LIGHT DISHES

 The extended heatwave is still harassing us this summer. Here are a few recipes for light dishes:

 

 

                              TOMATO-POACHED COD WITH FRESH HERBS

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and thinly chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly chopped

Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

4 ripe tomatoes, halved, deseed, grated, skins discarded

 1 tsp sugar or more, according to the acidity of the tomatoes

250 ml (1 cup) vegetable stock

6 cod fillets

Lemon juice and salt to taste

 

1 cup basil leaves, chopped for sprinkling over

1 cup parsley leaves, chopped for sprinkling over

Toasted bread for serving

 

Drizzle the cod with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt.  After 10 minutes rinse and pat dry.

 

Sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent.  Add the garlic and pour in the grated tomato and the vegetable stock  and season with salt, pepper red pepper flakes to taste.  Simmer until you have a thick sauce. 

 

Add the fish and cook until it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork, for about 10 minutes.

 

Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped herbs and hot toast. 

 

 

                                                 GRILLED OCTOPUS

2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp black peppercorns

1 wine cork

1 ½ kg (3 lb) octopus, head and beak discarded

2 tbsp olive oil

½ lemon

½ cup copped parsley

Salt to taste

 

Fill a large saucepan with water, and season with salt, pepper corns and drop in the wine cork and bring to the boil.

 

Meanwhile, place the octopus on a cutting board.  Using a meat mullet pound the octopus many times, starting at the middle and moving down each tentacle to tenderize it.

 

Dip the tentacles in boiling water 3 times holding them in the boiling water for 2-3 seconds each time until the tentacles curl up.  Submerge the whole octopus in the boiling water, lower the heat and simmer for 40-60 minutes until the octopus is fork-tender.  Remove from the heat and cool for 30 minutes.

 

Preheat grill to medium heat and brush the grate with olive oil and gill the octopus until charred on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side.

 

Remove from the heat, slice into pieces, and place on a hot dish.  Drizzle with  olive oil  and lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and serve, immediately,  sprinkled with chopped parsley.

 

There is a belief that a wine cork will release the enzymes that settle between the octopus meat and with heat will render it tender.

 

 

                                             LIGHT LEMON SHRIMPS

 

500 g (1 lb) shrimps, shelled, deveined, thoroughly washed and patted dry

250 g (8 oz) uncooked angel hair pasta

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced

4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced,

125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock

2 tsp grated lemon rind

2 tbsp lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

¼ cup chopped parsley

Grated Parmesan to taste

 

Cut the shrimps lengthwise into half and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

 

Sauté the shrimps, spring onions and garlic in butter and olive oil and cook until the shrimps turn pink about 3 minutes and remove from the pan with a slotted spoon.

 

Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and chicken stock, salt and pepper and simmer in the same pan util the liquid has slightly reduced about 2 minutes. Return the shrimps to the pan and heat through.  Then remove from the fire.

 

Drain the pasta, top with the shrimp mixture serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan.  

 

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