Pollock Recipe
- By Sonya Meagor
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- 01 Apr, 2017
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Last month I spoke to you about sustainability and gave you the option to vote for a recipe you would like to see featured here in my blog.
The options were:
- Navarin of lamb
- Pollock baked in the oven
- Apple crumble
The people have chosen and my personal favourite came up trumps – pollock! I love this fish as an alternative to cod or haddock and it is cheaper to buy too. Win-win!
Read on for an easy recipe that tastes simply divine
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When I was young and lived in Cornwall, my brother, some friends and I used to go fishing off the rocks at the weekends and sometimes even do all nighters.
We caught fish such as pollock, whiting, wrasse and would take them home to prepare and cook. We didn’t know what they were at the time – just that they were free and tasted good.
My dad used to make fish and chips for us and we'd use any fish we caught for him to batter and fry. He had worked in a fish and chip shop as a boy and prided himself on his batter recipe.
Mum didn’t like the smell of fish so we would prepare them outside. Now I savour being able to cook fish inside as well as out and this fish holds nostalgic memories for me.
The recipe I use now for baking fresh fish comes from loving it and not wanting it drowned in a sauce. Sometimes I might add some very thin sliced onion and tomato to give it a “natural sauce” though.
METHOD:
Turn your oven on to preheat to 190c or gas mark 5
Allow approximately 200 g of fish per person. Take some aluminium foil and lay each piece of fish in the centre, then season with salt/pepper/lemon juice to taste. Wrap each portion and lay them on a baking tray.
Next, simply pop into your oven for approximately 20 minutes and then check them - you want your fish to flake but still be moist.
In the meantime, prepare a fresh salad or some seasonal veggies to steam. As this fish is seasonally available in the summer - June, July and August you will have plenty to choose from! I recommend watercress and tomato salad or some steamed English asparagus and new potatoes.
I hope you enjoy!
Fancy it and tried it? Let me know your thoughts and do share your snaps of how you served yours too on my Facebook page here.
The Millfield theatre is home to eco cuisine and the events have been held here too for that reason.
OLIO (the food app) and NLWA (North London Waste Authority) CROPDROP (local Haringey boxed fruit/vegetable scheme) plus our very own Sonya Meagor (eco cuisine) are confirmed as our first speakers and we're For each event, we support a North London based charity related to the event theme - for this event we're delighted to collaborate with The Felix Project .
TICKETS
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sustainable-food-packaging-tickets-61490383392?aff=website
With less than two weeks until Christmas and the holidays nearly upon us, the shops are stocked with delicious festive treats and people are already stocking up on Christmas food fit for a feast or two.
But, just because it is Christmas doesn’t mean we should not consider what is in season and keeping sustainability at the forefront of our minds.
So, what is in season over December and the winter seasons in Britain? Well, thankfully many of the Christmas time favourites are favourites for a reason – they’re traditionally easily grown and sourced in the U.K. over winter. Cabbage, sprouts, potatoes and onions, celeriac, celery and carrots as well as parsnip and swede are all in season this time of year. Not forgetting chestnuts, beef and venison and even guinea fowl too.
So roast dinners with all the trimmings can be environmentally friendly! Of course clementines, pomegranates and dates are seasonal favourites too and these are obviously not sourced locally.
Whatever you buy and eat over the festive season, remember to consciously consume – making informed and conscious decisions about what you buy and eat.
In the lead-up to the Christmas break we enjoy hearty, warming foods, keeping us warm in the cold weather and suitably fuelled over this busy season.
We enjoy Rumbledethumps – for those who haven’t heard of it, it is the Scottish equivalent of bubble and squeak as it is often made with leftovers, though it isn’t usually fried. It is a lovely filling dish served as a side or when served with a nice piece of fish or chicken breast can even be a substantial main meal.
Rumbledethumps
550g large potatoes,
350g swede
60g unsalted butter
250g kale, finely sliced
1 small onion diced
Sprigs of thyme
25g cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Peel and chop the potatoes and the swede and chop into large chunks. Next, boil in a saucepan tender. Drain and return to the pan.
Heat three quarters of the butter in a pan on medium low heat and cook the kale and the onions for a few minutes, until the kale is tender and onions lightly browned.
Add the kale and onions to the pan with the potatoes and swede then add the remaining butter and mash together. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the mashed medley into an ovenproof dish and top with the cheese. Cover with a lid and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 15 minutes, or until piping hot and golden-brown on top. Serve with fresh thyme.
What winter dishes keep you going in the lead-up to the Christmas break? Let us know in the comments.
