Savoury Baked Dishes
Aromatic Baked Fillets of Fish with Potatoes
A terrific recipe to prepare ahead. You can get it to the stage where you bake it in the oven. Use thick fillets of my favourite fish, hapuku (or groper as it is called in the south), and bake them on a bed of sliced potatoes, topped with tomatoes, currants, saffron and spinach.
Asian-flavoured Meatloaf with Coconut and Coriander Cabbage
The meatloaf recipe has hints of Asian flavourings to bring an unusual twist to this traditional family recipe. The combination of cabbage, sweet coconut and mint to accompany the meatloaf is something I dreamed up a few years ago. At the time I thought I was highly original, but then I was in Sydney Phillips Searle served a very similar version in his restaurant. This showed me that with food, there’s nothing new under the sun.
Asian-glazed Salmon with Oriental Salad
I love salmon but sometimes find it can be rather rich and oily. I discovered that a marinade for salmon made with Asian soy and oyster sauces seemed to cut through the richness. Serve small pieces of salmon as a refreshing start to a dinner.
Baked Chicken with Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella
You've got to love the taste of fresh mozzarella cheese. Buy the best you can afford, I say, and use it sparingly.
Baked Saffron Chicken with Asparagus and Butter Beans
The colours in this spring dish are smashing. The crispy crust on the baked chicken legs and thighs gives a crunchy contrast to the best of the new spring vegetables: asparagus and baby carrots. They are tossed together with large white Spanish butter beans in a light chicken and saffron broth. My friends at Sabato import high-quality Spanish products and their large jars of El Navarrico butter beans are superb.
