Easter Cod with Avocado Cream and Veggies

180328 Easter Cod with Avocado Cream-9511

Looking for a festive Easter holiday meal? How about this dish with a creamy avocado sauce full of flavours and Easter colours. A light dinner that goes well with all that Easter candy.

Serves 6

Avocado Cream:
1 small avocado (do not let to avocado overpower the taste)
400 g coconut milk
100 ml basil
100 ml cilantro/coriander
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp grated lemongrass
2 tsp lime zest
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tsp tamari soy sauce
½ thai chili, seeds removed

2 teaspoons of melted coconut oil

Cod:
800 grams of cod fillets
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt/Black pepper

Mushrooms:
10 small mushrooms, thinly shaved with a mandolin or knife
1 tablespoon of Tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon of lime juice
Dash of salt

Veggies:
1 carrot
1 large zucchini
4 radishes
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper

Optional:
Toasted Pecans
Quinoa

The Avocado Cream:
1. Run (all except the oil) in blender until a smooth mix. Taste, add some salt and chili powder if needed.
2. Add the melted coconut oil. Mix briefly.
3. Set aside. The sauce will be served at room temperature. If you want it warmer, either heat in blender (then wait with adding the oil until the sauce is warm enough) or on the stove.

The Cod:
1. Pour the oil and spices over the cod. Steam the fish in a steam oven, bake in an oven wrapped in aluminum foil parcel or in a steaming basket in a pan on the stove.

The Mushrooms:
1. Pour the tamari, lime juice and salt over the mushrooms. Let marinate 30 minutes.
2. Fry in a bit of olive oil until all liquid has evaporated.

The Veggies:
1. Spiralize the carrot and the zucchini
2. Thinly shave the radishes
3. Remove the membranes (white parts inside) from the bell peppers and slice into thin strips

Serve as is or add some toasted pecans and Quinoa.

Chili Shrimp Pasta

seafood-pasta-0068

A spicy, tasty pasta dish. If the chili is not hot enough, you can always add some chili flakes towards the end of the cooking (or as a garnish). If you prefer, crayfish tails (or mussels) are excellent substitutes for the shrimp. Just choose the best alternative available from your store.

Serves 4

150 g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
½ leek, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp tomato paste
Olive oil
1 red chili pepper, finely chopped, seeds removed

100 ml white wine
250 ml crème fraiche

2 tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
350 g cooked and peeled shrimp
Salt, pepper

Pasta of your choice

Parsley, chopped, to decorate

1. Gently fry the garlic, mushrooms, tomato paste and leek in a pan (low to medium heat).
2. After about 8-10 minutes, when the mushrooms have let go of the moisture, add the chili and fry another couple of minutes.
3. Add the wine and crème fraiche and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and the shrimp and heat up – do not boil.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve with parsley on top.
7. Cook the pasta. I prefer the soy bean pasta but there are many other gluten free alternatives available.

Crusted Haddock with Chorizo Foam

161019-crusted-haddock-w-chorizo-foam-9978

Serves 4

Tomato Salad:
300 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
150 g snow pea pods, sliced
1 red onion, finely chopped

Dressing:
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt
(a few drops of Agave syrup to create a balanced dressing and bring out the flavours, optional)

Crust:
150 g blanched almonds, chopped
100 g sesame seeds
Salt and pepper

500 g haddock, fillets (or cod, if preferred)
2-3 tbsp olive oil

Foam:
200 g chorizo, cut into pieces
250 ml heavy cream
200 ml milk

1. Prepare the salad. Combine the dressing and pour on top. Set aside.
2. Toast the chopped almond in the oven for 5-6 minutes on 200C. Add the sesame seeds and toast another 2-3 minutes.
3. Cover the fish in olive oil, dip into crusted mixture. Fry in a pan for 1-2 minute on each side. Then place on baking sheet (if the crumbs fall off, add a few more). Bake in oven for 5 minutes, or until done.
4. Fry the chorizo in a pan until a lot of the flavoursome oil has seeped out. Add the cream and simmer for 6-7 minutes. Add the milk, bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Remove the chorizo pieces (and discard them) by straining the mixture into a deep pan. Let cool for a few minutes.
5. To create the foam, use a hand held immersion blender, tilt the pan a bit on its side so that half the blender is in the liquid and the other half is not. When you run the blender on maximum speed a foam will be created. You need to have a lot of air flowing in thus the tilting of the pan is important. Mix for a few minutes until a thick foam is created.
6. Place the tomato salad and the fish on individual plates, spoon over the foam and serve immediately.

