HEALTHY-CHEF

Really good food...that's really good for you!

Thai Tuna Burgers

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Thai Tuna Burgers
 
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Gorgeous,healthy, protein rich dish which won't leave you hungry. I have this just with the salad but you could serve alongside a dish of rice noodles drizzled with the dipping sauce for larger meals.
Recipe type: Mains
Cuisine: Thai
Serves: 4 burgers
Ingredients
  • For the burgers:-
  • 1 lb. fresh sushi-grade tuna fillet (or best quality you can get)
  • 2 Tbs. chopped fresh coriander
  • ½.red onion or 3 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. minced fresh hot green or red chilli, such as cayenne, Thai bird, or serrano
  • sea salt salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbs. coconut oil
  • For the Thai Dipping Sauce
  • Juice of 1 fresh lime
  • 1 Tbs. stevia/xylitol/raw honey
  • 2 Tbs. fish sauce
  • 2 Tbs. rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh coriander
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • ½ tsp. minced fresh hot red or green chile, such as cayenne or Thai bird (add more if you'd prefer more of a kick!)
Instructions
  1. cut the tuna into ¼-inch dice (or cut the tuna into 1-inch chunks and pulse in a food processor until just chopped, about 4 quick pulses. TAKE CARE NOT TO OVER PULSE.)
  2. stir in the coriander, onion, mayonnaise, ginger, garlic,chilli, ¾ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper. Shape the tuna into 4 equal 1-inch-thick patties.
  3. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours, this sets the burger and makes them easier to cook without breaking up.
  4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the tuna burgers until nicely browned on both sides about 2/ 4 minutes authorised, pending on how you like your tuna. Don't overcook or the burgers will be dry.
  5. Serve with a crisp green salad and the dipping sauce

 

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King Prawn & Butternut Squash Thai Curry

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King Prawn & Butternut Squash Thai Curry
 
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I love this Nigel Slater Recipe. A few tweaks here and there, have transformed his original recipe for noodle soup into a moorish Thai curry. If you fancy the noodle soup just add a small jug of vegetable stock to the curry and add a couple of handfuls of cooked rice noodles.
Author:
Recipe type: Mains
Cuisine: Thai
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients
  • 1 good knob fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1-2 red chillies, seeds removed (optional), roughly chopped
  • 1-2 stalks lemongrass, tough outer layers removed, roughly chopped
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 handful fresh coriander, a few sprigs reserved and chopped
  • a glug or two vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1-2 pinches ground turmeric
  • 1 x 400ml/14fl oz can coconut milk
  • 1 large handful raw, peeled tiger prawns
  • ½ butternut squash,peeled and diced
  • a few splashes Thai fish sauce, to taste
Instructions
  1. Blend the ginger, chilli, lemongrass, garlic and coriander in a food processor until quite finely chopped, adding a little vegetable oil if the paste is too dry.
  2. Add the paste to a large shallow pan and cook for a few minutes to release the aromas, stirring frequently. Roughly crush some coriander seeds with a pestle and mortar and add to the paste with a pinch or two of turmeric and the vegetable stock and simmer for a few minutes.
  3. To soften the heat of the sauce, add the coconut milk to the pan and bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes.
  4. Add the butternut squash and simmer for 25minutes or until the squash is tender.
  5. Add the prawns to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until pink and tender, finishing off with splashes of Thai fish sauce, to taste, and more chopped fresh coriander, to your taste.
  6. See with a bowl of steamed rice and I like wild broccoli stems as well.

 

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Fishcakes

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Ingredients
  • 600g white fish fillets
  • 2 spring onions, chopped
  • 2 eggs
  • 100ml single cream
  • 2 tablespoons tarragon, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 2 tablespoons potato flour
  • 30g butter
  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • dill sprigs, to garnish
Instructions
  1. chop the fish fillets finely with a very sharp knife.
  2. Put in a mixing bowl with the spring onions, eggs, cream, herbs and lemon juice and fold together gently.
  3. Add the potato flour, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper and fold again.
  4. Heat the butter and vegetable oil together in a large frying pan. Meanwhile, shape the fish mixture into 12 small balls using a spoon and your hands. Gently place the fishcakes in the pan and fry over a medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side.

