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  

The post Sea breeze spreads   appeared first on MyKitchen.

Editor Chad January dishes out heaps of heart-warming pies, topped with tips to perfect any kind of crust.  

Beef and Guinness pie 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 1 Hr 45 Min 

Ingredients

1kg beef shin or stewing beef  
Salt and milled black pepper  
Cake flour, for dusting 
2 Tbsp canola oil  
1 onion, chopped  
2 carrots, peeled and chopped 
2 stalks celery, sliced  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
Handful fresh thyme  
400g tinned chopped tomatoes  
440ml Guinness beer  
1 cup beef stock  
Handful fresh coriander, chopped 
400g puff pastry, defrosted  
1 egg, whisked  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Generously season beef and lightly dust with flour. 
3. Heat oil in large pot and brown beef in batches. Set aside. 
4. Add another glug of oil and sauté onion, carrots and celery for 3-5 minutes or until golden. 
5. Add garlic and thyme and fry for 1-2 minutes. 
6. Return beef to pot and pour in tomatoes, beer and stock. Cover and simmer for about an hour or until meat is tender. 
7. Stir through coriander and simmer for another 10-12 minutes. Season well. 
8. Roll pastry out on a floured surface to about 3mm thick. 
9. Place half the pastry into a greased round oven dish and prick the base with a fork. 
10. Blind bake pastry for 6-8 minutes and set aside. 
11. Pour filling into pie crust and cover with remaining pastry. 
12. Brush with egg and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Serve hot. 

TIME SAVER 
Skip the blind baking and spoon pie filling into small ovenproof ramekins and top with puff pastry. Brush with egg and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  

Haddock, cheddar and potato pie 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 1 Hr 

Ingredients

500g smoked haddock  
Glug olive oil  
1 onion, chopped  
2 carrots, peeled and chopped  
2 cloves garlic, chopped  
½ cup cream  
½ cup vegetable stock  
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped  
1 lemon, zested and juiced  
Salt and milled black pepper  
6 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped 
½ cup sour cream  
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard  
2 Tbsp chives, parsley or coriander, chopped 
1 cup mature cheddar, grated  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Place haddock in a colander over a pot of simmering water, cover with a lid and steam for about 8-10 minutes or until cooked through. Flake fish, discard bones and set aside. 
3. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet; sauté onions and carrots until golden. 
4. Add garlic and fry for another minute or until fragrant. 
5. Pour in cream, vegetable stock and dill. Simmer for 5-6 minutes. 
6. Fold through haddock and mustard and simmer for another 3-5 minutes. 
7. Add lemon zest and juice, season and set aside in skillet. 
8. Boil potatoes for 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through, and drain. 
9. Mash potatoes until smooth and fold through sour cream, mustard, herbs and cheddar. 
10. Top haddock mixture with potato and level with the back of a spoon. 
11. Bake pie for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Serve hot. 

CHEF’S TIP 
Swap out haddock for hake, mackerel or tuna if you prefer.  

Butter chicken phyllo pastry pie 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 45-50 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE MARINADE  

½ cup plain yoghurt  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
2 tsp grated fresh ginger  
1 Tbsp Garam Masala 
1 tsp turmeric  
1 tsp ground cumin  
1 tsp ground coriander  
1 tsp paprika  
½ tsp salt   

FOR THE BUTTER CHICKEN 

500g chicken breasts, cut into medium-sized chunks  
1 Tbsp canola oil  
3 Tbsp butter  
1 onion, chopped  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
1 tsp grated fresh ginger  
2 tsp Garam Masala 
1 tsp ground coriander  
1 tsp paprika  
1 Tbsp turmeric  
100g tomato paste 
1 tsp sugar  
1 can chopped tomatoes  
1 can coconut milk or cream 
3 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander  
Salt and milled black pepper  

FOR THE CRUST  

6-8 sheets phyllo pastry, defrosted  
Melted butter for brushing  
Fresh coriander, chopped for serving 
Plain yoghurt, for serving 

Method

1. Combine marinade ingredients and chicken in a bowl and set aside for an hour. 
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
3. Fry chicken in batches in a large pot or skillet for about 3-4 minutes. Don’t cook chicken all the way through. Reserve marinade and set aside.
4. Remove chicken and set aside. 
5. For the sauce, heat oil and butter in the same pan and sauté onions for 3-4 minutes. 
6. Add garlic and ginger and fry for 1-2 minutes. 
7. Stir through spices and cook for 2 minutes. Add a splash of water if needed. 
8. Add tomato paste and cook for a minute. Stir through sugar. 
9. Pour in tomatoes and coconut milk or cream. Simmer for 5 minutes. 
10. Add chicken and simmer for about 10 minutes. 
11. Stir through coriander and season. 
12. Pour butter chicken into a large ovenproof dish. 
13. Cut each sheet of phyllo pastry into four long strips. Fold each strip into a triangle shape to resemble a samoosa. 
14. Arrange pastry on top of butter chicken and brush with melted butter. 
15. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden. 
16. Serve with dollops of yoghurt and garnished with fresh coriander. 