Leftover salad and crust:
For a delicious leftover lunch, use the salad, add some protein (halloumi, tuna, chicken…) and drizzle the crust (sesame and almond mix) on top.

161019-crust-and-tomato-leftovers-0061

Guacamole Ceviche with Bell Pepper Puree

160928-ceviche-w-avocado-and-pepper-puree-9777

Serve as a fresh starter or a light main course. If you can’t find sushi grade salmon (or don’t like raw fish ceviche), then please use smoked salmon.

Avocado Puree:
2 avocados, mashed (I like to use a potato masher for this in order to leave the avocado a bit chunky)
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 tomato, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
A few drops of tabasco

Ceviche:
Fresh salmon (Salma salmon is a great sushi grade salmon to use)
Marinade:
Juice of 2 limes
1 small red chili, chopped
1-2 tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
Cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped
Salt and pepper

Pepper Puree:
2 red bell peppers, steamed, skins removed
½ tsp sugar or a few drops of agave
2 yellow bell peppers, steamed, skins removed
½ tsp sugar or a few drops of agave

Decoration:
½ red bell pepper, very finely diced (fine brunoise)
½ yellow bell pepper, very finely diced (fine brunoise)
Coriander leaves

1. Make the marinade.
2. Slice the salmon thinly and add the marinade. Set aside for 30-60 minutes.
3. Combine all ingredients for the avocado puree. Cover with plastic and chill in the fridge.
4. Steam or grill (in the oven) the red peppers until softened. Remove the skins. Add the sweetener and mix into a puree.
5. Do the same for the yellow peppers.
6. Dice the peppers for decoration.
7. On a plate, spoon the red and the yellow purees next to each other, sprinkle the diced peppers on the opposite color.
8. Using a ring mold, first spoon the avocado puree on the bottom, then add a thick layer of salmon.

Cod Cake with Yuzu Veggies

160815 Yuzu Veggies-1459

If you haven’t tried Yuzu yet you’re missing out on something! Yuzu is a wonderful citrus fruit from Japan. Can usually be found as a bottled juice in Asian food markets. Or, a possible substitute could be an equal mix of fresh orange-, lime- and lemon juice.

Serves 4

Cod Cake:
600 g cod fillets
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 large red chili, chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp dried coriander
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 lime, zest

Japanese soy sauce

Veggies:
12 Sugar snaps
1 Orange bell pepper
1 Yellow bell pepper
6 Cherry tomatoes
1 Avocado
1 Red onion

Dressing:
6 tbsp Yuzu juice
3 tbsp Olive oil

1. Mix the fish, juice, chili, garlic, coriander, egg, salt and lime zest in a food processor.
2. Spoon into hot, oiled frying pan and fry 5-6 minutes on each side. Take care when turning so they don’t fall apart. Serve with soy sauce.
3. Cut all veggies in small pieces. Mix the dressing and drizzle over the vegetables.

Jerked Salmon with Tomato Quinoa and Apple Lemon Sauce

160720 Jerked Salmon w Tomatoe Quinoa and Apple Sauce-1542

This dish can also be served as a finger food in small pieces on top of spinach leaves with small dots of sauce on top. Here I’m serving the dish as a main course with a Tomato Quinoa. Smoked salmon is very rich which is why I’m suggesting quite small servings. The allspice and the cayenne pepper is what gives the dominating taste of jerk spice rub but, for the rest, feel free to experiment.

Serves 4

300-400 g smoked salmon. In one thick piece, not sliced.

Jerk spices:
½ tsp dried cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp ginger
¼ ground cloves
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Dash of salt

1 tsp honey
2 tsp lime zest
(optional – 1 garlic clove, crushed)

Tomato Quinoa:
200 ml quinoa
1 vegetable stock cube
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Olive oil
6 tbsp tomato puree

Sauce:
1 small apple
1 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 tbsp Greek yoghurt

Black pepper or chili flakes, to decorate
Spinach

1. Boil the quinoa, with the stock cube, according to manufacturer’s instructions.
2. Sautee the onion and garlic in some olive oil for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree and, while stirring, fry for another minute.
3. Add the cooked quinoa and stir, still over heat, another few minutes.
4. Combine the dry jerk ingredients. Add the honey and lime. Mix well.
5. Cut the salmon into serving portions. With your fingers, rub the spice onto the salmon, all over. Fry briefly over high heat, 45 seconds each side.
6. Mix the apple and lemon juice with a stick blender. Strain to remove some of the liquid. Add the yoghurt and stir.
7. Place some spinach leaves on the plate together with the salmon, quinoa and sauce. Decorate with some chili flakes or black pepper.

