With summer edging
ever so near, to me nothing better illustrates sunshine like cooking a whole
fish on the barbecue. Snapper has to be one of my favourite types of white
fish. Its mellow flavour works so well with a variety of taste combinations and
its delicate flesh couldn’t be more appealing for a dish such as this one.
When choosing a fish,
look for one with a clear, unclouded stare and no fishy smell. Ask your fish monger if he wouldn’t
mind cleaning the fish for you to save the hassle and mess of doing it at home.
Chermoula is a
traditional Moroccan spice rub, typically used to flavour fish or seafood. To
make the mixture, Place 1 ½ tsp cumin
seeds and 1 tsp coriander seeds in
a frying pan over medium heat and stir until seeds pop and an earthy fragrance
fills the kitchen. Place the seeds, 1
chopped brown onion, ¼ cup lemon juice, ½ bunch coriander, ½ bunch parsley, 2
garlic cloves, 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tsp ground turmeric, pinch cayenne pepper,
salt and pepper in a food processor, and blitz until all ingredients have
been incorporated. Let the mixture
sit for a while before adding ingredients in an attempt to balance flavour.
To prepare the snapper,
score the flesh diagonally along each side to allow the spice mixture to
permeate. Massage the chermoula all over the fish, including inside the cavity.
Position lemon slices inside the
cavity, drizzle the fish with olive oil and place over a bed of seasoned red and green cabbage in an
oven tray. Cover with foil and bake for about half an hour.
The fish I used
weighed about 1kg and was enough to feed five.
This salad is one of
my absolute favourites! It can be served alongside essentially any modest piece
of meat and your dish will instantly turn into a winner. As well as being a
luminary accompaniment, it is also ideal as a balanced vegetarian meal. I have
adapted the Quinoa salad part of the recipe from the November 2011 issue of Gourmet Traveller.
Quinoa, a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium), is a grain-like crop
grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudo-cereal rather than a
true cereal,
or grain, as it is not a member of the grass family. As a chenopod,
quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds.
Quinoa originated in the Andean region of Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia
and Peru,
where it was successfully domesticated 3,000 to 4,000 years ago for human
consumption, though history suggests it has also been associated with higher
spiritual and sacred beliefs and practices.
Quinoa
is the most complete seed product existing due to a high protein quality,
explained by a high content of the essential amino acids, such as lysine,
threonine and methionine, which are of shortage in the cereals and legumes. Quinoa
is also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron and
other minerals. The National Academy of
Science calls it ‘one of the best sources of protein in the vegetable
kingdom’, which makes quinoa the perfect option for vegetarians, as the stress
of having to combine a grain with a legume to achieve a complete protein is
already taken care of.
Preheat the oven to 220C. Combine 1 whole cauliflower,
2 cloves garlic, rind of 1 lemon, salt and pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil and roast in an oven tray until deliciously golden
and tender. Pat 2x 400g cans of tinned
chickpeas dry with absorbent paper and combine with rind of 1 lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper and roast on an oven
tray until the chickpeas have become crispy and appear glistening gold.
Meanwhile, place 2 cups multicoloured quinoa and 3 cups water or vegetable stock in a saucepan and simmer until all
water has been absorbed and the quinoa is luscious and fluffy. I like to use
the multicoloured quinoa as I find each variety has a slightly different
flavour, which creates collective harmony when combined. Aesthetically, the
red, black and white look incredible come the finished dish.
Bring together a bunch each of coarsely torn mint and parsley, a couple of thinly
sliced spring onions, splash of sherry vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil in bowl with the cauliflower,
chickpeas and quinoa and season liberally. Labne,
Greek yogurt or creamy sheep’s milk
feta complement this dish exceptionally.
No comments:
Post a Comment