Sunday 8 January 2012

Italian Baked Fish with Salsa Verde

I can’t claim any credit for this recipe as it’s one from my absolute favourite cookery writer, Delia Smith.  The original recipe is in How To Cook book two (Oven-roasted fish with potatoes and salsa verde).   

I would post a link to the recipe on the Delia Online website, but I am having problems accessing it at the moment, since unwisely clicking on a link on an acquintance’s Facebook page.  I know, I should have known better! 

Anyhow, I digress!  This is an absolute beauty of a recipe so I knew I had to share it with you all.  It’s a regular feature in my kitchen.  I make up a big batch of the sauce at once and keep it in a small Kilner jar in the fridge. 

As always, I’ve modified the recipe slightly in using over the years but this is what I use : 

1 bunch of fresh basil
1 bunch of fresh parsley
1 big clove of garlic
6 anchovies
1 tb capers
1tsp English mustard powder
Juice of a lemon
½ cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper 

I use a mini-chopper to make this, and chop the herbs, garlic, capers mustard powder and anchovies together with the seasoning, then add the lemon juice and olive oil.  I actually like it quite lemony so I always use the juice of the whole lemon.  The original Delia recipe uses 4 anchovies, 1½ tb of lemon juice to 6tb of olive oil, and wholegrain mustard in place of the English mustard powder.

I usually spread a dessertspoonful of the sauce over a fillet of fish and cover with a layer of sliced par-boiled potatoes.  Then add a sprinkling of grated cheese – I use cheddar and a little parmesan.  Bake in the oven at 180oC for approximately 20 minutes, until the cheese is nicely browned and the fish cooked through.

In the depths of winter this beauty of a dish really livens up the palate!  I usually serve it with green vegetables – peas, beans or broccoli; but salad would be nice too.

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