Celebrate the return of George Lucas’ iconic Star Wars series by creating seafood characters that are out of this world…
STORMTROOPER COD CURRY
SERVES 4
4 x 170g cod fillets or any other white fish
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp curry powder
2 Granny Smith apples, core removed and diced
2 red peppers, diced
400ml tin reduced-fat coconut milk
1tbsp chopped coriander, to garnish
500g cooked basmati rice
4 black olives (to decorate)
1. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook gently for a few minutes until translucent.
2. Add the curry powder, apples, and peppers, and cook gently for one minute. Next add the fish chunks and stir in the coconut milk.
3. Turn the heat down slightly so all the ingredients are simmering and cook for 10 minutes until the fish is cooked through. The sauce should reduce and thicken slightly – if it hasn’t, give it an extra few minutes to simmer.
4. Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain the rice and lightly oil a mug or teacup. Fill with cooked rice and push down to compact the rice. Serve the curry on four plates and then run a knife around the edge of the rice in the cup to loosen it. Carefully turn upside down over the curry to release the rice – this makes your Stormtrooper head shape. Repeat for all plates and add details with chopped olives.
PRINCESS LEIA FISH CAKE
SERVES 4
400g cooked white fish fillets (you could also use skinless mackerel, salmon or any other fish), flaked
400g mashed potatoes
Squeeze of lemon juice
1-2 eggs, beaten
Vegetable oil, for greasing
40g plain flour
80g breadcrumbs
TO DECORATE:
150g spaghetti
4 mini mozzarella balls
2 black olives, chopped into small pieces
1 red pepper, cut into four ‘mouth’ shaped slices
1. Mix the fish and mashed potato together. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, season with black pepper and add a little of the egg, if necessary, to bind the mixture together. Divide the mixture into four evenly-sized pieces, and then pat each into a ‘face’ shape. Make indentations where the eyes and mouth will be. Place on a plate, cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4. Grease a baking tray with vegetable oil.
3. Place the remaining egg, flour and breadcrumbs into three separate shallow dishes. Dip each fish cake into the flour, tapping off any excess. Then dip them into the egg and the breadcrumbs and place on the prepared tray. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
4. While the fishcakes are cooking, cook the pasta in boiling water according to pack instructions. Drain well.
5. Once everything is ready, get assembling! Put the fishcakes on plates and use the spaghetti to make Princess Leia’s famous hairstyle! Cut four of the mozzarella balls in half then add a piece of black olive to make the eyes and add a piece of red pepper to make a mouth.
C3PO and R2D2 FISH PIE
SERVES 4
800g white and smoked (yellow) fish fillets or a fish pie mixture
600ml (1 pint) milk
1 onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
4 eggs
Small bunch parsley, leaves only, chopped
75g butter
50g plain flour
1kg (2.2lbs) floury potatoes, peeled and cut into even-sized chunks
75g grated cheddar cheese
1 boiled egg
2 black olives
1. Put the fish in to a wok or shallow pan and pour over 500ml of the milk, then add the onion and bay leaves to the milk. Bring the milk just to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Lift the fish onto a plate and strain the milk into a jug to cool. Flake the fish into large pieces and arrange in the dishes you are using but save some yellow fish for making C3PO on top!
2. To make the sauce: melt half the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for one minute over a low to moderate heat. Take off the heat, pour in a little of the cold poaching milk, then stir until blended. Continue to add the milk gradually, mixing well until you have a smooth sauce. Return to the heat, bring to the boil and cook for five minutes, stirring continually, until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and pour over the fish.
3. Heat oven to 200C /180C /Gas Mark 6. Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes and then drain, season and mash with the remaining butter and milk. Top the pie with the mashed potatoes, starting at the edge of the dish and working your way in – push the mash right to the edges to seal. Fluff the top with a fork, sprinkle with cheese, arrange the smoked fish you saved into a C3PO shape on top of the pie then bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the baking dishes you are using.
4. Start boiling the egg 10 minutes before your fish pie is finished cooking. Once the pie comes out of the oven, take the boiled egg off the boil and peel. Slice the top off the egg and add to C3PO’s stomach. Put the boiled egg next to C3P0 to make R2D2. Use slivers of black olives for his features.
EWOK KEDGEREE
SERVES 4
450g undyed smoked haddock
25g butter
1 onion
2 green cardamom pods split in half
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
350g basmati rice
600ml stock
TO DECORATE:
Broccoli florets
8 asparagus spears
Spinach, cabbage or sliced greens
Capers
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F. Wrap the haddock in foil and bung it in the oven on a baking tray for eight minutes (check it’s done by seeing if it flakes easily with a fork).
2. Chop the onion and fry for three minutes in the melted butter, then add all the spices, including the split cardamom pods. Cook for three more minutes. Add the rice and stock, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in your flaked haddock and cook for another 5-8 minutes. Cook the broccoli, asparagus and greens according to the packaging instructions.
4. Once the kedgeree is cooked then divide it among the plates and shape in to Ewok shapes. Use flakes of smoked mackerel to make the ears. Add capers for eyes, noses and mouths, and use the broccoli and green to make a forest. Add asparagus spears to make light sabres.
MACKEREL DEATH STAR
SERVES 4
4 x 75g smoked mackerel fillets
6 tbsp reduced-fat crème fraîche
Squeeze of lemon juice, to taste
Packet of oatcakes
Assorted chopped vegetables, to serve
1. Remove the skin and flake the smoked mackerel flesh into a bowl. Break it down with a fork, the less you mix, the coarser the topping will be.
2. Add the crème fraîche and lemon juice and mix it up.
3. To serve, either dollop onto the plate and shape into a round, or put the pate into a bowl to shape it, then turn it upside down and carve out with a knife or spoon.
4. Decorate with oatcakes to make your ‘Death Star’ and serve with crunchy vegetables for dipping.
CHEWBACCA KEDGEREE
SERVES 4
450g undyed smoked haddock
25g butter
1 onion
2 green cardamom pods split in half
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cinnamon stick
350g basmati rice
600ml stock
TO DECORATE:
300g smoked mackerel
6 black olives
One hard boiled egg
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F. Wrap the haddock in foil and bung it in the oven on a baking tray for eight minutes (check it’s done by seeing if it flakes easily with a fork).
2. Chop the onion and fry for three minutes in the melted butter, then add all the spices, including the split cardamom pods. Cook for three more minutes.
3. Add the rice and stock, bring to the boil and then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Stir in your flaked haddock and cook for another 5-8 minutes.
5. Divide it among the plates and use flakes of smoked mackerel to make Chewbacca’s face. Use chopped olives for the eyes and nose, and chopped egg white for the teeth.
Recipes courtesy of Fish is the Dish, part of The Seafish Industry Authority – for more recipes see www.fishisthedish.co.uk