There’s something truly magical about one-pot cooking – it screams comfort and nourishment, and you always feel like you win by producing flavor so easily.
Roasted fish on a platter with white bean broth, capers and lemon
It’s delicious and simple food, perfect for a quick lunch or dinner. If you don’t have an oven-safe sauté pan, simply pour the boiled beans into a baking dish, then top with the fish.
Serves 4
80ml olive oilplus extra for watering
½ small leekchopped
4 garlic clovessliced
2 sprigs of rosemary
4 anchovy fillets (optional)
45g of capersrinsed and drained
Sea salt flakes and ground black pepper
1 lemonsqueezed and finely zested, more 1 extra lemonquartered
¼ bunch kale leavesminced
1 bunch of broccolicut into shorter lengths
500ml vegetables soup
2 x 400g cans of cannellini beansrinsed and drained
A handful of flat-leaf parsley leavescoarsely chopped
600 g of blue-eyed trevally or other firm white-fleshed fish fillet, skinless
115g salmoriglio (see below)
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Place a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 60ml of olive oil and the leek, garlic, rosemary, anchovies (if using), capers and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for three minutes to soften the leeks and break up the anchovies, then add the lemon zest, kale and broccolini and cook until the kale is slightly wilted, about one minute. Add broth and cannellini beans and bring to a boil, then stir in parsley and lemon juice. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.
Place the fish in a shallow bowl, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil to coat. Nestle the fish in the bean broth and place the whole pan in the oven for six minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.
Place the salmoriglio on the fish and serve with the lemon wedges and a drizzle of olive oil.
Salmoriglio
This herb sauce (otherwise known as your best friend) is the flavor of southern Italy. Use it as a salad dressing, marinade or on fish. Traditionally it’s paired with swordfish, but any roasted fish, seafood, or vegetables would work great. I also mix it into yogurt, spoon it into soups, or use it to marinate fish before roasting or grilling, finishing with a little more sauce after cooking. He also makes a knockout pasta sauce.
Makes 330ml
2 cloves garlicfinely ground
1 bunch of oreganopicked leaves
A large handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves
Juice of 2 lemons
200ml extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes and ground black pepper
Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend into a rustic sauce that’s not too emulsified – you want it loose.
You can also use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic and herbs into a paste, then mix in the lemon juice and oil and season to taste.
Transfer to an airtight container or jar and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Smoked butter beans with fish and rice
This recipe uses a poaching technique, which is one of the gentlest ways to cook fish. It’s perfect if you’re just starting out and it’s great for small kitchens because you don’t need a lot of space and there are fewer odors left behind afterwards. Don’t forget to season your sauce before adding the fish.
Serves 4
60ml olive oil
1 small brown onionfinely chopped
1 small red pepperfinely chopped
2 cloves garlicsliced
Sea salt flakes and ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons homemade chilli salsaor use store-bought chipotle in adobo
2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
200g basmati or long grain rice
1 can of 400 g crushed tomatoes
800ml vegetable or chicken stock
500 g skinless, boneless ling filletor any other firm fish with white flesh, such as blueeye trevally, hake or snapper
1 can of 400g butter beansrinsed and drained
A handful of flat-leaf parsley leavescoarsely chopped
A handful of mint leavescoarsely chopped, plus extra whole leaves for serving
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon of zaatar (optional)
130g plain Greek yoghurt
Place a large shallow casserole dish or skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for four minutes, until the vegetables are tender, then add the chili salsa or chipotle, paprika and cumin and stir. Cook for another minute, then add the rice, crushed tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and cook vegetables and rice for six minutes, stirring often, until rice is partially cooked.
Lightly season the fish with salt and pepper, then nestle it in the vegetables and rice. Shake the pan gently to allow the fish to settle. Pour some sauce over the fish, then cover the pan with a lid and cook for about six minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the fish rest for five minutes.
Meanwhile, place the butter beans in a bowl with the herbs. Season with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper, and toss to combine.
Spread the butter beans and dressing around the fish. Sprinkle with za’atar (if using) and serve with yogurt and additional mint leaves.
Green shakshuka, quinoa and fish
This is a great version of the classic shakshuka for those who can’t eat tomatoes or want to try a different version. I like to prepare this recipe up to an hour ahead of time, then warm it gently on the stovetop before serving. Leftovers are also excellent the next day.
If you don’t have quinoa, use basmati rice or freekeh. Choose any mix of vegetables you like or have on hand. If you are catering to multiple dietary requirements, cook the fish on a separate tray and save the herbal shakshuka.
Serves 4
80ml olive oil
½ small leek, or 1 small brown onionfinely chopped
2 cloves garlicsliced
Sea salt flakes and ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons ras el hanoutavailable in well-stocked supermarkets and some grocers
1 small head of broccolifinely chopped, stalk and all
½ bunch kale or cavolo nerothinly sliced leaves, stems removed
2 zucchinigrated
200g multicolored quinoarinsed
625ml vegetables soup
600g firm white fish filletsuch as blue eyed trevally, gem or ling
80 ml store-bought dairy-free pesto
140g frozen peas
A handful of coriander leavescoarsely chopped
140 g plain Greek yoghurt or whipped garlic tahini (see below)
2 lemonsquartered
Place a large shallow casserole or skillet over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, leek or onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for about three minutes until the leek is tender, then add the ras el hanout and broccoli and continue cooking for one minute. Add the kale, zucchini and a pinch of pepper and cook for two minutes, until the kale begins to wilt.
Add the quinoa to the dish or pan and stir, then pour in the vegetable broth and stir until well combined. Adjust the seasoning and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Season the fish with salt and pepper and toss gently with the remaining olive oil and half of the dairy-free pesto. Place the fish in the vegetables and quinoa, spread the frozen peas on top and cover with a lid.
Continue cooking over low heat for another 10 minutes, watching the fish as it cooks; you don’t want to overcook it.
Remove the dish or pan from the heat and let stand for five minutes. Drizzle with remaining pesto, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with whipped garlic tahini or yogurt and lemon wedges.
Garlic Whipped Tahini
It’s my whole sauce. It also makes a killer dip and is a great vegan yogurt substitute. I love this sauce as it is, but you can add so many other flavors to it, including chili, spices, or miso.
If your sauce is too runny, just add a little more tahini. If you do it by hand, your tahini might look like it has split or clumped together, but that just means it needs more water and whisking. For a lighter version, make it in a blender.
Makes 350g
135 g shelled tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlicfinely ground
Sea salt flakes and ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients in a blender with 170 ml of water and blend into a smooth paste. Adjust water and lemon juice until smooth.
Alternatively, combine ingredients in a bowl with a whisk or fork, slowly whisking in water until smooth and combined. Transfer to an airtight container or jar and store in the fridge for up to a week.
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This is an edited excerpt from More fish, more vegetables by Tom Walton, published by Murdoch Books (RRP39.99). Photograph by Rob Palmer
