♥︎Baked cod fillet with samphire, fennel, potatoes & lemon mayonnaise

For ➋

250 g baby potatoes*

1 red onion

1 clove of garlic

1½ pieces of fennel

½ lemon

5 g fresh dill

50 g mayonnaise

2 cod fillets

50 g samphire

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash the potatoes and halve them. Place the potatoes in an oven dish and mix with 1 tbs olive oil per person. Season with salt and pepper. Bake the potatoes in the oven for 25 – 35 m. Stir halfway through.

In the meantime, chop the red onion and press the garlic. Halve the fennel, cut into quarters and remove the hard stems and core. Chop the fennel. Heat butter♥︎ in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the red onion for 2–3 m. Add the chopped fennel and fry gently for 10–12 m.

Then deglaze with 3 tbs water per person and let it reduce until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add more water if you want the fennel to be even softer. In the meantime, squeeze the lemon and coarsely chop the dill. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with ½ tsp lemon juice per person.

Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and rub with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbs olive oil per person in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the fish for 1 - 2 m on each side.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in another frying pan and fry the garlic for 1–2 m. Add the samphire and stir-fry for another 1–2 m.

Divide the potatoes over the plates, spoon the fennel next to them and place the cod on the fennel. Spoon the fried samphire on top of the fish and garnish the dish with the dill. Serve with the lemon mayonnaise.

*Or more.

♥︎Replace with a plant-based alternative or olive oil.

♥︎Fregola, cucumber & orange

For ➋ 

2 small cucumbers about 150 g* 

1 tbs caster sugar 

1 ts sea salt 

1 ts coriander seeds 

5 tbs white wine vinegar 

2 tbs dill, finely chopped

150 g fregola Sarda** 

2 tbs olive oil 

1 large orange

2 spring onions, finely chopped 

a handful of watercress 

To make the pickle, thinly slice 1 cucumber and put in a small mixing bowl. Mix the sugar, sea salt, coriander seeds, vinegar and dill and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour over the cucumber, cover and place somewhere cool for at least 1 hour. The cucumber will darken a little in colour and soften slightly, but should retain its crunch. 

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, salt it lightly, then tip in the fregola. Simmer for about 10 m, testing regularly for tenderness. Drain thoroughly, tip into a bowl then sprinkle a few drops of olive oil over it and toss to coat evenly. This will stop the beads sticking together as they cool. 

Peel the second cucumber, halve it lengthways and cut it into 1cm chunks. Peel the orange with a kitchen knife, taking care to remove the white pith, then cut into thin slices. Warm the oil in a shallow pan, add the raw cucumber pieces and continue to fry them gently. 

Add the spring onion to the pan with the drained fregola. Season with salt and black pepper. Fold the pickled cucumber and its liquid into the ingredients, add the watercress then stir briefly. 

Divide between plates and place the orange slices at its side. 

*When using larger cucumber, cut the slices in half. 

**Use Sardinian roasted fregola. Or plain pearl couscous

Cucumber sandwich with egg salad

For ➍ 

½ cucumber

8 slices of bread (rye bread)

egg salad:

8 cool hard boiled eggs (10 m boil)

3 tbs mayonnaise*

1 ts grain mustard

1 lick white wine vinegar

1 small bunch of chives

1 small bunch of dill

black pepper from the mill

salty

Finely chop the cold peeled eggs and place in a bowl. Finely chop chives and dill. Mix together with the rest of the ingredients under the eggs. Season with salt and pepper. If the egg salad is too dry, stir in an extra tbs of mayonnaise.

Cut the cucumber into thin slices (use the mandoline). Cover the sandwiches with the egg salad, finish with the cucumber.

*for a lighter sauce, replace 1 or 2 tbs mayonnaise with low-fat yoghurt

Cod on stewed cucumber

For ➋

400 g potatoes

2 cod fillets (140 g each), raw 

2 tbs fresh lime juice (or lemon) 

2 ts Dijon mustard 

1 medium cucumber 

40 g ham, raw or smoked 

1 ts oil 10x cl miso (or vegetable) stock 

(100 g cream cheese, light)* 

1 bunch of dill, chopped

Wash the potatoes and cook (with their skins on*) for 20 m until tender. (Or cook without peel*). 

Rinse the cod fillets, pat dry, sprinkle with salt and drizzle with lemon juice. Brush with mustard and leave to soak briefly. 

Peel the cucumber, halve lengthwise, remove the seeds and cut into slices. 

Cut the ham into strips. Heat the oil in a pan, fry the ham until crispy and remove from the pan. 

Add the cucumber to the pan, deglaze with stock, (stir in the cream cheese*) and season with salt and pepper. Place the cod fillets on the cucumber and cook for 10 m with a lid on the pan. 

Drain the potatoes (and peel them*). 

