Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.1 of 12 - Crispy Fish Spaghetti


Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.1 of 12 - Crispy Fish Spaghetti

 by: Paul Curran

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes + soaking

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Calories per serving: 860

Not suitable for freezing

Ingredients:

Sultanas (optional), 50 g (2 oz)

Anchovy fillets, 50 g (2 oz)

Haddock, cod or salmon fillet (skinned) 450 g (1 lb)

Garlic cloves, 2

Breadcrumbs, fresh

Pine Nuts, 50 g (2 oz)

Fennel Seeds, 5 ml (1 tsp)

Olive Oil, 100 ml (4 fl oz)

Parsley, flat-leaf chopped 600 ml (4 tsp)

White wine, 100 ml (4 fl oz)

Bay leaf, 1

Peppercorns, 1

Salt and Pepper

Spaghetti, 350 g (12 oz)

Garnish: lemon wedges and flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

1. Anchovies should be drained and the oil kept. The fish should be cut into bite sizes. Take 45 ml of warm water and soak the sultanas for 10 minutes.

2. Prepare crushed garlic. Combine anchovies, garlic, fennel, pine nuts, olive oil and breadcrumbs.

3. Cook till crisp and brown turning occassionally. 200 deg C (400 F) for about 20 minutes. Add parsley and drained sultanas.

4. Combine bay leaf, peppercorns, fish, salt, white wine and water (300 ml, 10 fl oz). Cook in a shallow vessel below the breadcrumb mixture for about 15 minutes, till cooked. Separate the fish from the liquid.

5. Reduce the strained liquid in a pan to about 60 ml (4 tsp). AT the same time cook the spaghetti in salted water (boiling) till tender (10-12 minutes). Sieve the spaghetti and mix with the reduced liquid at high heat for a couple of minutes.

6.To present; Add the fish to the spaghetti. Add the breadcrumbs and garnish with lemon and parsley.