Here's one from my poor student, uni days.
Thinking back, no wonder I was always broke - seems like I was feeding the whole dorm on any given night. I have always loved to cook but more than that I love to feed. Call it maternal instincts on overdrive with a dash of cultural idiosyncrasies.
I think such is true of almost all old world cultures - we are feeders!
Don't ever make the mistake of telling us you're full because chances are we're going to shovel another heapful onto your plate at that precise moment. Kid you not.
Speaking of student days, Mum had the foresight to pack some of my trusted cookbooks along with everything else. And thank goodness she packed my tattered , no frills Italian cook book by Nika Hazelton. Long before Batali, it's thanks to Nika that my love for home style honest Italian cuisine blossomed.
I still flip open the old girl every now and then and she never disappoints. This recipe however is an adaptation of one she makes with whole halibut. However, I've been making this simpler and economical version forever and it doesn't disappoint.
What more, its healthful and perfect for even the low-carb dieters.
I'm hoping to pass on my tattered cookbook to my boys when they're off to uni - the real question is how long does sticky tape hold and will they ever bother to open its archaic pages? I'll let you know in about a decade!
Gather the ingredients - fresh white fish fillets (not frozen) such as swai, flounder, tilapia or halibut, good quality olive oil, garlic cloves, ripe, sweet tomatoes, lemon or lime, fresh parsley, frozen peas, sea salt and ground black pepper.
- Chop the tomatoes. Peel & finely chop the garlic. Wash and chop the parsley. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 the lemon or lime and set aside.
- Generously salt and pepper the fish fillets on both sides
- In a large flat, heavy bottom pan (I am using my Emile Henry brazier) add the olive oil & heat on medium-high heat for about a minute till very hot.
- Add the fish fillets in a single layer. Pan fry for about 5-6 minutes till the fish is a light golden brown. Over turn & pan fry the fish on the other side as well doing so in single layer batches if required. Do not over turn the fish more than once.
- Return all the pan-fried fish back into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Sprinkle the chopped parsley, garlic and lemon juice all over the fish. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid & simmer for 10 minutes.
- Scatter the tomatoes over the fish. Taste the pan juices and adjust the salt & pepper.
- Return the lid to the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Scatter the peas over the tomatoes and returning the lid over the pan, simmer for 3-4 minutes till peas are soft but not discolored.
- Serve immediately.
Absolutely delish served with boiled potatoes tossed in butter or olive oil, salt and pepper.
Delicate, refreshing & comforting all at once. There is a reason this one has stood the test of time so make this your next week night meal!
Recipe for
Unfussy Home Style Italian Fish With Peas
Adapted from a recipe by Nika Hazelton
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Preparation time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 20 minutes
Serves 4
Shopping list
2 lbs fresh white fish fillets (not frozen) such as swai, flounder, tilapia or halibut
1/2 cup good quality olive oil
3 garlic cloves, ripe
8 oz sweet tomatoes
1/2 lemon or lime
1 cup fresh parsley chopped to yield 1/2 cup
1-1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 sea salt and ground black pepper to season raw fish
1 tsp sea salt sprinkled during cooking
1/2 tsp ground black pepper sprinkled during cooking
Method -
- Chop the tomatoes. Peel & finely chop the garlic. Wash and chop the parsley. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 the lemon or lime and set aside.
- Generously salt and pepper the fish fillets on both sides
- In a large flat, heavy bottom pan (I am using my Emile Henry brazier) add the olive oil & heat on medium-high heat for about a minute till very hot.
- Add the fish fillets in a single layer. Pan fry for about 5-6 minutes till the fish is a light golden brown. Over turn & pan fry the fish on the other side as well doing so in single layer batches if required. Do not over turn the fish more than once.
- Return all the pan-fried fish back into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Sprinkle the chopped parsley, garlic and lemon juice all over the fish. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid & simmer for 10 minutes.
- Scatter the tomatoes over the fish. Taste the pan juices and adjust the salt & pepper.
- Return the lid to the pan and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Scatter the peas over the tomatoes and returning the lid over the pan, simmer for 3-4 minutes till peas are soft but not discolored.
Serve immediately. Absolutely delish served with boiled potatoes tossed in butter or olive oil, salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
