FOODS OF THE CAPE: May 2016

FISH PARCEL

Fish is probably one of the nicest meals there is, giving you much needed Omega-3 that improves mental functions and helps in maintaining a healthy heart. Besides there is so many varieties of fish, for example, snoek, hake, steenbrass, cob, red roman, yellow tail, tuna, shad, maasbanker, bronze breams, silverfish, galjoen, anglefish, musselcracker and stumpnose, each having a very different favour and aroma. Fish can be deep fried in batter and served with chips and salads. Fish can be fried in a pan, or steamed with veg, or bakes in an oven or grilled over coals. Fish can be used as a substitute for meat in a curry or in a biryani or in friffadels. Yep fish frikkadels are by far the best, better than meat mince frikkadels especially when made with fresh parsely.

In fact fish can be prepared in at least a dozen different ways. So today I have prepared a fish parcel. Essentially the fish is grilled in the oven but since it is wrapped in foil, it steams. And when this happens with a mixture of onions and green and red bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, lemon slices with its peel, salt and pepper and lavishly sprinkled with olive oil, it is simply delectable. A coolest part of this meal is that one adds everything at once, places it in a tray, pop it into an oven on medium heat and forget about it, as it gets done the aromas of the sizzling sound will get your attention. I like a tomato salsa served alongside my fish flanked by a heavenly portion of sweet potato.

Method:

After the fish has been washed and cleaned, make absolutely sure that every last scale has been removed. Do this by scaping the surface skin of the fish one last time. There is no greater letdown when eating fish, to swallow a scale that gets stuck in your throat. Salt the inside of the fish to taste, then stuff it with onion rings, sliced tomato, sliced lemon with its peel, sliced peppers and add 2 to 3 cloves of crushed garlic, and sprinkle it with ground pepper. Lavishly sprinkle with olive oil and wrap in such a way that the foil makes a container. The fish needs to be fully enclosed but the open end of the foil needs to be at the top of the fish, yet not allowing the juices to escape. It takes just 15 mins to prepare and about an hour to cook in the oven. But its bet left in the over until the aromas speak to your taste buds. This is normally a meal for 2 and the best way to slit it, is along the spine like you open a book. Normally the spine comes out as a single bone but that depends on the type of fish you cooking. Enjoy.