Sprinkle the cod and cucumber with dill and serve with the crispy ham and potatoes.

Smoked salmon & pea lemon risotto

For ➋-➌ 

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

200 g Arborio rice 

10 cl dry white wine 

80 cl fish stock 

1 mug (120-150 g) frozen peas, defrosted 

125 g smoked salmon 

1 lemon, zest & juice 

small bunch dill, finely chopped* 

freshly ground black pepper 

1 tbs cream cheese or mascarpone****

  

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan placed over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3–4 m, until soft but not coloured. 

 Add the rice and stir well to coat in the oil. Cook for 2 m, stirring frequently. Pour in the wine and cook until it’s almost all evaporated. 

Add a ladleful of stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed completely.** 

Gradually add the remaining stock a ladleful at a time, stirring until all the liquid has absorbed before adding more. This should take around 18–20 m. ** 

Add the peas with the final ladleful of stock and allow them to heat through.*** 

 Once the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender but still has a little bite, stir in the smoked salmon, lemon zest, juice and dill. ****

Drizzle over a little olive oil, season with pepper and serve. 

*When using dried dill, mix a heaped tbs with 1 tbs olive oil, and let it stand for 10 m. Mix with salmon, to spread the taste

**Use an alternative easier method.

***When using g the alternative, drop in the peas 5 m before the rice is ready.

****[Stir if wanted 1 tbs cream cheese or mascarpone through the lemon juice and lemon zest].

Herring salad with beetroot & potatoes

For ➋

200 g maatjes herring*

4 small or 2 large beetroots

500 g small potatoes

1 small red onion

1 tbs (grain) mustard

½ lemon, the juice

2 tbs olive oil + 1 extra dash

1 tbs wine vinegar**

1 bunch of dill

salt & black pepper from the mill

First roast the beetroot in the oven at 180 °C. Place the unpeeled beets on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with a dash of olive oil, 1 tbs wine vinegar**, a pinch of salt and pepper. Wrap the foil so that no moisture can leak out and roast 40 to 60 m in the oven. The beetroot is done when a potato knife slides through it easily.

Meanwhile, peel the red onion, cut into fine half rings and place in a small bowl. Mix in the juice of ½ lemon, 1 tbs mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside until use and stir whenever you remember. Boil the potatoes in water with a good pinch of salt (no need to peel).

Remove the beetroot from the oven. Let cool, peel and cut into wedges. Cut the drained potatoes in half. Cut the herring into pieces and finely chop the dill.

Mix 2 tbs olive oil under the marinated red onion. Place in a large bowl and mix in the beetroot, potatoes and most of the dill. Finish with the herring and the rest of the dill. Give everything a few extra turns of the pepper mill and a pinch of salt. 

Serve the salad preferably lukewarm.

* Or 200 g herring fillets in vinegar

**Or 1 tbs brine vinegar from the herring

Tagliatelle with dill & mushrooms

For ➋ 

25 g dill 

125 g grated Parmigiano 

25 cl whipped cream 

200 g king oyster mushroom* 

150 g brown shimeji or other small mushrooms* 

30 g chanterelles or other wild mushrooms* 

30 g butter 

3 tbs olive oil 

250 g tagliatelle or fettucine 

Chop the dill and Parmigiano into a fine crumb in a blender or food processor. Pour into a pan, add the cream and bring to the boil while stirring until the cheese has melted. Cover the pan, remove from heat and set aside. 

Cut the oyster mushrooms into 3 mm thick pieces. Clean the other mushrooms and remove the feet. Melt the butter in a shallow pan over medium heat. Fry the king oyster mushroom in 3-4 m until done, add the remaining mushrooms and fry for another 3 m. 

Bring a deep pan of water to the boil, add generous salt and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and return to the pan and toss in the cream, herbs and cheese mixture, followed by the fried mushrooms. 

Divide the dish between two plates. 

* Use any kind of mushrooms you have on hand. Chestnut and small white mushrooms are also fine. Divide the dish between two plates.

Low calories chicken skewers

For ➍
1 medium-sized zucchini
1 medium-sized bell pepper, all colors
1 medium-sized red onion
400 g chicken fillet, raw
½ non-coated lemon
1 tsp olive oil *
250 g tzatziki

Wash the zucchini, halve in length and cut into slices. Wash the bell pepper, remove the seeds and cut into pieces. Peel the onion and cut into slices. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon. Cut the chicken into cubes and string alternated with the zucchini, pepper and onion on 12 skewers. Mix the lemon juice with oil, pepper and salt and brush the skewers with this. Bake the skewers 12-15 m all around on the barbecue or in the oven at the top.
Serve the skewers with the tzatziki

Low-fat tzatziki

For ➍
½ non-coated lemon
pepper & salt
1 medium-sized cucumber
1 sprig dill
1 clove garlic
250 g low-fat yogurt,

Wash and grate the cucumber, mix with ½ teaspoon of salt and leave to draw for about 10 m. Spoon into a kitchen towel and squeeze out the excess moisture. Wash the dill, shake dry and chop finely.
Press the garlic and mix with yogurt, grated cucumber, dill, lemon juice, pepper and saltGrate the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon.
Wash the dill, shake dry and chop finely.
Press the garlic and mix with yogurt, grated cucumber, dill, lemon juice, pepper and salt.
Serve the tzatziki with chicken skewers f.i.

