Pickled Fish April 14, 2025
These flavours are bold and bright and is especially good with a preserved lemon dressing to serve alongside. Check out the original recipe here.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg firm white fish
- 2 tablespoons vegetable olive oil, plus extra for cooking
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- a thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
- 350ml water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 bay leaves
- 15ml lemon juice
Preserved lemon dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 shallot or small red onion, finely diced
- 1 heaped tablespoon preserved lemon, finely chopped
- a handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- pinch of sea salt flakes
Method:
- To begin, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, sauté the onions for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become caramelised and soft.
- After that, stir in the garlic and ginger, allowing them to cook for a minute or two until fragrant. Then, add all the spices and toast them for just a minute to intensify their flavours. At this stage, the mixture will appear dry and rubbly, which is completely normal.
- Next, pour in the vinegar and water, stirring thoroughly to lift any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. As the mixture comes together, season with salt, then add the sugar and bay leaves. Reduce the heat, cover the pan partially, and let the mixture simmer gently for about 20–25 minutes.
- Once the sauce has thickened slightly, transfer it carefully to a food processor and blitz until completely smooth. Set aside while you prepare the fish.
- Meanwhile, heat a wide-based pan over high heat until very hot. While waiting for the pan to heat, season the fish generously on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- As soon as the pan is ready, add a little oil to coat the surface. Carefully lay the fish into the hot pan, skin side down. Let it cook undisturbed for about 6 minutes, allowing the skin to crisp up. Then, flip the fish and cook for a further 2–3 minutes, or until the flesh is just cooked through. Just before removing the fish from the pan, spritz over the lemon juice for a bright, zesty finish.
- Following that, pour the smooth sauce back into the pan, gently swirling to coat the fish evenly. If the sauce seems too thick, add a splash more water to loosen it slightly. Once everything is well combined, transfer the fish and sauce to a non-metallic dish or large glass jar. Cover and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
- For the dressing, place all the ingredients in a small bowl. Using a spoon or whisk, mix thoroughly to combine until well blended.
- Finally, serve the fish at room temperature, generously spooned with the lemony dressing, alongside a crusty homemade loaf for a satisfying, flavour-packed meal.
Categories: Recipes