"Maximum flavour and minimum fuss": 3 easy fish recipes to make this summer.

I know it takes a lot to get into cook mode – I’m talking full-blown, recipe-out, ingredients-bought, apron-on, ready-to-get-amongst-the-rhythm-of-the-kitchen mode. I totally get it. 

That's why I've created these recipes with maximum flavour and minimum fuss in mind.

These over-confident recipes are here to restore your faith in cooking at home, by making it an exciting act you can be a part of three times a day if you like.

Growing up camping by the seaside every summer must have played some role in my taste for the sea. But there’s no need to pull out the lobster - a can of tuna or a fish cake and I am good to go. 

From a five-minute lunch to dinner party ready, here are three of my go-to fish recipes.

1. Tuna rice bowl.

Image: Supplied/Tonia Shuttleworth.

This is basic, I am fully aware of that. 

But I am team basic when it comes to food, and this tuna rice bowl with microwaveable rice is the five-minute secret lunch I wish I knew about at uni.

(Instead, I was wasting my money on $10 lemongrass beef in ridiculously crunchy baguettes and crying poor when I’d go out on weekends. While I regret nothing, this would have been a good lunch too.)

Gluten free.

Serves: 2.

Prep: 10 minutes.

Cook: 5 minutes.

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup (160g) frozen shelled edamame
• 425g can tuna in olive oil, drained
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup (60g) Kewpie mayo, plus extra to serve
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp shredded pickled (sushi) ginger, and 2 tbsp pickling liquid
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, plus extra to serve
• ¼ tsp shichimi togarashi*, plus extra to serve
• 500g microwave rice
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• crushed wasabi peas*

*Specialty ingredients

Wasabi peas - those coated crisp green things you never knew you needed as a bar snack, and shichimi togarashi - a Japanese chilli spice mix. You can find both in Asian grocers.

Method: 

1. Boil the kettle. Place edamame in a saucepan. Pour over boiling water and place over high heat. Return to the boil, then drain.

2. Combine tuna, onion, mayo, soy, ginger, pickling liquid, sesame seeds and togarashi in a bowl.

3. Heat rice as per packet instructions, add vinegar and shake to combine. Divide rice among bowls. Add radish, avocado, carrot, cucumber and edamame. Top with tuna mixture. Scatter with wasabi peas and serve with extra mayo and togarashi.

Spice it up:

Mix some kimchi through the rice for a tasty fermented sitch. Balanced out with the creamy mayo and tuna - it’s a tasty combo!

Jazz it up:

Sub the can of tuna for some fresh sashimi-grade salmon, diced or sliced. Total winner.

2. Sticky harissa glazed salmon.

Image: Supplied/Tonia Shuttleworth.

This is the recipe to use when entertaining. 

It’s easy, packs flavour, feeds a crowd and is on that level where someone is sure to ask for the recipe (and in turn think you’re amazing). 

Totally understand if you want to claim it, no need to mention me – I imagine you’ve bought them my cookbook for Secret Santa, anyway.

Gluten free.

Serves: 8-12.

Prep: 5 minutes.

Cook: 12 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (80ml) runny honey
• 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 tbsp harissa spice mix or paste*
• 800g skin-on side of salmon
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
• mint, parsley and coriander, to serve

*Specialty ingredient

Harissa spice mix or paste is a perfect medley of roast peppers, tomato, garlic, coriander, cumin, lemon. It’s a great ingredient to have in the pantry for a huge whack of flavour and can be found in good green grocers and delis.

Method:   

1. Preheat oven to 200°C fan forced. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Combine honey, oil and harissa in a bowl. Place salmon on baking tray, skin-side in contact with tray, and pour over honey mixture. Roast, basting with sauce halfway for 12 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove and serve scattered with zest, herbs and lemon wedges alongside.

Spice it up:

You can sub the harissa for miso, gochujang, sriracha, ras-el-hanout or tomato paste. Salmon loves flavour and will take on whatever you throw at it.

Jazz it up:

Pomegranate seeds scattered over or some summer fruit like peaches grilled and added to the pan to glaze towards the end could truly set this off at a BBQ!

3. Nana’s fish cakes.

Image: Supplied/Tonia Shuttleworth.

My nana, a total foodie, made a version of these when I was growing up – they are total delicious comfort food. 

I like to make a big batch and have them in the freezer. They can also be baked and served with extra mashed potatoes and tomato sauce for a dollop of nostalgia.

Makes: 6.

Prep: 15 minutes.

Cook: 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 500g floury potatoes (usually the dirty ones), peeled and quartered
• ½ brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, bruised
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp flaky salt
• 150g salmon or firm white fish fillet, chopped into 2cm chunks  
• 200g hot smoked salmon pieces
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg
• handful of chopped herbs – dill, or parsley works here
• ½ tsp cracked pepper
• ½ cup (75g) plain flour
• oil to shallow fry
• capers, mayo, salad and lemon wedges, to serve

Method:

1. Place potato, onion, garlic, bay leaves and salt in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Add fresh fish and cook for a further 3 minutes. Strain, discard bay leaves and transfer to a bowl.

2. Mash, or whack around the bowl with a wooden spoon, to break up. Add hot smoked salmon, lemon zest, egg, herbs and pepper and mix to combine. Add flour and mix until mixture can be shaped to come together – add a bit more flour if you think it needs it.

 3. Divide mixture into 6 and shape into large patties. Transfer to a plate and chill for at least 30 minutes to stiffen slightly.

 4. Heat oil in a large frypan over medium-low heat and cook fish cakes, turning halfway, for 8 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Serve with capers, mayo, salad and lemon wedges.

No fry:

Spray and bake in the oven at 200°C fan forced for 10 minutes, turning halfway, until cooked through and golden.

These recipes are extracted from Cook Me — 30 dishes/3 ways by Sam Parish. Photography by Tonia Shuttleworth. Available from koapress.co.nz and all good bookstores.

Image: Supplied

Sam Parish is a freelance food producer, editor, stylist and writer. With over ten years’ experience in food writing and hospo, she’s made a profession in cooking for both media and restaurant dining settings. 

She’s known for recipes that work, are complex in flavour and simple in execution. You can find more from Sam here.

Feature Image: Supplied.

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