Memories from my childhood

My Childhood Summers - at Endeavour Inlet, Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand

Every now and then I get slightly nostalgic about my past. I was blessed as a child to grow up in the country, to feel sun on my face, wind in my hair and generally the odd prickle in the foot. I have a feeling that the next few posts will be based on childhood recipes that I have grown up with - as having a child yourself makes you realise how important just those simple moments in your life are.
Many summers our family would spend either at lake Taupo (central North Island of NZ), playing tennis, swimming and generally getting into mischief, or if not at the lake we would go to the family holiday home in the Marlborough sounds (top of the south island)- which was always my favourite, as we all would climb aboard the dingy and head out fishing for the day. When my brother and I got big enough, we would kayak around the sounds chasing waves from the water taxi (only way to get in or out, unless you have a helicopter) and at night, when no one was looking, would go and raid the local mussel farms- bringing home a bucket of mussels to be enjoyed by all.
Most of my favourite recipes are from kaimoana (food from the sea)- nothing tastes as good as a freshly caught fish or freshly picked mussels.

Recipe 39 is what we used to do with the mussels as soon as we got them, subtle flavours really as you do not want to ruin the taste and recipe 40 is for the day after, when they weren't so fresh.

Recipe 39: Garlic Mussels

  Fresh Mussels - this recipe is based on about 10
2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste (but if straight from the sea generally no need!)

METHOD

1. Clean and de-beard mussels using a sharp knife (de-bearding- means removing any trace of hair on the shell). Chuck out any mussels which are slightly open (as that means they are no good- especially if just picked). 
2. Melt butter in saucepan, add garlic and mussels 
3. When mussels are cooked, the shells will open. Once all open, sprinkle in lemon juice and stir in the pot so all are covered with garlic and lemon juice. (Discard any that do not open)
4. Eat as is and depending, generally 10 will serve 2 people

Recipe 40: Mussel Soup

  250g white fish fillets
4 cups water
400g can tomatoes
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp curry powder
2 tbsp plain flour
1/4 dry white wine
2 tsp chicken stock powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp basil
16-20 fresh cleaned mussels in shell
Salt and Pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Put fish and water into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Remove fish from the pan and flake (break down into pieces).
3. Reserve all the liquid. Drain and chop tomatoes reserving juice.
4. In another saucepan melt the butter, add curry powder and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook until frothy.
5. Gradually add reserved liquid, wine, left over tomato juice and chicken stock powder. 
6. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly.
7. Add tomato paste, basil and chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil.
8. Add mussels, simmer for 10 minutes or until mussels open. (Discard any which do not open)
9. Stir in the flaked fish and use salt and peper to taste. Serves 4 -6

Recipe 28: Fish cooked in Yoghurt (doi maach)

My goodness, I am so far behind already! I should be up to recipe number 36 by now if I am to make my goal of 208 by the end of the year.
Luckily enough this week has been great for creations, including a fish curry that didn't turn out so fabulous. I followed it to a T, it tasted pretty good, but was just not to our tastes. I love the recipe book though, so no doubt I will try a few more from the collection - "50 great curries of India by Camellia Pajabi"

This fish curry is from Bengal and is usually made with carp. Apparently only in Bengal is where you will find fish ad yoghurt cooked together.

Doi Maach

Doi Maach

600g  pieces of fish
1 1/2 tsp of salt
2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp tumeric powder
2 tsp mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
3/4 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp chopped ginger
2 tsp chopped garlic
5 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 green chilli, finely diced
1 cinnamon stick
5 green cardamoms
3 cloves
2 medium onions, finely diced
200ml whipped full fat yoghurt
3/4 tsp sugar
2 tomatoes diced
3 tbsp sultanas (soaked in water) 

METHOD

1. Skin and wash the fish well. Mix 1/2 tsp salt with the lemon juice and smear over the fish. Leave for 30 minutes, then rinse.
2. Mix all the 5 spice powders and the ginger and garlic with 100ml of water to make a spice mixture.
3. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the fennel seeds, chopped green chilli, cinnamon and cardamoms. After 30 seconds, add the cloves. After 10 seconds add the onions and fry till light brown (this will take about 10 minutes). Add the spice mixture and cook on a low heat until most of the moisture has dried up. Then saute the spices for 2 more minutes, stirring continuously. 
4. Add 2 tbsp water and cook for 1 minute, then pour in 200ml of water and simmer for 10 minutes, so that the onions soften and the spices cook properly.
5. Turn the heat down very low, add the whipped yoghurt and stir continuously for 3 minutes. Add the sugar, tomatoes and up to 200ml of water, depending on the gravy required and 1 tsp salt and stir well. Put the fish in gently and cook for 3 minutes, before turning the pieces over. Add the sultanas after 3 minutes and cook, uncovered, until the fish is perfectly done.

Recipe 11 & 12: Citrus baked Fish with Mint salsa

Another Citrus recipe (perhaps I should try and do 208 citrus recipes!), which is a staple meal in our household. Although a grassroot recipe, it tastes fabulous and makes me look like a pro! I use Hoki  or blue cod fish fillets, as it is my favourite tasting fish but you could use any white fish fillets. This recipe is good at home or if your out camping. Whenever we go out bush,  I always make sure I have a few Oranges and Lemons handy for any fish we may catch.

Citrus Fish

1 Orange
1 Lemon
2 tblsp Oil
Tin foil
2 Fish fillets

METHOD

1. Half the Orange and Lemon, Zest one half of the lemon and orange and add to a small bowl with the oil. On the tin foil place the 2 fish fillets, pour the citrus marinade over the fillets.
2. With the remaining halves of orange and lemon, cut into segments and place on top of the fish fillets.
3. Wrap the fish fillets, with the marinade and orange in the tin foil. Leave for 30 minutes, then put into the oven (or bbq) and bake at 120c until cooked.

Can be served with rice, or salad, but generally I serve with recipe 12- Mint Salsa and a simple green salad.

Mint Salsa

1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and chopped.
1 Spring Onion finely chopped.
4 tsp of lemon (if I am making both of these recipes at once- I use the remaining lemon after the 4 tsp in the baking of the fish, so its not wasted.)
4 tblsp Olive oil
1 cup shredded mint leaves
1 Orange segment (again saved from the above recipe) for garnish

METHOD

1. After chopping everything, gently toss altogether (except the orange).chop the orange segment into smaller segments.
2. Place salsa on plate and garnish with the orange segments.