CSIRO women's health recipes - a collection

White fish with salsa verde and baby potatoes

SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES /COOKING 15 MINUTES

The herbs in the salsa verde can be varied to suit your taste. Similarly, gherkins can be replaced with capers, and you can add extra olive oil for a runnier sauce. If you don't have a food processor, just chop up the herbs, garlic and gherkins by hand or grind up with a mortar and pestle. Any firm-fleshed white fish fillets work well here - try ling, blue-eye trevally, coral trout, mahi-mahi, snapper or cod.

Ingredients

• 600 g baby potatoes
• olive oil cooking spray
• 4 x 150 g boneless firm white fish fillets, skin on
• Salsa verde
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 cup basil leaves
• ½ cup mint leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• finely grated zest and juice of
• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon chopped gherkins
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Salad

• 4 cups mixed lettuce leaves
• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 300 g sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 2 red capsicums, seeded and thinly sliced

Method

Boil the baby potatoes in a large saucepan of water over high heat for 8-10 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, to make the salsa verde, place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Lightly spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat over medium heat. Add the fish, skin-side down, and cook for 3-4 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

Divide the salad ingredients and potatoes among serving plates and top with the fish fillets. Spoon over the salsa verde and serve.

Roast broccoli, chickpea and quinoa salad

SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES / COOKING 25 MINUTES

Tempeh is similar to tofu in that they are both made from soybeans. However, tempeh has a heartier flavour and firmer texture, making it a particularly good alternative to meat.

Ingredients

• 2 heads broccoli, florets separated, stems chopped
• 2 x 400 g tins chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
• 340 g tempeh, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1 tablespoon Indian spice booster (recipe below)
• olive oil cooking spray
• 80 g avocado, chopped
• 1 x quantity Mustard and lemon 3-in-1 (recipe below)
• 720 g (4 cups) cooked quinoa (recipe below)

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Place the broccoli, chickpeas, tempeh and spice booster on the prepared tray. Toss to combine and coat well, then spread out in a single layer. Spray lightly with oil and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Roast for 20-25 minutes or until cooked and golden crisp.

Transfer the roast vegetable mixture to a large bowl, add the avocado, 3-in-1 and quinoa and toss to combine. Serve warm.

Mustard and lemon 3-in-1 dressing

SERVES 4 /  PREPARATION 5 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

Method

Place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar, seal and then shake until well combined.

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Before using, shake well and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Indian Spice Booster

MAKES ABOUT ½ CUP /  PREPARATION 5 MINUTES

A spice booster can be used as a flavour base, dry rub or seasoning when you’re cooking or making dressings, marinades, dips, salsas or sauces. Or sprinkle over your meal as a flavour enhancer just before serving. Spices are the foundation of all Indian cooking and this combination will make your curries sing. Made with families in mind, we’ve omitted the chilli, but you can add it to your recipes to taste.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons garam masala
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric

Method

Place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar, seal and then shake until well combined.

Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 months.

Quinoa

Rinse the quinoa, then cook in a saucepan of boiling water for 12-15 minutes or until tender. You will know it is ready when the quinoa kernels look like they have ‘popped open’.

Drain and refresh under cold running water, then transfer to a large bowl and set aside.