 

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Oriental Salmon

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Oriental Salmon
 
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Sometimes you just want the saltiness and full bodies of oriental flavouring. This dish does all that but without the addition of soy sauce.
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 Wild Salmon Fillets (skin on)
  • Marinade:
  • 2 tablespoons organic tamari soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoons xylitol
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 lime juice & zest
  • Honey & Ginger Glaze
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon organic tamari soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
  1. Place all marinade ingredients in a blender and whizz to combine
  2. Place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish cover with the marinade and leave for at least 20 minutes or overnight
  3. Combine all the glaze ingredients together in a serving bowl
  4. Preheat your oven to 400F/200C
  5. Heat some coconut oil in a shallow frying pan and once hot add the salmon fillets skin side down, fry till the skins are brown and crispy
  6. Transfer to your preheated oven for 5-10 minutes, until the salmon fillets are cooked through.
  7. Serve immediately with a drizzle of the glaze, some lemon garlic broccoli or a pile of salad.
Notes
I use an oven-friendly frying pan so I can transfer the salmon straight from the stove to the oven.

 

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Wild Salmon Thai Fishcakes

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Wild Salmon Thai Fishcakes with Mango Salsa
 
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Lovely light summer starter or suitable for a main course served with brown rice and salad. You can make these up to a day ahead of schedule, once you've moulded the fishcake patties wrap with clingfilm and refrigerate until required.
Recipe type: Starter/Mains
Cuisine: Thai
Serves: 12 fishcakes
Ingredients
  • Thai Fishcakes
  • 3 tbs coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed
  • ⅘ skinless fillets of wild salmon (approx 750g)
  • 2 knobs fresh root ginger, peeled
  • 1-2 red chillies, (remove seeds if you don't like too much heat, halve
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, outer layer removed and halved
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • Large handful of fresh coriander inc stems
  • juice and rind of 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • Mango Salsa:
  • 2 ripe mangos, diced
  • 1 small red pepper, chopped
  • ½ cup chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup fresh coriander , chopped
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
  • 1 large lime, juiced (about ¼ cup lime juice)
  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C
  2. Heat 1tbs coconut oil in a frying pan and toast the coriander seeds for 1 -2 mins.
  3. Put all ingredients, including the toasted seeds, except the salmon into a blender and whizz till you have a coarse paste
  4. Add the diced salmon and whizz briefly to combine
  5. Using two soup spoons or your hands mould into golf ball sized patties.
  6. Heat the remaining 2tbs coconut oil in a shallow frying pan.
  7. Once hot brown the fish cakes on either side before transferring to the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, till cooked through.
  8. Serve with lime cheeks, asian salad and a sweet mango salsa

 

 

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Tomato Salad with Tuna, Fried Anchovies and Crispy Onion

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Tomato Salad seasoned with anchovies & crispy onion
 
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Otherwise known as 'ensalada de tomate aliñado conanchoas, bonito y crujiente de cebolla'! I came across this lovely Spanish salad in a beautiful authentic restaurant, Casa dels Capellans, Traiguera, on a recent holiday with friends. I was inspired by the fresh flavours, raw garlic and contrast between the sweet tomatoes and crisp onion rings...for me the taste of summer in 1 bowl.
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Spanish
Serves: 6 person
Ingredients
  • 220g jar best-quality Spanish tuna, drained (Ortiz is good)
  • 75ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 jar anchovies, or fresh if you can get
  • 5 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
  • 1kg mixed tomatoes, use different varieties and colours sliced ½-inch thick
  • 2 large red onion very thinly sliced NB THESE ONIONS REQUIRE 4-6HRS COOKING
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes, for seasoning
Instructions
  1. For the crispy dried onions:
  2. Preheat oven to 170F(75C) (or your oven's lowest temperature)
  3. Place onion slices thinly scattered on required number of baking trays
  4. Sprinkle with sea salt and place in the oven for 4-6hrs
  5. For the crisp fried anchovies:
  6. Heat the 1 tsp of coconut oil in a frying pan
  7. Once hot lightly fry the anchovy fillets, 1 minute either side should suffice
  8. As soon as they are cooked, sprinkle the anchovies with sea salt
  9. For the salad
  10. Add the garlic and red chilli flakes to the olive oil and season well
  11. Scatter the array of tomatoes over a shallow dish
  12. Pour over the garlic,chilli infused olive oil
  13. Flake over the tuna
  14. Place the fried anchovy fillets over the salad
  15. Heap the crispy onions on top
  16. Finish with a good sprinkling of the chopped parsley
  17. Serve at once
Notes
If you do not have 4-6hrs to dry fry your onions you can put in a very hot oven, 425F (220C) for 30 mins or even shorter for time heat 2 tsps of coconut oil in a large shallow frying pan and fry the onions till brown and crispy. NB Not quite as healthy but just as delicious!

