Fish is the Dish is a site run by The Seafish Industry Authority and part of a project to help promote and protect the fishing industry. They make a good point; fish is good fo you. With sustainable fishing techniques to protect fish levels in the ocean it should be a super hero of a food.
With that in mind they’ve cleverly put together some seafood recipes that might help encourage kids to eat and parents to cook. Here are a few.
Batman versus Superman Onigiri
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Makes two ‘figures’
Ingredients:
100g smoked mackerel/teriyaki mackerel
200g sushi rice (also known as glutinous rice)
250ml water
1 stock cube for seasoning (vegetable or chicken)
2 large nori strips (seaweed)
Black and white sesame seeds for garnish
Method
1. Rinse the sushi rice in cold water 3-4 times or until the waters runs clear. Rinsing the starch out may seem like a hassle but it will make the onigiri easier to work with. Once rinsed thoroughly, add the stock cube, water and rice in a pan and bring the water to a the boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and stir occasionally until the rice has absorbed all of the water.
2. Whilst your rice is on, you can use a craft knife or a pair of scissors to cut the superhero masks and cape out of the nori strips. For stencils, see bottom of this document.
3. Once the rice is ready, take the pan off of the heat and transfer the rice into a bowl and leave it to cool. Stir the rice occasionally whilst it cools to prevent it from clumping together too much.
4. When the rice is no longer warm to the touch, you can start to make your figures. Grab a handful of rice in the palm of your hand, and press it down to make a thick circle. Add a piece of mackerel into the middle, and then roll the rice around the mackerel in your hand. Keep rolling the ball around in your hand to get a good shape, though bear in mind that the longer you handle the rice, the sticker it gets. To add your seaweed decoration, simply wet the nori slightly to add your masks.
Fun tips: You can use this method to make nearly any character and can easily substitute the white rice for brown, or fill the characters with a mix of seafood and veggies.
Batman fish cakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
600g potatoes, peeled and chopped into quarters
2 x 120g cans sardines in spring water
4 tbsp chopped parsley
1 lemon, juiced
3 tbsp mayonnaise
4 tbsp Greek yogurt (use a fat-free brand to make this a healthier option)
1 tbsp plain flour
1 egg, beaten
85g white breadcrumbs, made from day-old or toasted bread
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Equipment:
To make your fishcakes look like a batman logo, you will need a batman cookie cutter. You can purchase one here.
Method
1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender; this should take no more than 20 mins.
2. Drain the sardines and mash them in a bowl.
3. Chop approximately three table spoons of parsley; add the yogurt and half of the lemon juice.
4. Drain the potatoes, then mash until smooth. Gently mix in the sardines and yogurt mixture and season.
5. Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Divide the mixture into around 8 small piles, and use the cookie cutter to cut out the batman shape.
6. Coat a baking sheet in olive oil.
7. Dip the fishcakes into the egg and then roll them in the breadcrumbs. Place onto the baking sheet.
8. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.
9. Mix the mayonnaise with the remaining parsley, lemon juice and seasoning as required.
10. Serve the fishcakes with the mayonnaise, salad and lemon wedges.