Lemon herb salmon & zucchini

For ➍
4 zucchini, chopped
2 tbs olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs brown sugar, packed
2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbs Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ ts dried dill
½ ts dried oregano
¼ ts dried thyme
¼ ts teaspoon dried rosemary
4 salmon fillets
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic, dill, oregano, thyme and rosemary; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
Place zucchini in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add salmon in a single layer and brush each salmon filet with herb mixture.
Place into oven and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 16-18 m.
Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Salmon rolls

For ➊➋ rolls
for 12
1 cucumber, washed & unpeeled
5 cl (sushi) vinegar
6 tbs herb goat's cheese
4 slices smoked salmon
dill
salmon eggs*

Cut long strips of cucumber with a peeler. Leave the peel on.
Marinate the cucumber strips for a moment in the vinegar.
Dry the cucumber strips and cover them thinly with cheese. Place small strips of smoked salmon on them.
Roll up nicely.
Decorate the salmon roll with a sprig of dill. Some salmon eggs give the snack a festive touch. Serve on a plate or on a toast.

*Use imitation fish eggs made from seaweed.
**Make this salmon roll in advance. Keep the snacks in the refrigerator on a plate with paper towels. Just before serving you finish the bite with a leaf of dill.

Oeufs en cocotte (eggs in pots)

For ➍
150 g crème fraîche
salt & freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
handful of chopped dill
4 free-range eggs
red lumpfish roe
small sprigs of dill

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Season the crème fraîche with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
Place a heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche in the bottom of a ramekin, followed by a little dill.
Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of crème fraîche and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Repeat with three more ramekins.
Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 15 m or until the egg yolks are set to your liking.
If you like, finish each serving with a ts of red lumpfish roe and a sprig or two of dill.
Serve it with plenty of crusty bread.

*If you like, you can add chopped mushrooms, ham, smoked salmon or cherry tomatoes after the crème fraîche, or a spoonful of pipérade.
You can also throw in almost anything savoury you find in your fridge. Try swapping the dill for parsley, basil or coriander, or spice things up with a dash of Tabasco or chilli sauce.

Imam bayildi (Turkish stuffed eggplant)

For ➍
2 medium or 4 small eggplants, cut in half lengthwise
1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced very thin
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
600 g tomatoes, peeled & chopped
4 tbs fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tbs dill, finely chopped
2 tbs basil, finely chopped (optional)
salt
4 tbs olive oil
4 tbs water
2½ ts sugar
2 tbs lemon juice (optional)

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with olive oil. Slit the eggplants down the middle, being careful not to cut through the skin. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 20 m, until the outer skin begins to shrivel. Remove from the oven and transfer, cut side down, to a colander set in the sink. Allow to drain for 30 m.*
Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, lidded skillet and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are very tender, 5 to 8 m. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 s to 1 m, until fragrant. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Add the tomatoes, herbs, salt to taste and 1 ts of the sugar and 1 tbs of olive oil.*
Turn the eggplants over and place in the pan, cut side up. Season with salt. Fill with the onion and tomato mixture. Mix together the remaining olive oil, the remaining sugar, the water and the lemon juice. Drizzle over and around the eggplants. Cover the pan and place over low heat. Cook gently for 1 to 1½ h, checking the pan for liquid and basting from time to time with the liquid in the pan, and adding water to the pan if it becomes too dry. By the end of cooking the eggplants should be practically flat and the liquid in the pan slightly caramelized. Spoon this juice over the eggplant.
Allow to cool in the pan. Serve at room temperature with börek or flat bread.

*You can roast the eggplant and make the filling through several hours before assembling and cooking the imam bayildi. Once cooked, the finished dish can sit for several hours.

This is a lighter version of a classic Turkish dish. Imam bayildi is a variation of karnıyarık, which contains minced beef, and is served warm (and is close to Greek moussaka).
It spread through the Turkish and Arab world, from Iran to the Balkan, the idea resounding in French ratatouille.

Potato salad with yogurt & dill

For ➏
700 g fingerling potatoes, halved
18 cl non-fat plain Greek yogurt
2 ts Dijon mustard
2 ts minced fresh dill
1 tbs lemon juice

Combine yogurt, mustard, dill and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
Steam potatoes for 10-12 m, or until tender. Allow to cool
Add potatoes and toss well.
Chill until ready to serve.