Parma Wrapped Hake with Kimizu Sauce

160518 Parma Wrapped Hake with Kimizu Sauce-2943

Kimizu Sauce is both creamy and light. This is one of the few instances I actually cook with sugar because the sauce will not be the same without it. Roasted asparagus sprinkled with sea salt, grilled salmon or any other salty dish should go nicely with this sauce. In this recipe I serve it together with parma wrapped hake. Dairy free and low fodmap.

Serves 4

3 parsnips
500 g hake, fillets
4 large basil leaves
Black pepper
4 slices of Parma ham (or Serrano)
4 tooth picks

Kimizu Sauce:
3 egg yolks
Dash of salt
3 tbsp of rice vinegar
1,5 tbsp of sugar

3oo ml quinoa, cook according to manufacturers instruction
Black olives, chopped
1 lemon, zest from the whole and juice from ½

Spinach
Salt and pepper

1. The parsnips make for a beautiful addition but are not essential to the dish. If you have a dehydrator, slice the parsnips thinly and dry at about 45C overnight. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and grind some salt on top.
2. Prepare the hake parcels. On a piece of ham, place 1 leave of basil, a generous amount of pepper and a piece of the fish (about 125 grams). Wrap the ham around the fish and secure with a toothpick.
3. The sauce: Whisk the yolks in a bowl with a round bottom and add the salt, sugar and vinegar. Place the sauce over a pot with boiling water and whisk continuously. You must whisk vigorously with no breaks until the sauce has thickened. If you take a break the eggs will coagulate and you end up with scrambled eggs… The sauce will become think and “foamy”. When the sauce is thick enough (after about 5-6 minutes) remove it from heat and place the bowl in another bowl containing cold water and ice cubes. This is so that the sauce will quickly cool. The sauce is to be served at room temperature (or chilled).
4. Cook the quinoa. When done combine with the olives and lemon.
5. Fry the spinach, season.
6. If you have a steam oven please use it. The fish will be so moist and tender. If not, set oven at 180C and cook for about 12 minutes, until done.

Cod Sweet Potato and Tapenade

1605 Sweet Potato Tapenade Cod-2726

A wonderful fish dish where the sweet potato puree contrasts with the salty/spicy tapenade. Don’t forget to spice up the puree so it doesn’t get too sweet. Also, spread it quite thin on the plate so the taste of the fish and tapenade is not over shadowed by the puree.
This is a low fodmap dish.

Serves 4

Tapenade:
12 green olives
12 black olives
70 g marinated char grilled red peppers
4 sundried tomatoes
1 red chili, seeds removed
1 green chili, seeds removed

Sweet potato puree:
3 large sweet potatoes, pealed and cut into thick slices
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt
3 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Chili flakes
1 tbsp olive oil

600 g cod fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
salt

1. Chop all tapenade ingredients into small pieces and set aside in a bowl.
2. Place the potato on an oven sheet and add the oil and salt on top.
3. In an oven at 200 C, roast the potato for 30-40 minutes, until soft.
4. Using a blender, puree the potato and add the lemon juice, salt and chili flakes. Taste and add more spice/juice as needed. Lastly, add the olive oil for a smoother texture and shine.
5. In 200 C oven, bake the cod with some olive oil and salt until done. About 15 minutes depending on thickness.
6. Assembly: Put a spoonful of puree on the plate and spread out with a knife. Place the fillet of cod on top and add the tapenade.

Asian Octopus Foam Starter

1606 Asian Octopus Soup  -1710
I was served this amazing soup in a Spanish tapas bar and loved the lemon grass flavour together with the octopus. The recipe below is a recreation of that dish.
Unfortunatly, when recreating this, I did not have my ISI Whipper nearby but if you have one, then just strain the soup, pour it into the canister, charge with 1 cream charger and discharge into the soup bowl. Add the octopus and chopped chili. Creating a foam of the soup gives another, very interesting, texture to this soup.

Serves 2 as a main course

½ medium sized potato
300 ml water
2 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
½ stalk of lemon grass, chopped
½ small chili, chopped, seeds removed
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp lime juice
100 ml whipping cream/double cream.
Red and/or green chili, finely chopped for decoration
200 g octopus, finely sliced or in bite size pieces

1. Boil the potato with the kaffir lime, chili and the lemon grass in the water.
2. Puree using an immersion blender.
3. Add the salt and pepper, lime juice and cream.
4. Heat and then whisk to create a bit of a foam.
5. Heat the octopus in the soup or in a separate pan (depending if it is pre-cooked or raw).
6. Place in serving bowls and decorate with the chopped chili.

