We're always looking for a new place to eat and somehow I saw an article about a place that sold mussels and frites, a classic Belgian meal and suddenly I was craving mussels. I remember in London there was a restaurant, Belgo, that just sold mussels and frites in different sauces - but the best thing was, whatever time you turned up that's how much your meal was, so if you arrive at 5, then it would be five pounds!! I don't know if they still do this but I loved that place, with it's ahead-of-the-times industrial lighting and dim lights.
With some research I found Food Network's recipe for Spicy Mussels with Chorizo and Wine. I was looking for something that I could eat without the lashings of butter or cream. I figured with this recipe I could make a couple of changes quite easily; swap butter for olive oil and cream for cashew cream and it would still be tasty.
Yay or Nay: Yay
I don't know why I hadn't made this sooner, I mean it was so easy to make - a doddle! Super quick to prep and cook, I had to break cooking into two parts as I had to work late and figured the mussels would taste better freshly cooked instead of steamed and then reheated later. So I made the sauce and then once we were ready to eat, heated up the sauce, put the mussels in and added the cream.
TIP: I would up the harissa and red pepper flakes for a but more heat but this was delicious to mop up with some crusty bread!
Nostalgic is one word for fish fingers for me! Back in the day we feasted on Captain Bird's Eye fish fingers with their lurid orange breadcrumb and very white fishy 'meat'. One day I had a massive craving for them but sadly this brand is available in the UK and not in Upstate NY! It was all about the crunch and prior to making these fish fingers, I either had drippy, sloppy fish that never held onto the breadcrumb or the breadcrumb would promptly fall off once it hit the heat.
Fearne Cotton is a TV host who I grew up watching, starting on children's TV and then graduating into prime time radio and then big shows like Children in Need and Frock Me. I follow her on Instagram and healthy meals regularly feature on her feed. Naturally, she had a book coming out and one of the sneak-peek recipes was for FISH FINGERS! It was meant to be I guess! Fearne's Salmon Fish Fingers were something I would definitely try to make!
Yay or Nay: Yay!
I have to say I was very impressed with this recipe as it was really easy and gave great results! The breadcrumb was satisfyingly crunchy and the coating of the fish held from start to finish! I made a couple of changes; I used cod instead of salmon and whole wheat panko breadcrumbs instead of the gluten-free option given in the recipe.
We all need a little more fish in our lives and I was doubly inspired to add some seafood into the repertoire after an amazing trip to Cape Town, South Africa! I admit I did find this recipe for Brazilian Fish Stew before I went away but I knew I needed to try this. I have failed on several occasions to make a hearty and deeply flavoured fish curry/stew so I hope this one from Recipe Tin Eats will make the cut!
Yay or Nay: Yay
Whenever I cook cod/halibut/any white fish via frying/browning it always, ALWAYS falls apart. At least I had the foresight to give it a tentative poke while cooking (and yes I know, don't touch the fish until it is properly cooked), removed it to add at the end of the dish rather than warming it back in the pan for it to only fall apart into tiny little inedible pieces. Instead I layered rice, then the fish separately and then stew on top. This was actually very tasty, the coconut was fragrant and the tomato tempered the heat so don't go optional on the cayenne pepper. Word of warning, if you have a small house it will stink of fish the day after.
