Cold Fish Recipes

The love of good fish has tantalized our senses for a long time now. Most of us eat fish because somehow it feels like a more honorable thing to do then eat creatures which are far more developed. A pseudo non vegetarian will probably sheepishly accept that the guilt while seeing a wriggly fish under the knife is any day lower then a goat slaughtered in halaal. Some of us however eat fish for the pure love of it; we fry them and add coconut paste to them to make a killer Keralite fish fry, or eat them raw like the Japanese do, savoring every subtle flavor with a mix of elaborate spices. Another very popular way of eating them is eating them cold. Now if you are wondering if cold fish is as bland and emotionless as the popular English idiom that is derived from it. Then, you are grossly mistaken. Cold fish can be made succulently tasty and is truly a treat to your gastronomical senses when the right ingredients are added. Cooking is a science of instinct; a dash of this and a dash of that; voila the magic you create is irresistibly sumptuous. Here are a few cold fish recipes that will leave you craving for more.

Spanish Cold Fish

• ½ lb white Fish 
• 1 curly Lettuce
• 1 tbsp Mustard 
• 2 tbsp Vinegar Capers 
• 3 tbsp extra virgin Olive oil
• A pinch of black Pepper and salt 

• Steam fish until tender. When cold, cut it in small pieces
• Wash lettuce, chop it and place it on a tray
• Place fish over lettuce. Beat the vinegar, olive oil, salt, black pepper and mustard.
• Add capers to the sauce and pour over fish.
• Refrigerate for a few hours and Serve cold.

• 4 tbsp Olive oil
• 2lb red Mullet or Snapper
• 2 Onions, sliced
• 1 green Chili, seeded and chopped
• 1 each red and green Pepper, sliced
• 3 Garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp Tomato puree
• 1/4 cup Fish stock or water
• 5-6 Tomatoes, peeled and sliced or 14oz can tomatoes
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh Parsley
• 2 tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 15-20 green and black Olives
• salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• Bread and Salad, to serve

• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large roasting tin or frying pan and fry the fish on both sides until golden brown.
• Heat the remaining oil in the tin or pan and fry the onions for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened.
• Add the chili and red and green peppers and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and stir-fry for a further minute.
• Blend the tomato puree with the fish stock or water and stir into the pan with the tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice, paprika and seasoning.
• Return the fish to the tin or pan and cover with the sauce. Cook for 10 minutes then add the olives and cook for a further 5 minutes or until just cooked through.
• Transfer the fish to a serving dish and pour the sauce over the top. Allow to cool, then cover and chill until completely cold.
• Serve cold with bread and salad.

• 1 filet Haddoc (cod or similar)
• 1-2 handfuls Prawns
• 2/3 Cucumber
• 3 Tomatoes
• 1/2 head iceberg Lettuce
• 1/2 cup Ketchup
• 2 tbsp Chili sauce
• 4 tbsp Crème
• 4 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Indian relish (or any really)
• 2-3 tbsp Skimmed milk

• Haddoc is boiled in lightly salted water for 10 minutes and then cooled. Haddoc is parted into bite size chunks.
• Cucumber and tomatoes cut into bite size pieces
• Mix all the ingredients of to make a fine sauce, pour the sauce over and serve it cold.