The sun is shining, the trees are blossoming, and it's time to get out of that winter cooking rut. Go lighter (like the mornings) with this fresh and tasty plaice recipe, courtesy of the Edible Garden Show.
Taking place on 20-22 March at Alexandra Palace, London, the Edible Garden Show is the only show in the UK dedicated to grow-your-own. Taking you beyond the plot, Good Life Live covers a whole range of outdoor living experiences. Both events are packed full of free experts talks and hands on demonstrations from the likes of Big Allotment Challenge’s Jonathan Moseley, BBC’s James Wong & Radio 4’s Pippa Greenwood. It’s the perfect family day out with under 16's going free, a pop up city farm and Cbeebies Mr Bloom popping by to say “‘ello tiddlers”.
TICKET OFFER
Readers of The Simple Things can get 2 tickets for £25 by using code: TST225 - that’s a 37% discount on door prices!
To book your tickets, which give access to both Good Life Live and The Edible Garden Show, please call the ticket hotline on 0871 230 3451 or visit www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk.
Spring plaice, with shrimp and sprouting broccoli
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 whole plaice (about 750g), cleaned and scaled, skin on - ask your fishmonger to do the fiddly bits, like cutting the pocket in the top
125g brown shrimp or small prawns
Juice of ½ lemon
150g unsalted butter, melted
To the melted butter add a quarter of a teaspoon of each of the following and stir well:
Mace
Nutmeg
Paprika
Chilli powder
250g Charlotte or pink fir/anya potatoes
200g Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Zest of 1 lemon
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan large enough to lay the whole fish in flat.
3. Take the plaice and make two diagonal cuts towards the tail in each half of the fish on the side with the dark skin (see picture).
4. Place the fish in the frying pan, dark skin down, and fry over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Gently turn the fish over in one movement, so now the dark skin side is facing up. It should be slightly crispy and golden.
5. Now add the flavoured butter and a squeeze of half a lemon and, as it melts, spoon the melting, foaming butter over the fish to baste it and get that flavour in there. Top with the shrimp and carry on spooning the butter over for another minute.
6. Place in the oven for 8-12 minutes (depending on size of fish). A good way to tell if it's cooked, is that you should easily be able to remove the head of the fish with a dessert spoon.
7. Remove from the oven and loosely cover with tinfoil to keep warm.
8. Plate up the steamed broccoli and new potatoes, and finish with the fish.