LEVEL UP
Arrange 4-5 phyllo pastry sheets at the bottom of your pastry dish, brushing with butter between each layer. Blind bake for 6-8 minutes.  Then add in the butter chicken.  

Roasted vegetable pie with herbed cream cheese pastry 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 45 Min  [Plus 30 Min Chill Time] 

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY  

2 cups cake flour  
½ tsp salt  
½ cup butter, grated  
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, coriander or rosemary)  
230g medium fat cream cheese  
2 Tbsp water, if needed   

FOR THE FILLING  

1kg roasted vegetable mix  
Glug canola oil  
Salt and milled black pepper 
Handful fresh thyme or rosemary  
4 cloves garlic, sliced  
2 Tbsp sundried tomato pesto  
¼ cup canola oil  
1 egg, whisked  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Rub butter into flour using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. 
3. Mix through herbs and cream cheese with a wooden spoon until a smooth, soft dough is formed. Add a splash of water if dough is too dry. 
4. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes. 
5. Arrange vegetables in an ovenproof dish or deep roasting tray, taking care to spread them out evenly. 
6. Drizzle with oil, season, sprinkle with herbs and garlic. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden and slightly charred. 
7. Combine pesto and oil. 
8. Remove vegetables from oven and stir through pesto. Roast for another 6-8 minutes. 
9. Roll out pastry onto a lightly floured surface to about 3cm thick and shape according to your greased pie dish. Leave enough pastry to create a lid. 
10. Press pastry into pie dish, prick base with a fork and blind bake for 10 minutes. 
11. Remove vegetables from oven, season well and stir. Spoon vegetables into the blind-baked pie dish. 
12. Cut remaining pastry into large strips and arrange over filling to create a lattice. 
13. Brush with egg and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked through. Serve hot out of the oven.

Creamy chicken and kale pie with harissa sweet potato crust 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 1 Hr 

Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING  

500g chicken breast fillets 
2 Tbsp canola oil  
3 spring onions, sliced  
4 leeks, sliced  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
3 Tbsp butter  
2 Tbsp flour  
1 cup cream  
300g kale, roughly chopped  
Salt and milled black pepper  
3 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander or parsley  

FOR THE CRUST  

4-6 sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced  
2 Tbsp harissa paste  
1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander  

Method

1. Place chicken into a large pot and fill with water to cover. 
2. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. 
3. Remove chicken and allow to cool before shredding. Reserve ¼ cup poaching liquid. 
4. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onion and leeks for 5-6 minutes. 
5. Stir through garlic and fry for another 2 minutes. 
6. Add butter and, once melted, stir through flour until smooth.
7. Add poaching liquid and stir until smooth. Cook for 3-5 minutes. 
8. Pour in cream and simmer for 5 minutes. 
9. Fold in chicken, kale and herbs and season well. 
10. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
11. Spoon filling into an ovenproof pie dish or skillet pan. 
12. Toss sweet potato, harissa and coriander. Season well. 
13. Arrange sweet potato slices on top of filling in a spiral. 
14. Bake pie for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Serve hot. 

CHEF’S TIP 
Swap kale for spinach or Swiss chard.  

Mini pork pies 

Serves 12 • Total Time 45-50 Min 

Ingredients

400g puff pastry, defrosted  
2 Tbsp canola oil  
1 onion, chopped  
2 cloves garlic, chopped  
500g pork bangers, casing removed 
1 tsp ground nutmeg  
2 tsp wholegrain or Dijon mustard 
Salt and milled black pepper  
1 egg, whisked  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Roll out pastry onto a lightly floured surface to about 3cm thick. 
3. Cut out 12 circles, larger than the cups of a 6-cup muffin tray. 
4. Grease your muffin tray and line each cup with pastry, taking care to leave some above the rim of the cup. Prick with a fork and chill in fridge for 15 minutes. Set aside remaining pastry circles. 
5. Blind bake pastry for 10-12 minutes. Set aside to cool. 
6. Heat oil in a large pan and sauté onions for 3-5 minutes. 
7. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Set aside to cool. 
8. Combine pork, nutmeg, mustard and cooled onions. Season well. 
9. Spoon filling into muffin cups and level with the back of a spoon. 
10. Cover filling with remaining pastry and crimp edges with excess pastry to enclose. 
11. Brush with egg and bake for about 30 minutes or until pastry is golden. 
12. Cool on a wire rack and serve hot or cold with dollops of mustard. 

