Cajun Fish with Pineapple Salsa and Wilted Spinach Salad

This is a lovely healthy light recipe, the salad recipe was another one I tried from a zaar member for the swap I am doing, the fish is mine. I will post a link to the salad recipe underneath it, so you can go and see the wonderful photos that the chef, of this recipe took, they are gorgeous. You can use any firm white fish fillets for this recipe, also as a variation which I have done before, you can marinate different sea foods like prawns, white fish and scallops in the marinade and the skewer them and cook on the BBQ and serve salsa on the side.

Ingredients

1-1.2Kg Firm white fish fillets (I allow for 250g-300g per person depending on appetites.)

Marinade

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Teaspoons paprika
11/2 Teaspoons ground black pepper
11/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 Teaspoon onion powder
5/6 Dashes of Tabasco
1/4 Teaspoon cayenne
5 Cloves garlic, crushed
50ml Lemon juice
1/2 Cup beer

Pineapple Salsa

250g Fresh pineapple, chopped finely (I buy already cut and cored pineapple, it comes in 6 slices, there is about 2 tablespoons of juice in the bottom and I add this to the salsa.)
1 Small red pepper, finely chopped
1/2 Medium yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 Small red onion, finely chopped
2-3 Tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped (I buy my herbs in 25g bunches.)
1 Tablespoon coriander, finely chopped

Method

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl or storage container, mix well, add fish and marinate several hours or overnight.

2. Remove fish from marinade, discard marinade, grill, BBQ or pan fry fish until cooked. Cooking times will vary depending on thickness of fillet, mine were very thin and it took me about 5-6 Min's. For very thick fillets about 10-12 Min's.

Pineapple Salsa

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.


Wilted Spinach Salad With Roasted Kumara (Sweet Potato)

Ingredients

Roasted Kumara

2 Sweet potatoes (kumara)
Salt
Pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Salad

130g Baby spinach
2 Oranges
6 Nasturtium petals (optional)

Dressing

2 Teaspoons coarse grain mustard
1/2 Lemon (zest and juice)
Salt
Pepper
1/4 Cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons dill weed

Method

1. Peel and cut the kumara into bite sized cubes.

2. Toss in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 200C/400°F.

4. Mix the mustard, lemon juice, and zest for the dressing.

5. Add the olive oil a tablespoon at a time, whisking between each spoonful.

6. Add finely chopped dill.

7. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

8. Prepare the oranges by peeling and then cutting just the segments off the orange so that there is none of the tough bits. Squeeze any remaining orange juice in the fibrous bits into the dressing.

9. Put the spinach is a large bowl.

10. Add the roasted kumara straight from the oven and toss through the spinach to wilt the spinach. This works best if the kumara is still really hot.

11. Add the dressing and orange segments and toss through.

12. Serve slightly warm on a large plate and decorate with nasturtium flowers.

If you want to see more photos or other recipes by this chef please click here.

Serves 4

All photos taken by me unless otherwise stated

Scallops with a Miso Mustard Sauce

I made this the other night as a starter it was very good, it is a recipezaar's member recipe. I did do the end a little differently just for presentation purposes. I placed the scallops in scallop shells, spooned sauce over and the sprinkled with cheese and melted it under the grill. I then placed some salad greens on a plate and placed the shells on that, looked great and tasted wonderful, definitely a different way to prepare scallops.

Ingredients

12 Sea scallops
To taste salt and pepper
1 Garlic clove , minced
All-purpose flour , for dusting
2 Tablespoons white miso or miso
1 Tablespoon mirin
1 Teaspoon soy sauce
1 Teaspoon superfine sugar
1 Bunch watercress , thick stems removed
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 Tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 Cup parmesan cheese


Method

1. Season scallops on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic, and lightly dust with flour. In a cup, combine miso, mirin, soy sauce, sugar and enough water (1 to 2 tablespoons) to give a pourable consistency; set aside. Arrange watercress on a serving plate as a bed for scallops.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear scallops on both sides until lightly browned and just firm, about 4 minutes a side. Turn off heat, and remove scallops to a plate. Pour wine into skillet, and stir, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add miso mixture to pan, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring. Turn off heat, and stir in mustard and cream.

3. Place scallops on watercress, drizzle warm sauce on top and shower each scallop with cheese. Serve warm.

If you liked this recipe and would like to view other recipes by this chef click here.

Marinated Seafood Skewers with a Dipping Sauce

Another experiment and I think another success, to me this was a wonderful combination of flavours and the fish was gorgeous. I used Tuna, Salmon and Prawns but feel free to experiment with other fish, just remember you need quite thick fish for skewers. I served mine over stir-fry vegetables which not only went really well but made for a very yummy, healthy, light dinner enjoyed by us all. The ingredients listed below was enough to make 6 skewers I allowed for 2 per person so if you have bigger eaters you will have to adjust amounts to make more. The marinade will be plenty even if you buy more seafood.

Ingredients

Marinade

3 Cloves garlic, crushed
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Teaspoon fish sauce
2 Teaspoons sesame oil
2 Teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon ketjap Manis
2 Teaspoons sweet chili sauce
2 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Teaspoons lemon grass, finely chopped
3 Green onions, sliced thinly

Fish

6 Long wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 min's prior to using
12 Green prawns, peeled
320g Tuna steak, cut in large cubes (allow for 2 cubes per skewer.)
340g Salmon fillet, cut into large cubes (allow for 2 cubes per skewer.)

Dipping Sauce

2 Teaspoons soy sauce
3 Teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 Teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 Cup water
100g Sugar
50ml Lime juice
Zest of 1 small lime
3 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
11/2-2 Tablespoons coriander, finely chopped


Method

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or storage container, add chopped fish and prawns, refrigerate for several hours.

2. Thread fish onto skewers alternating, tuna, salmon, prawn etc.. reserve marinade.

3. In summer these would be great done on the BBQ, as it is winter I did them under the grill about 6 inches from the heat. Cook for about 8-10 Min's or until done, turning once and basting with reserved marinade during cooking.

Dipping Sauce

1. In a saucepan add water and sugar and cook over a medium high heat until the sugar dissolves.

2. Turn the heat down, add soy, vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, zest, sweet chili sauce, stir to combine, remove from heat, stir in coriander and serve in individual dipping bowls.

I served mine over stir-fry vegetables, I did a mix of bean sprouts, snow peas, shredded carrot and red pepper.

Serves 3

All photo's taken by me unless otherwise stated.