Scallops Citrus Salad

160224 Scallop Citrus Salad-1541

A wonderful salad where everything, except the scallops, may be prepared in advance. Great as a starter or a main course.

1-3 large scallops per person (depending if starter or main course)
Butter for frying

1 grapefruit
Baby gem lettuce
Cherry tomatoes, halved
½ avocado per person
Crab meat, canned, 40-50 g per person

Dressing:
Any preserved grapefruit juice from the cutting
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. Cut away the grapefruit peel and then “segment” the fruit. That is, cut away the thin, white membranes separating each wedge. Preserve any juice that seeps out.
2. Combine the ingredients for the dressing and whisk/shake together.
3. Prepare the salad, including the crabmeat, and place on serving plates.
4. Drizzle with dressing.
5. Keep the scallops refrigerated until you need them. Wash and dry them thoroughly.
6. Heat a frying pan with some butter. When hot, add the scallops. Place them a bit apart in the pan. Leave them for 2-3 minutes (depending on size) before turning. Add some cold butter when you turn. Fry another 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately on top of the salad.

Fruity Quinoa Rice with Grilled Mackerel

1602 Fruity Rice Quinoa w Grilled Mackerel-1463
The Fruity Quinoa Rice is really the most important part of this dish. Instead of serving mackerel with it, you can choose chicken or some smoked fish if you prefer.
Any leftover rice will be delicious the next day, refreshed with some sautéed portobello mushrooms, some pieces of chorizo and, maybe, some paprika powder too.

Serves 6

100g pistachio nuts (including shells)
50 g pecan nuts, cut into pieces
70 g dried apricots
300 ml quinoa
300 ml red rice
Vegetable bouillon (to cook the rice in)
1 leek, finely chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A handful of peppery rocket salad, finely chopped
3 medium sized mackerels, whole (but cleaned)
Salt
Olive oil

  1. Shell the pistachio nuts and dry fry all the nuts in a pan.
  2. Cut the apricots into smaller pieces.
  3. Cut the rocket salad finely.
  4. Cook the quinoa a few minutes less than the instructions on package indicate.
  5. Cook the rice in vegetable bouillon a few minutes less than the package instructions indicate.
  6. In a large pan, fry the leek and garlic in some oil.
  7. Add the cooked quinoa and rice. Sautee a few minutes.
  8. Drizzle some olive oil on top. Add the vinegar and salt and pepper. Taste. Season some more.
  9. Mix in the nuts and apricots.
  10. Stir in the rocket salad.
  11. Score the back of the mackerel in 3-4 places and the coat the fish with olive oil and salt.
  12. Place the mackerels in the oven under a hot grill and grill for 20-25 minutes, turning half way through. (If you have a combination steam oven, use 30% steam during the grilling.)

 

Almond Crusted Cod with Sweet Potato Wedges, Roasted Carrots and Tomato Sauce

160113 Almond Crusted Cod-0968
This dish is inspired by a Swedish salmon recipe with mustard sauce. It is a dairy free/low fodmap recipe.

Serves 6

1 kilo cod loins

Crust:
70g almond, blanched and roughly chopped
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped dill
Salt (from a salt mill)

Tomato Sauce:
12 (1,5 kg) tomatoes, cut each in 4 wedges, then in half creating 8 pieces from each tomato
2 red peppers, cut into pieces
1 fennel bulb, cut into pieces
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Roasted Carrots:
I kilo carrots, halved lengthwise
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp maple syrup (100% pure)
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Sweet Potato, wedges
Salt
Olive oil

2 lemons, wedges
Oven at 200C

  1. Roast tomato sauce vegetables with oil, vinegar and seasoning in 200 C 40 min
  2. Coat the carrots with the oil, syrup, juice and seasing and roast them for 20 min in 200 C
  3. Roast potato wedges with the oil and salt for 30 min in 200 C
  4. Combine the ingredients for the crust
  5. Spread crust over fish
  6. Bake in 200 C oven for 10-12 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish)
  7. With a hand held blender, briefly process the roasted vegetables into a sauce.
  8. Serve with lemon wedges on the side

 

Anchovy Courgette Pasta

160106 Courgette Anjovy Pasta-0775

The courgette pasta, courgette cut into long spaghetti strands (you do need a spiral slicer/spiralizer), is wonderful when combined with a flavoursome sauce. This anchovy sauce is both salty and sharp in taste, the perfect addition to this dish!

