Short on Time for Short Order Cooks
There are times when I can barely get my coat off before I’m in the door from (insert extracurricular sport here…) and have to get into cooking the dinner. As you know, I’ve three hungry men-children to feed. There’s a small window of opportunity between mellow and meltdown- myself included!
I know sometimes it can feel like such a laborious task, cooking the dinner, but hopefully you’ll find my meals easy and useful. I know it’s easy to get frozen foods, but I like to think homemade food tastes better and simply IS better. And convenience food is actually more expensive these days… Plus sometimes pottering in the kitchen can be a little bit of a break for me as well, marking the end of a busy day and an opportunity (although brief!) to catch up with the kids.
Here’s my version of fish and chips- and mussels because they’re lovely and fast and if I close my eyes I can just about be on my holidays in France 🇫🇷 again… The video link to my Instagram follows.
Also: I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the health benefits of fish- Omega 3 oils found in most fish are essential for brain health. Nutritional Benefits of Fish - Bord Bia | Irish Food Board
As always, let me know how you get on! I love seeing your kitchen specials too 😋
Fish N’Chips & Mussels Too 💪
Ingredients (Serves my family of Five- Adjust accordingly)
- 4-6 pieces of plaice or other fave fish- boned, skin on
- 8-10 spuds- I used red skinned Kerr Pinks because they roast up so well
- 1-2 lbs of fresh mussels,
- Glass of white wine, 1 lemon & 1 white onion & cream
- Garlic- a few cloves
- 2 cans of mushy peas
- Loaf or two of crusty bread
Method
- Fill a kettle before you’ve got the coat off. Switch on to boil. Get out two large frying pans and one large pot for potatoes.
- Put baking tray into oven as it heats- this will mean the spuds will hit a hot pan with oil and be all delish and crispy.
- Chop the spuds into quarters. Put into pot and add enough boiling water to cover; add good pinch- ½ tsp of salt and three cloves of cut up and peeled garlic. Bring to boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Drain when knife comes out clean from potatoes.
- Take tray out of oven, drizzle with olive oil. Add drained, cut up potatoes and toss to cover in oil. Season with salt and pepper and add herbs- I used rosemary. Return to oven.
- FISH- Dredge fish in flour, salt and pepper. Put to one side
- Mussels- clean and inspect shells. They should be all closed now but open when cooked. Discard open or cracked ones
- Put both pans on medium heat for fish and mussels
- Put butter and olive oil on pan for fish- add pieces - brown on one side and then turn and cover with lid
- While fish finishes, get sliced onion and lemon & glass of white wine and splash of water into pot. Add all the mussels- a beautiful CLATTER! Stir once and cover to steam.
- Have glass of wine yourself, if inclined 🍷
- Give potatoes a shake, they should be brown and crispy
- Open up two tins of mushy peas- I microwave them
- Fish should be cooked by now- turn off heat and take off cover
- Mussels will also be opened now- add a good slug of cream to finish- salt and pepper, parsley if you like
- Cut bread into chunks and serve up the fish on plates with peas and spuds; the mussels in bowls, the gorgeous sauce ladled over for the bread to mop up later
Bon Appétit! I’m hungry now….
As promised here’s the link to follow along
Remember, Viagra was supposed to be a blood pressure pill… until it showed magic rewards for bits that don’t work too! #MagicMike
Remember, Viagra was supposed to be a blood pressure pill… until it showed magic rewards for bits that don’t work too! #MagicMike
