. 

Cape Malay fish curry with preserved lemon

 Serves 4 

This fish with a twist will fast become a favourite treat.  

Ingredients

2 onions, chopped
2-3 sprigs fresh curry leaves 
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp each turmeric, ground 
cumin and ground coriander 
2 tsp of each paprika and medium curry powder
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 cup vegetable or fish stock 
2 cans coconut milk or cream 
750g kingklip or yellowtail, cubed
500g half-shell mussels, defrosted
3 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and milled pepper  

For serving

Store-bought preserved lemon
Poppadoms, rice or garlic naan bread  

Method 

1. Heat a glug of oil in a large pot and fry onions, curry leaves, garlic and ginger until the onions are fragrant and translucent. 
2. Add spices and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and sugar and cook for 1 minute.
3. Pour in stock and coconut milk or cream, stir and allow to simmer on a low heat for 12-15 minutes.
4. Cover with a lid and poach fish and mussels in the liquid for 8-10 minutes.  
5. Stir through the chopped fresh coriander and lemon juice, and season well.
6. Garnish with a generous helping of preserved lemon and serve with poppadoms, rice or garlic naan bread. 

 

Haddock fish pie  

Serves 4 

Cutting carbs? Swap the potato slices for cauliflower mash.   

Ingredients

Glug canola oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery (leaves included), chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 box (500g) haddock fillets, defrosted
1 cup vegetable or fish stock
1 cup sour cream
Handful fresh coriander, chopped
Salt and milled pepper
6 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into 3mm-thick rounds 
¼ cup melted butter 
Fresh herbs, for serving  

Method 

1. Heat oil and butter in a large pot and fry onion, carrot and celery for about 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and fry for another minute.
3. Add haddock fillets and cover with stock. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes.  
4. Stir through the sour cream, fresh coriander and season well.
5. Transfer mixture to a large greased ovenproof dish.
6. Preheat oven to 180°C.
7. Arrange potato slices on top, making sure that they are overlapping, then brush with melted butter.
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are golden and cooked through.
9. Serve while hot, scattered with fresh herbs.  

 

Pan-fried squid with creamy citrus sauce  

Serves 3-4 

Cooking squid over a high heat for a short period is the key to keeping them crispy, yet tender.  

Ingredients

For the citrus sauce

2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp white vinegar
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 lemon, juiced and strained 
¼ cup orange juice, strained 
¾ cup melted butter 
handful fresh parsley, chopped  

1 packet (600g) frozen squid or calamari tubes, defrosted 
Salt and milled pepper 
Flour, for dusting
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped 
lemon wedges, for serving
crusty bread, for serving  

Method 

1. Fill a small pot with water to about 10cm full and bring to a simmer.
2. Place a tight-fitting glass or stainless-steel bowl over simmering water. (Make sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water) 
3. Add egg yolks, vinegar and garlic into the bowl and whisk for about 2-3 minutes or until thickened.
4. Whisk in half the lemon and orange juice, then remove bowl from the heat. 
5. Remove any white solids from the top of the melted butter. 
6. Whisk egg yolk mixture with an electric whisk or stick blender while gradually adding in the melted butter until the mixture resembles a mayonnaise-like texture. 
7. Whisk in remaining lemon and orange juice and season to taste. Keep the citrus sauce warm on top of a bowl of lukewarm water. 
8. Pat squid dry with paper towel and season well.
9. Lightly dust squid in flour, dusting off excess. 
10. Heat oil in a pan until almost smoking and fry squid for 1 minute per side.
11. Add some of the butter, garlic and chilli and fry for another minute. Set aside.
12. Repeat the process with the remaining squid, butter, garlic and chilli.  
13. Serve squid with citrus sauce, lemon wedges and crusty bread to mop up all that delicious sauce. 

  

Calamari jambalaya  

Serves 4 

This New Orleans classic uses a mix of seafood and veggies that you’re sure to find in your freezer.  

Ingredients

1 packet (400g) calamari rings, defrosted
2 Tbsp Cajun spice mix 
Flour, for dusting 
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sachet (50g) tomato paste 
Pinch brown sugar 
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 
1 can chopped and peeled tomatoes
1 cup fish or vegetable stock 
1 ½ cups brown basmati rice, cooked 
½ packet (125g) frozen peas and corn
Handful fresh parsley, chopped 
½ lemon, juiced
Salt and milled pepper 
Lemon slices, for serving  

Method 

1. Pat the calamari dry with paper towel and toss in Cajun spice. Coat in flour, dusting off the excess. 
2. Heat half the olive oil and brown calamari in batches for 2-3 minutes (make sure not to overcook). Set aside. 
3. Heat remaining oil and sauté the onion and red pepper until golden.
4. Add bacon and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, chopped tomatoes and stock. Simmer for about 5-8 minutes.  
6. Stir through the cooked rice, peas and corn into mixture to heat through for about 1-2 minutes. 
7. Add the calamari back into the pan, along with parsley and lemon juice. Season well. 
8. Serve the jambalaya with lemon slices and extra fresh parsley, if using. 

 

Deep-fried fish in homemade sweet chilli sauce  

Serves 2-3 

Can’t find any black bream? Simply swap it out for frozen fillets or medallions.   

Ingredients

For the sweet chilli sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3-5 red chillies, chopped
2-3 spring onions, sliced
1 cup cider or rice wine vinegar
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 Tbsp softened butter
3 Tbsp flour 

2 whole frozen Hottentot (black bream), heads removed and cleaned 
Salt and milled pepper
Flour, for dusting
Canola oil, for frying  

Method 

1. Heat sesame oil in a pot and fry garlic, ginger, chilli and spring onion for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
2. Add remaining sauce ingredients (except butter and flour) and cook for another 5 minutes. 
3. Rub together the butter and flour with your hands to create pea-sized balls.
4. Add the balls, one at a time into sauce while whisking until dissolved and sauce has thickened.
5. Remove from the heat and keep warm.  
6. Pat the fish dry, season and dust in some flour, shaking off the excess.
7. Deep-fry fish in hot oil for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towel. 
8. Coat fish in warm sauce and leave to rest for about 5 minutes to soak in slightly. Serve immediately. 

Recipes and Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine