PICKLED FISH
There are many recipes for this flavoursome pickled fish dish, most of which tend to use lots of vinegar and curry. Give this one a try:
Ingredients
- 500 gram firm, white fish fillets
For the sauce
- 1 large onion (or 2 small onions), sliced
- 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 bay or lemon leaves
- 1/2 cup wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons corn flour
- Salt and black pepper to season
Method
- Lightly season the fish with salt before baking for 15 to 20 minutes at 180°C, until cooked through.
- Cut the fish fillets into smaller portions.
- Heat a little oil in a pan or saucepan, add onion and fry until they start to soften.
- Add curry powder, turmeric, ginger and coriander and stir through.
- Add vinegar and water and bring to a simmer. Add sugar and stir until dissolved
- Season with ground pepper and salt to taste.
- Combine the cornflour with a little water into a paste and stir into sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer gently, while stirring, for 5 to 10 minutes until it has thickened.
- Let the sauce cool down.
- Pack the fish fillets in layers in an airtight container, covering each layer with sauce.
- Cover and allow to marinade in the fridge for 2 to 3 days before eating.
- Serve with freshly baked wholemeal bread and green salad.
HOT CROSS BUNS
Ingredients
For the buns
- 300ml full-fat milk
- plus 2 tbsp more 50g butter
- 500g strong bread flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 75g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 7g sachet fast-action or easy-blend yeast
- 1 egg beaten
- 75g sultanas
- 50g mixed peel
- zest 1 orange
- 1 apple peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- For the cross
- 75g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
For the glaze
- 3 tbsp apricot jam
Method
- Bring 300ml full-fat milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add 50g butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. Put 500g strong bread flour, 1 tsp salt, 75g caster sugar and 7g sachet fast-action or easy-blend yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add 1 beaten egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough.
- Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.
- With the dough still in the bowl, tip in 75g sultanas, 50g mixed peel, zest of 1 orange, 1 finely chopped apple and 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.
- Divide the dough into 15 even pieces (about 75g per piece). Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.
- Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Mix 75g plain flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.
- Gently heat 3 tbsp apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.