Aardappelsalade met gerookte haring (Flemish potato salad with smoked herring)

For ➍
600 g new potatoes
½ lemon, juice & zest
1 tbs good wine vinegar
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs capers
1 ts horseradish relish or 1.5 cm fresh* horseradish
15 cl full cream
1 bunch dill
1 bunch radishes
300 g smoked fish fillets, smoked herring or trout or mackerel
some watercress or purslane (optional).

Scrub the potatoes under running water.
Boil them unpeeled in salted water.
When the potatoes are done, drain and cut into 2 (or 4 if big). Mix them, when they are still hot, with the vinegar, olive oil, capers and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Cut the radishes into thin slices, chop the dill and pull the smoked fish into pieces. Mix with the potatoes and season with pepper and some salt.
Whip the cream. When the cream is stiff, add pepper, salt, grated zest of ½ lemon and horseradish (add 1 ts horseradish from a jar, grate about 1.5 cm fresh horseradish).
Serve the salad with some watercress or purslane and a generous scoop of cream.

This is a re-creation of a classic recipe from an inexpensive workers' restaurant in Ghent. The original recipe might have been inspired by the classic French hors d'oeuvre harengs pommes à l'huile.

Prawns & dill salad (or burger)

For ➍
800 g large prawns, peeled & cooked, chopped
1 small red chilli, chopped
1 bushel of fresh dill
4 tbs yuzu or lime juice
2 tbs corn meal*
4 tbs aïoli
1 cucumber, sliced
¼ ice berg lettuce, cleaned & cut
1 tbs olive oil*
4 buns*

Mix the chopped prawns with the chilli, dill and juice. Add salt & pepper. Let rest for 15 m.
Prepare the lettuce and cucumber.
Add the the shrimps' mix and aïoli.
Serve with roasted buns or fresh, cooled quinoa.

*Alternatively for a burger version: mix (uncooked, peeled) prawns with chli, juice, dill and corn meal. Add salt & pepper. Refrigerate. Form 4 patties the size of the buns. Bake them in olive oil. Meanwhile cut the buns and roast them. Put ice berg letttuce on each bun. Cover with a pattie. Add some cucumber slices, some aïoli and some extra dill. Close the burger.

Salmon with lemon & dill sauce

For ➍
450 g salmon fillets
50 g butter, melted*
1½ tbs lemon juice
3 g dried dill weed
a small pinch of garlic powder
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 175°C. Lightly grease a medium baking dish.

Place salmon in the baking dish. Mix the butter and lemon juice in a small bowl. Drizzle over the salmon. Season with dill, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Bake 15-25 m. Or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork.

*Alternatively, use yogurt instead of butter: drizzle 1 tbs of lemon over the fish, with salt and pepper. Roast the salmon for 10-10 m at 220°C. Mix together the sauce with 15 cl yogurt, 2 ts of lemon juice, 1 tbs of fresh dill and 1 chopped clove of garlic. Serve with the fish.

Read a similar salmon & lemon recipe.

Jalik (Arabian cucumber soup)

For ➋
2 cucumbers
½ ts salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbs lemon juice
20 cl yogurt
½ tbs finely chopped dill
10 cl sesame or olive oil
2 ts chopped mint

Peel the cucumbers, cut in quarters lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then slice thin. Sprinkle with the salt and let stand for 15 m. Drain well.

Stir together the garlic, lemon juice, yogurt, and dill. Mix with the cucumbers.

Pour the oil over the top and sprinkle with the mint.

This is adapted from the Arabian jalik soup. Similar recipes are known all over the Middle East and as 'tzaziki' in Greece. It is called 'maast-o-khiar' in Iran.
Read the maast-o-khiar recipe, or make a version with other amounts of the ingredients above: drain the yogurt in cheese-cloth in a colander for 1 h, mix with some mint, use 1 cucumber, to make a dip sauce for pita bread or serve it as a cold salad, on its own or with cold lamb chops.
Read more cucumber soup recipes: cold cucumber soup with crab, Spanish white gazpacho.

Persian cucumber & fresh dill salad

For ➏
6 Persian cucumbers*, sliced
2 ts extra virgin olive oil
2 ts rice wine vinegar**
juice from ½ lemon
2-3 sprigs fresh dill, finely diced
salt & fresh ground pepper

Combine ingredients. Cover and chill for 1 h.

*Or 2 very fresh western (seedless) cucumbers.
**Use a slightly sweeter vinegar, e.g. sherry vinegar, instead.

Persian cucumbers are smaller than the seedless available in the west, with a slightly less watery, sweeter taste. Nowadays they are grown all over Europe and the Caribbean, and nobody knows if they were ever Persian at all.
Truely Persian is the similar Persian cucumber yogurt dressing.