SIMPLE SUPPERS
Easy recipes from Clodagh McKenna
‘These recipes are a collection of my favourite go-to dishes that I cook during the week when I don’t have a lot of time or energy, but still want something delicious, nutritious and satisfying,’ says Clodagh. Her latest book, Clodagh’s Weeknight Kitchen, celebrates the simplicity of quick-fix meals, and the ‘wonderful hour’ of dinnertime. Rediscover the joy of relaxed cooking with these tasty and easy-to-make suppers.
This recipe is bursting with fresh Spanish flavours – sweet tomatoes, earthy olives, nutty almonds and fragrant saffron infuses the fish. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and only 30 minutes in the oven. If you don’t have saffron, you can use 2tsp smoked paprika or chilli flakes. I like to serve this with herbed rice to add freshness to the aromatic flavours of the stew. Use whatever herbs you have, chop them up finely and mix them through the cooked rice.
SERVES 4
2tbsp olive oil
800g white fish, such as ling, haddock, hake or whiting, cut into 5cm pieces, skin on or off as preferred, or leave as sliced portions
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can cherry tomatoes
2tbsp whole almonds, finely chopped
12 green olives, pitted and chopped Good pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 2tbsp warm water
300ml dry white wine
1tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, plus extra sprigs to garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan/gas mark 4. Place a frying pan over a medium heat and pour in 1tbsp of the olive oil. Add the fish of your choice, season with salt and pepper and cook for just 30 seconds on each side, then transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish.
2 Place the frying pan back over a medium heat and add the remaining olive oil. Stir in the chopped onion and crushed garlic, cover and cook for 2-3min. Remove the lid and stir in the cherry tomatoes. Season and cook for a further 5min, then transfer to the casserole dish.
3 Stir the chopped almonds into the fish stew along with the chopped olives and the saffron and its soaking water. Add the white wine followed by 250ml water, cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 30min.
4 Stir in the chopped fresh herbs and serve with herbed rice, potatoes or a big green salad and lemon wedges. Garnish with extra sprigs of dill and twists of black pepper, if you wish.