I love cooking with oily fish – they can be matched with strong, punchy flavours and are also very forgiving if you overcook them.
SPICED SARDINES WITH FRAGRANT CHICKPEAS
This dish is anything but shy. The strong flavour of the sardines means they can really take some spice.
SERVES 4
8 sardines, gutted and cleaned
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp ground cumin
1 onion, sliced
peel of 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
2 x 400g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
460g jar roasted capsicum, drained and torn into pieces
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves
for the aioli
1 clove garlic, crushed
6 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
Slash the sardines a couple of times on each side with a sharp knife then rub with a little olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and set aside.
For the aioli, stir the garlic through the mayonnaise and set aside until needed.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan, add the chilli flakes and cumin, and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the preserved lemon peel and chickpeas, cook until heated through and then stir through the capsicum. Remove from the heat and stir in the cherry tomatoes and a glug of olive oil.
Heat an oven grill to hot then grill the sardines for 2-3 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Stir the parsley through the chickpeas and serve with the sardines and a good dollop of aioli.
Bill's tip
If fiddling with sardine bones is too much of a hassle, buy the fish filleted and cook for 2 minutes on the skin side, then 1 minute on the other side.
SHIITAKE AND SMOKED MACKEREL UDON SOUP
This super-healthy meal takes only five minutes to put together. It's instant noodles without the guilt!
SERVES 2
1½ tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp mirin
2½ cups dashi or low sodium vegetable stock
200g fresh udon noodles
6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
150g smoked mackerel fillets, skinned and broken into pieces
2 handfuls mixed
salad leaves
2 spring onions, finely sliced lengthways
Place the miso paste, mirin and stock in a pan over a medium-high heat, whisk until well combined, then add the noodles and mushrooms. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the noodles are cooked.
Remove the noodles from the broth and place into your serving bowls. Top with mackerel, salad leaves and spring onions.
Serve with the miso and shiitake broth on the side, to be added to the noodles as you go.
Food preparation by Rosie Reynolds. Props merchandising by Rachel Jukes.