 

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Baked Dill Salmon

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Dill Salmon En Papillote
 
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Really easy, really simple dish I serve at least once a week to my family, sometimes alternating the dill for other fresh herbs or simple marinades.
Recipe type: Dinner
Serves: 5-6 people
Ingredients
  • X1kg side of salmon, skin off
  • X4 tbsp chopped dill
  • x1 lemon zest
  • sea salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 375F/190C
  2. Place a large piece of tinfoil (approx three times as wide and 11/2 times as long) on a surface, put a piece of greaseproof paper of a similar size on top.
  3. Place the salmon on the paper and sprinkle liberally with the fresh dill, lemon zest and sea salt.
  4. Fold the paper and tinfoil over the fish and roll the edges together to create a sealed parcel (en papillote)
  5. Bake for 30-35 mins until the salmon is cooked through
  6. Place on a serving platter and serve with cheeks of lemon and an extra dose of chopped dill.

 

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Thai Fish Curry

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Thai Fish Curry
 
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I tend to make a vat load of this paste and freeze batches so I can whip up this curry in 15 minutes. For a comforting soup add 500mls of organic vegetable stock and 2 portions of softened rice noodles.
Recipe type: Mains
Cuisine: Thai
Serves: 4-6 people
Ingredients
  • 2 knobs fresh root ginger, peeled
  • 1-2 red chillies, (remove seeds if you don't like too much heat, halve
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, outer layer removed and halved
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • Large handful of fresh coriander inc stems
  • 2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ can (200ml) low fat organic coconut milk
  • 500g raw king prawns, peeled
  • 500g salmon, skinned cut into 4cm cubes
Instructions
  1. Put the ginger, chilli, lemongrass, garlic and coriander into a blender and whizz up till you have a coarse paste
  2. Melt the coconut oil in a large frying pan or wok and gently toast the crushed coriander seeds, 1-2 mins
  3. Add the paste and the turmeric.
  4. Lower heat and simmer for 1 min
  5. Add the salmon and gently cook turning occasionally until the salmon has changed to a light pink colour.
  6. Throw in the prawns and once they have turned pink add the coconut milk
  7. Finish with a large splash (1 tbsp) of thai fish sauce
  8. Garnish with a few sprigs of coriander and cheeks of lime
  9. Serve with piping hot basmati rice an

500g raw king prawns, peeled

 

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Banh Mi Salmon

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Banh Mi Salmon
 
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This Vietnamese fish dish works equally well with most fish and meats including chicken, pork and lamb.
Recipe type: Mains
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1kg salmon side skin on and boneless
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 2 gloves garlic
  • 2 stalks lemongrass
  • juice and rind 1 lime
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
  1. Make the marinade. Put all ingredients except salmon and coconut oil in a food processor and whizz up till you have a coarse paste.
  2. Place the salmon skin side down on a shallow dish and smother with the marinade
  3. Cover and leave in the fridge for a minimum 30 mins or overnight
  4. Put the coconut oil in a roasting tray and place in preheated 400F/200C oven
  5. Once the oil has melted , approx 1 min, place the salmon skinned down in the tray and roast for 25 minutes.
  6. Serve immediately with quarters of limes and steaming hot basmati rice.
Notes
This dish is quite spicy if you want to contrast the kick make a quick and easy lime cream dip. Simply add the zest and juice of a lime to a small tub (170ml) of sour cream, season with maldon sea salt, ground black pepper and a tbsp of chopped chives.

 

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