Feeling Good About Fish

A leafy London street, lined with Victorian buildings hosts a fish wonder I’d never tried, until now. On Friday, instead of me eating fish, they ate me. Hundreds of little fish, known as Garra Rufa sampling my tootsies, endlessly hungry it seemed. The venue, Aqua Sheko, was a soothing hubbub of fish joy, the relaxing ambiance was a delight. Calm brings calm, and the kind lady who welcomed us had a warmth that is unmistakeable in busy London.

I’ve often said, the way we treat ourselves says a lot about our state of mind, and our capacity for self-love. I’ve read countless times; that how we see others is similar to holding a mirror up to ourselves. The more I reflect on this, the clearer it becomes, literally. We all know eating fish is good for us, who’d of thought them eating us would be too!

Cooking for me is a pure experience, no fuss is necessary, unless invited and the results are simple, rewarding and tasty, hopefully.

I love to look at fish. 

I love to cook fish. 

 I love to eat fish.

I sometimes dream of fish.

I love that eating fish is healthy and have now discovered that I am happy for them to eat me too! However, no sharks are welcome.

Salty sea air builds great appetites. On a recent trip to Devon we went sailing on a friends boat, I saw this boat below and thought how homely it looked. This new recipe has a delicious cooking aroma, and chorizo fans will have a field day, I serve it with char-grilled courgettes and artichokes, it would work well with fennel too. Welcome home the lovely sailors in your life with this simple fish dinner. Ahoy me hearties!  

Happy Haddock with chorizo

SERVES 2

haddock loins, 2                                  

lemon, 1

olive oil, 1 tablespoons

chorizo sausage, 70g roughly chopped on a diagonal                                                                                     

red onion 1 small chopped                                                                                                                     

capers, rinsed 1 tbsp                                                                                                                                        

knob of butter 25g                                                                                                                                    

flat leaf parsley, 1 small bunch                                                                                                                              

HEAT oil in a pan and cook chorizo, red onion and capers for a few minutes.

ADD a generous scratch of black pepper and knob of butter.

SEAR the loins for 3 minutes on either side in the same pan, leave to rest for a couple of minutes.

SQUEEZE over lemon juice.

SERVE haddock topped with the capers and chorizo on a bed of Machengo mash.

SCATTER over flat leaf parsley. 

Saffron Machengo mash

The humble spud is given a golden glow, blushing with flavour.

SERVES 2
Maris pipers, 6 medium peeled and cut in quarters

crème fraiche, 100ml

saffron ½ tsp

Machengo cheese, 100g grated                                                                                                                                  

knob of butter 25g

seasoning

BOIL Maris pipers for 15 minutes in salty water.

GENTLY heat crème fraiche to simmering point.

GRIND saffron in pestle and mortar and stir in creme fraiche.

MASH potatoes and spoon in the luscious golden creamy saffron sunshine.

SPRINKLE over cheese and add knob of butter.

MASH once again and keep warm until ready to serve.