4 anchovies (tinned)
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp tomato puree
Chili flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp capers

400 g chopped tomatoes
200 ml black olives, chopped

A handful of dry roasted pecans, pine nuts and pistachio nuts
Parmesan cheese, grated

5 courgettes, spiralized

  1. On medium heat, fry the anchovies and onion in the oil
  2. Add the tomato puree and chili flakes. Let cook 1-2 minutes
  3. Add the capers and cook another minute
  4. Add tomatoes and olives.
  5. Let simmer 5-10 minutes
  6. In a dry frying pan, toast the nuts, then add them to the anchovy mix.
  7. Using a spiralizer, create spaghetti looking strands from the courgette.
  8. Fry the courgette a few minutes on high heat.
  9. Serve with some Parmesan cheese.

Tomato Cod with Crushed Potato and Saffron Vegetables

151230 Tomato Cod with Crushed Potato-0971

This dish is easy to prepare in advance. The vegetable saffron mix and the sauce can be made beforehand and the vegetables just heated before serving. Only the fish should be prepared in the last minute. A beautiful, colourful and very tasty meal.

Serves 4

600 g Cod
Salt

Olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 red pepper
Salt and pepper
0.5 g saffron
200 ml vegetable stock

4 tomatoes, sliced
Parsley, chopped

6 medium sized potatoes, scrubbed, skin on
Salt and pepper
Optional, 3-4 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese

Sauce:
200 ml Greek yogurt
100 ml Quark
2 tbsp chopped dill
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped leek
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Oven at 200C

  1. Place the fish fillets in an ovenproof dish, sprinkle with some salt and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
  2. Boil the scrubbed potatoes. When done, use a potato masher (or a fork) and slightly crush the potatoes. Don’t make mashed potatoes, just crush them slightly. Season. (Stir in the parmesan cheese.)
  3. Sauté the vegetables (excluding the tomatoes) in some oil, season with salt, pepper and saffron, add the stock, let simmer 5-10 minutes.
  4. Combine the ingredients for the sauce.
  5. Place the vegetable saffron mix on a plate. Add the fish. Put the tomato slices and parsley on top. Add the sauce and the potato.

Coconut Baked Salmon with Wok Vegetables and Red Sauce

151216 Coconut Baked Salmon w Wok Vegetables and Red Sauce-9550

A wonderful, asian inspired salmon recipe. To cut the vegetables into strands, please use a Spiral Slicer (Spiralizer).

Serves 6

6 salmon fillets, boneless, about 140 g each

Salmon marinade:
1 green chili, finely chopped
3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp shredded coconut
1 pinch of ground paprika
1 tsp honey
Juice from 1 lemon
1 garlic clove
Salt, pepper

1 cucumber

Wok vegetables:
1 parsnip, cut into strands
2 carrots cut into strands
1 zucchini (courgette), cut into strands
I red onion, thinly sliced
Oil for frying
Salt and pepper

Red Sauce:
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 oranges, juice
200 ml fish stock
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp corn flour
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
A pinch of ground chili
Salt

Coriander leaves to decorate

  1. Oven at 180C
  2. Place all the ingredients for the salmon marinade in a blender and mix until a smooth paste. Place the salmon in individually tin foil parcels, spoon over the marinade. Close the parcels and place in the oven for about 20-25 minutes.
  3. Cut the cucumber into 3-4 pieces (the fewer the better). Remove the seeds with the tool used to remove an apple’s core. With a sharp knife, start carving a long, thin, spiral. Arrange the spiral cucumber on the serving plate. The longer spiral the more beautiful. Set aside.
  4. Prepare the wok vegetables. Heat the oil in a wok pan (or large frying pan). Add all the wok vegetables and fry a few minutes over high heat, constantly (gently) stirring. Season.
  5. In a small saucepan, heat some oil and sauté the ginger. Add the remaining ingredients for the red sauce except the corn flour. Let simmer a few minutes. Dissolve the cornstarch in a little water and add to the sauce while stirring. Bring to a boil and keep stirring while simmering for a few minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Place on plates, leave salmon in parcel or take out, as you desire. Add the wok vegetables, cucumber spirals and red sauce. Sprinkle some coriander on top.

151216 Coconut Baked Salmon in Foil-9564