Saturday, January 24, 2009

Whole Fish with Tomato Sauce

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

3 x 1 pound (500 g) whole fish, snapper, mullet, bream, etc), cleaned
2 tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
Salt and pepper
2 1/2 ounces (75 g) butter
1 onion, chopped
1 green capsicum (pepper), cored, seeded and chopped
1 red capsicum (pepper), cored, seeded and chopped
2 celery sticks
2 x 13 ounce (410 g) cans tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Few drops of Tabasco sauce
1 bay leaf
Parsley sprigs to garnish

Method:

1. Rinse the fish and pat dry with kitchen paper. Season the flour and rub this all over the fish, inside and out. Place the fish in a casserole or baking dish into which it fits snugly.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion, green and red capsicum and celery and fry until the onion is softened. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Tabasco and the bay leaf. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Remove the bay leaf, then puree the sauce by rubbing through a sieve or working in an electric blender of processor. Adjust the seasoning, then pour the sauce around the fish. Cook in a preheated moderate oven, 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), for 25 minutes or until the fish is tender. Baste the fish frequently with the sauce during cooking. Garnish with parsley.

Prawns in Herb Butter

If raw prawns are unobtainable, substitute 1 pound (500 g) frozen, shelled prawns. Do not precook; simply thaw before adding to the herb butter. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 pound (1 kg) un-shelled raw prawns
Salt and pepper
7 cups water
4 ounces (125 g) butter
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs as available (preferably tarragon and basil)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Chopped parsley to garnish

Method:

1. Cook the prawns in lightly salted boiling water for about 5 minutes or until pink. Drain and allow to cool slightly, then remove the shells.
2. Cream together the butter, parsley, herbs, salt and pepper to taste and the lemon juice. Spread half the herb butter over the bottom of a flameproof baking dish. Press the prawns into the butter, in rows, and cover with the remaining herb butter.
3. Cook in a preheated moderately hot oven (400 degrees F/200 degrees C), for 10 minutes. Pop the dish under a preheated grill and cook for a few more minutes or until the top browns. Garnish with parsley.