White fish with caramelized citrus butter & capers

For ➋

2 firm slices of white fish fillet, preferably with skin (choose a firm type, such as halibut)

75 g butter + 1 cube for frying fish

2 tbs capers

1 organic lemon

12 sprigs of fresh oregano

freshly ground black pepper & salt

Preheat the oven to 90 ° C. First fry the fish in a pan that can also be put in the oven. Melt a knob of butter in it over medium to high heat and let it heat up well. Season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Bake about 4 m on one side, until you have something of a crust. Make sure that the butter does not burn. Lower the heat if necessary.

Turn the fish over and place about 10 m in the oven. (So ​​you do not cook both, but only on one side.) The fillet should be cooked but still juicy, depending on the size this can take a few minutes longer.*

In a second pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Wait until the butter starts to fizz, stir gently with a wooden spoon and keep stirring occasionally until the butter starts to turn golden brown after 5-10 m and smells like nuts.

In the meantime, cut half of the lemon into fine half slices and remove the seeds. Add to the butter together with the capers and fry for 5 m until the lemon starts to brown very slightly.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and mix in the oregano (keep 2 sprigs separate for the finish). Place the fish on plates and spoon over the sauce. Finish with the oregano sprigs and an extra turn of the pepper mill. Add the rest of the lemon in wedges. 

Serve with mashed spinach puree.

*Or bake the fish carefully in a pan.

Braised fennel with lemon

For ➋ or ➍ (as side dish)

3 fennel bulbs, quartered

15-25 cl water**

8 cl olive oil

2 ts ground fennel seeds

2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice* 

1 tbs chopped fennel fronds

Arrange the fennel in a large skillet. Add enough water to the pan to come at lease halfway up the sides of the fennel. **

Drizzle the fennel with the olive oil, sprinkle with the fennel seeds and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Bring the fennel to a simmer, cover and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan every now and then, until the fennel is tender, 20-30 m.** 

Remove the lid for the last few m of cooking to allow the liquid to reduce and thicken. 

Stir in the lemon juice* and fennel fronds. 

Serve the fennel drizzled with the thickened cooking liquid. 

Serve with roasted chicken, grilled halibut or salmon, grilled or roasted meats. 

*Use fresh blood orange juice instead.

**Chop the fennel, add 4 tbs blood orange juice, 2 tbs olive oil, cover and cook in the microwave (about 7 m for 500 g fennel). Serve with cherry tomatoes and fregola, and roasted salmon.

Cod with soy balsamic glaze

For ➋
400 g white meat fish (cod, halibut, striped bass)
2 ts vegetable oil
2 ts sesame oil
17 grams ginger (1.25 cm piece)
8 g garlic (1 large clove)
45 g scallion white part only (3 scallions)
1 tbs Shaoxing wine (or any dry rice wine)
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs balsamico
coriander (for garnish)

Lightly salt and pepper the fish.
Heat 2 ts of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the fish, flipping halfway through.*
When the fish is cooked through, plate it and then wipe out the pan.
Turn the heat up to high and add the sesame oil to the pan along with the ginger, garlic and scallions. Saute until very fragrant and the aromatics start to brown.
Add the Shaoxing, soy sauce and balsamico and boil until the sauce starts to thicken.
Pour the sauce over the fish and garnish with cilantro.

*Alternatively, steam the fish.

London smoked eel sandwich

For ➊
1 slice of sourdough bread
butter
30-40 g fillet of smoked eel*
1 heaped ts of horseradish cream
Dijon mustard
¼ small red onion, peeled & thinly sliced
2 tbs white wine vinegar
a good pinch of sugar

Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Steep the sliced onion in the pickle and let stand for 1 h.
Warm a grilling pan over a gentle heat. Lay the sour dough on the grill and brown nicely.
Cut the eel fillet into 3 largish pieces.
Butter the toasted side of the sour dough. Cut this in half and spread with Dijon mustard.
Lay on the eel and then the horseradish cream. Lay on the other piece of toast and return to the grill.
Allow the sandwich to brown, then flip and cook similarly on the other side.
Put on a plate and heap the drained pickle alongside.
Serve immediately.

*Replace with smoked trout or mackerel fillet. Or even smoked halibut.

Black cod with scallions & ginger @ microwave

For ➋-➍
2 225 g black cod fillets, with skin or not (or use halibut, rockfish, trout, black sea bass, pomfret or sole)
4¼ ts soy sauce
¼ ts sesame oil
4 0.6 cm thick round slices of ginger plus 1 tbs finely julienned ginger, for garnish
5 or 6 scallions, white & green parts separated & julienned
1½ ts Shaoxing or other white wine
3½ tbs peanut oil

Place each fillet in a separate microwave-safe zip-top bag, then place the bags skin (or skinned) side down next to each other on a microwave-safe plate.
In a small bowl, combine soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside. Divide ginger coins and white part of scallions between the 2 bags. Pour half the wine (¾ ts) into each bag. Push air out as much as possible.
Microwave until fish becomes opaque and flakes easily, 3½ to 5 m in an 800-watt oven.
Transfer each fillet to a warm serving plate and drizzle each with half of the soy sauce mixture. Garnish with scallion greens and julienned ginger.
In a small pan, heat peanut oil until sizzling. Drizzle the hot oil over each fillet and serve immediately.

Halibut with chervil crust

For ➍
1 large halibut (or cod) fillet (600 g) or 4 individual portions
2 tbs chopped fresh chervil
6 walnuts, finely ground or crushed
2 tbs ground breadcrumbs
coarse sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
1 lime (or lemon)

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Chop the chervil with a knife or in a food processor. Crush the breadcrumbs in a mortar, or in a food processor. Same for the nuts.
Mix in a bowl, with salt and pepper. Pour some olive oil in to make a nice paste.
Cover the fish with the paste.
Bake for approximately 30 m in the oven.
Squeeze half a lemon over it. Serve with a salad or dried tomatoes and some rice.