Fish in a pan & steamed baby marrows with dill
Recipe
Fish in a pan & steamed baby marrows with dill
Recipe from Make five/Maak vyf
Serves 4
Many people ask me how to pan-fry a piece of fish, so here is an easy way that works well. Serve this light, but filling meal with a salad, rather than a starch.
Ingredients
Fish
750 g-1 kg fresh hake or firm line fish, e.g. yellowtail or Dorado
150 ml cake flour
salt and pepper
60 ml (¼ cup) chopped fresh dill
45 ml (3 tbsp) sesame seeds
45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
lemon wedges to serve
Baby marrows
400 g baby marrows, halved and cut into long wedges
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
45 ml (3 tbsp) coarsely chopped fresh dill
Method
- Fish: Cut fish into two or three strips per person, as smaller portions are easier to fry.
- Season the flour with salt and pepper and mix with dill and sesame seeds. Place in a shallow mixing bowl.
- Rub a thin layer of oil on all sides of each piece of fish. Coat the fish in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Place on a clean plate.
- Meanwhile, heat a thin layer of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry half of the fish, skin side down, until golden brown and nearly cooked. The fish will turn a solid white opaque colour when it is cooked.
- Carefully turn over and fry on the other side until golden brown and just cooked. Don’t fry for too long, as it will dry out. Spoon out and keep warm. Repeat with remaining fish and more oil if necessary. Keep warm.
- Baby marrows: Place baby marrows in a small saucepan with about 60 ml (¼ cup) water and a small pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat.
- Simmer, covered with a lid, for 3-4 minutes or until just cooked, but still green. Drain and keep warm.
- Mix oil, lemon juice and dill and stir into the baby marrows. Season to taste and serve hot with the fish and lemon wedges.
Tips
- Substitute baby marrows with asparagus or green beans, but only cook for 1-2 minutes.
- The baby marrows are delicious with roasted chicken and this same recipe can be used to cook chicken breast fillets.
- Other herbs such as thyme, parsley or origanum are also delicious with the baby marrows.
- Tips when pan-frying fish: Preheat a thin layer of oil over a medium temperature (NEVER deep-fry!) Place pieces of fish skin-side down first. Turn once you can see that about half or two-thirds of the side of the fish has started changing to a solid opaque colour. Pan-fry on the other side for another few minutes, until the fish is cooked on both sides. You know that the fish is cooked when it flakes easily with a fork. Add a squeeze of lemon juice for extra flavour.
Image: Neville Lockhart.
Tags: baby marrows | dill | dorado | family food | Fish | fresh herbs | hake | Healthy | healthy eating | healthy ingredients | lemon | mains | yellowtail