Tag Archives: healthy

Tomato spiced cod with polenta and corn cake

We recently reviewed Sussex Gold, who produce cold-pressed rapeseed oil. They also sell a range of dressings and cooking sauces made especially for them. I tried a spicy tomato sauce, which I used in dressings and to finish a pasta sauce as suggested on the label. After buying some fresh cod from the Chelsea fishmonger I had a creative kitchen moment with a delicious and satisfying outcome. Here it is!

Serves 2cod_sussex_gold_tomato_sauce

For the polenta cakes

4 x 15ml spoons of cooked sweet corn

60g polenta

1 large egg

2 finely chopped salad onions or a handful of fresh chopped chives

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

20ml of rapeseed or sunflower oil

Fish

300g fresh cod loin, cut into 2 cm cubes

2-3 tablespoons of Sussex Gold spicy tomato sauce

To serve: some salad leaves and a spoon of half-fat crème fraîche or Greek-style yogurt

First make the polenta cakes – you can do this in advance and chill until required. Place all the ingredients except the oil in a mixing bowl and stir until combined. Divide the mixture into 4 round cakes and chill for 20 minutes to set.

Meanwhile prepare the fish and the salad. Heat the grill. Place a sheet of foil on to the grill pan with the sides folded up to create an edge to trap the sauce. Add a little of the tomato sauce to the foil and place the fish on top. Brush or spoon over the remaining sauce and grill for 7 – 8 minutes until just cooked.

While the fish is cooking, heat the oil and pan fry the polenta cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Place the cakes on a plate with the salad leaves and top with the cooked fish and sauce.  Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche.

You can buy Sussex Gold in farm shops and direct from the producers at farmers markets

Text and images Shirlee
Text and images Shirlee

Sussex Gold oils

Red Beef Noodle Soup

Red Beef Noodle Soup

When I lived in Taiwan it got a bit cooler after Christmas and street food vendors started producing warming soups. My favourite was an aromatic beef noodle soup made with hand-pulled noodles. My version uses some lovely braising beef from Joe’s farm shop in Sutton Green, who sell free-range locally reared beef and pork. You can buy Taiwanese noodles from many Chinese food shops but egg noodles work just as well. This is perfect for an evening meal when there is a snap in the air.

Red beef noodle soup (serves 4)
Ingredients

1 dessertspoon sunflower oilRed Beef Noodle Soup
6 spring onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 thumb-sized pieces fresh ginger, cut into julienne strips
1 teaspoon crushed Sichuan peppercorns
6 star anise
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
500ml fresh beef stock
75ml Chinese rice wine
50ml naturally brewed soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated palm or light brown sugar
500g braising beef cut into small chunks

4 portions ready-made egg noodles, cooked according to instructions

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the spring onions, garlic, ginger and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, stock, rice wine, soy sauce and sugar. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes.

Reduce the heat, so the mixture is barely simmering and add the beef and cook (lid on) for 35 – 40 minutes until tender.

Divide the hot noodles into four bowls and spoon over the beef and soup serve immediately

Towards the end of the cooking time feel free to add vegetables such as spinach, peas or green beans. Add carrots and other root vegetables a bit earlier.

Text and Images Shirlee
Text and Images Shirlee