The post Tips to perfect your heart-warming pies appeared first on MyKitchen.

Haddock is a delicious, and budget-friendly fish. So if you love good food, and want to save some bucks, this smoked haddock dish has your name on it!

SERVES 6 // COOK TIME 60 mins

INGREDIENTS
400 g ready-made puff pastry
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
50 g butter
50 g flour
450 ml milk
450 g smoked haddock, skin and bones removed, flaked
Salt and black pepper
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line an ovenproof dish with ⅔ of the pastry, pressing it up against the sides.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes, until translucent. Remove and set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a pot, then stir in the flour. Remove the pot from the heat and add the milk gradually, stirring to combine. Return to the heat and continue cooking, stirring continuously, until thickened. Stir in the haddock and season. Set aside to cool.
4. Once cool, spoon the mixture into the pastry case. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash and cover with the remaining pastry. Crimp the edges with a fork and brush the top with egg wash.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, until the pastry is golden and flaky.

We are so lucky to live in a country where we have beautiful, fresh seafood by the plenty. A traditional paella, like this one, is always a crowd-pleaser at dinner parties or lazy Sunday lunches.

The post Smoked haddock pie appeared first on MyKitchen.

Low in calories, gluten-free and endless flavour – this smoked haddock with garlic infused cauli mash needs to be on your weeknight menu.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the cauli mash
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 head cauliflower, chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp olive oil
For the fish
2 cups milk
4 smoked haddock fillets
For the salad
2 baby gem lettuce
¼ cucumber, sliced
½ cup peas, blanched
¼ red onion, sliced
3 tbsp sunflower seeds, toasted
¼ cup salad dressing of your choice
To serve
½ cup fresh parsley

METHOD
For the cauli mash
1. Heat a dry pan over medium heat and add the unpeeled garlic cloves. Dry-fry for 8–10 minutes until lightly charred on all sides. Cool slightly before peeling.
2. Place the cauliflower and stock in a pot over medium heat. Bring to the boil, cover and cook for 8 minutes or until soft. Strain, reserving ¼ cup stock.
3. Place the strained cauliflower, milk and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, adding extra stock, 1 tbsp at a time, until you have a smooth mash. Season to taste and drizzle with olive oil.
For the fish
1. Heat milk in a deep pan over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer.
2. Add the haddock and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until cooked.
For the salad
1. Toss lettuce, cucumber, peas and onion together in a bowl. Top with toasted sunflower seeds and dressing.
2. Serve the fish on a bed of cauli mash and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve the salad on the side.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Haddock can also be enjoyed with a soft poached egg and baby spinach on wholewheat toast for a delicious and nutritious breakfast. Simply swap the smoked mackerel in this poached egg bagels recipe.

The post Smoked haddock and garlic infused cauli mash appeared first on MyKitchen.

We used haddock for its distinct and delicious flavour in this white fish bake with breadcrumb topping, but you can use any white fish of your choice.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 55 min

INGREDIENTS
For the fish bake filling
2 cups milk
2 bay leaves
3 cloves
300 g deboned skinless hake fillets
300 g smoked haddock
3 tbsp butter
3 leeks, sliced
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
Handful chives, chopped
¾ head broccoli, cut into florets and blanched
For the breadcrumb topping
1¼ cups breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 garlic clove , grated
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup fresh parsley, to serve

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
For the fish bake filling
1. Place the milk, bay leaves and cloves in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Bring the milk to boil then add the fish; poaching for 6–7 minutes, turning halfway.
2. Remove the fish from the milk and flake it into pieces with a fork. Pour the milk into a jug, remove the bay leaves and cloves and set aside.
3. Place the butter and leeks in a clean pot over medium heat and fry for 3–4 minutes until soft.
4. Reduce the heat, add the flour and stir until the mixture starts to turn golden brown.
5. Whisk in the poaching milk, a little at a time, until it is fully incorporated. Continue whisking for 2–3 minutes until the sauce is thick and lump free. Whisk in the mustard and chives and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Lay the fish in a casserole dish and top with the broccoli. Pour over the sauce and gently mix everything together.
For the breadcrumb topping
1. Mix all the ingredients, except parsley, in a bowl and sprinkle over the fish filling.
2. Bake for 10–15 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top is crispy and golden brown.
3. Serve hot with fresh parsley on top.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

If you’re keen to try something a little bit more outside of your comfort zone, check out our mielie baked monkfish recipe.

The post White fish bake with breadcrumb topping appeared first on MyKitchen.