Fish you were here

Paula McIntyre

Orchiette with sardines

Fish cakes

Orchiette with sardines

October 30 2021 06:00 AM

In the Lazio region of Italy, not too far from the town of Cassino where the famous battle was fought in World War Two, is the little village of Casalattico. It’s a picture postcard, beautiful elevated collection of quintessentially Italian houses with a show stopping church in the centre of the village. The wraparound breathtaking views of the stunning Abruzzi mountains will live long in my memory. Having been lucky enough to spend several idyllic holidays here, as the evenings are drawing in I’ve found my mind wandering back to sunny afternoons sitting in the piazza with the warm spring sun shining brightly to the sound of laughter, crickets chittering and glasses clinking with ice and filled with real prosecco. On one particular occasion this charming scene was disturbed by earth shattering music coming from an unknown source. The locals were unperturbed and we quickly realised that this noisy little white van that punched way above it’s weight in terms of audio ability, was in fact the fishmonger on his weekly round trip from the coastal town of Gaeta. The driver parked up, flung open the back doors and within seconds the local women and restaurateurs formed an orderly queue eager to enjoy the spoils of the fishermen’s early morning catch. Later that evening there were fresh clams and squid on the menu in the local Osteria.

In this country inclement weather will have an impact on the availability of the catch and yet we always expect to have fresh fish on the menu regardless of this practical consideration. My preference would be to go without rather than opt for frozen or extensively farmed varieties.

Tinned fish is an option that should also be considered. There can be an unjustified snootiness around using food that’s tinned or jarred but there are excellent products available. Good quality anchovies are an ingredient that I never tire of using. Whizz them into a flavoured butter, dressing, seafood pasta or even a lamb dish to add some delicious umami. They are the secret ingredient that makes a properly made Caesar salad into a classic.

Good delicatessens will stock jars of Italian anchovies, Spanish sardines and Irish and Portuguese tuna. My local deli stocks tinned mackerel from Donegal and it’s an excellent substitute for the fresh variety in the months when the catch can be scant. It’s also perfect to make a fish cake. The recipe here is flavoured with horseradish and lemon zest. They’re served with a homemade apple ketchup.

Tinned sardines make a rich and tasty base for a sauce for pasta. They melt into aromatic vegetables with red wine, basil, tomatoes and courgettes to be added to pasta.

Both these recipes use store cupboard essentials and readily available fridge ingredients. Perfect for a quick supper without having to visit the supermarket.

Orecchiette pasta with sardines, tomatoes and courgettes

What you’ll need
350g orecchiette pasta (or any tubed pasta is good for this)
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
4 ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 x 120g tin sardines, drained
150ml red wine
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 courgette, cut in half and finely sliced
6 stalks fresh basil
Handful chopped parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
Parmesan for topping, optional

Method
1 Cook the pasta in salted water according to the instructions. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a pan and add the onion and garlic.
2 Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes then add the tomatoes, puree and red wine. Season to taste and cook gently for 10 minutes. Add the sardines. Remove leaves from basil and set aside. Finely chop the stalks and add to the pan with the courgettes. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3 Drain the cooked pasta and add to the pan. Add a little cooking water to the mixture to loosen it. Chop the basil leaves and add to the pan with the parsley and lemon juice. Check seasoning and spoon into bowls. Top with grated parmesan.

Fish cakes with horseradish and apple ketchup

What you’ll need
400g tinned fish, eg mackerel or tuna
350g floury potatoes
2 finely chopped scallions
1 tbsp horseradish sauce
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
40g rolled oats
40g fine breadcrumbs
Flour for dusting
1 egg beaten
Oil for cooking

Method
1 Peel and dice the potatoes and cook until soft. Drain well and mash.
2 Mix in the fish, scallions, horseradish and lemon zest. Check seasoning and form into 8 small patties or balls.
3 Roll in the flour, shaking off the excess. Roll in the egg.
4 Mix the crumbs and oats together and roll the fish cakes in the oat mixture to coat.
5 Heat half a thumbnail depth of oil in a pan and cook the cakes until golden and crisp on both sides.

For the apple ketchup
175g eating apples
175g cooking apples
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp oil
15g ginger, grated
2 cloves
100g castor sugar
100g cider vinegar
1 tsp salt

1 Chop the apples coarsely. Cook the onion and ginger in the oil until soft and golden and add the apples.
2 Cook for 5 minutes then add the cloves, sugar, vinegar and salt.
3 Cook until the apples are soft — usually about half an hour. Remove cloves and blend to a smooth puree.
4 Pass through a fine sieve.

Paula McIntyre’s home cooking full of comfort and joy