Good oil's here on a grand scale

THE sun was shining, the fishing boat was rocking in the water and the bucket on the deck was teeming with shiny-skinned, bright-eyed pilchards. I was thinking how good they would be grilled on the barbie when my fishing companions told me they were just there for bait.

It was another example of how oily fish - and that includes mackerel, salmon, sea trout and sardines - are sidelined in favour of nice, polite, white fish. Yet they outgun them on flavour, on richness and on those all-important omega-3 fatty acids every time. Plus, they can take tougher cooking methods such as grilling, smoking, roasting or barbecuing without drying out or falling apart at the touch of a pair of tongs, which makes them even more welcome in my kitchen.

They also demand to be served with something that has equal heft and personality. Tangy, spicy, acidic and pickled flavours play off their richness best; things such as pickled beetroot, jalapeno peppers, preserved lemons, grapefruit, tomatoes, warm curry spices, mustard, caramelised onions, lime juice, capers, fresh herb salsas and chilli sauces. Given that oily fish are oily, it makes sense to give the cream and butter a rest; they don't need any more fat and, for that matter, neither do we.

Salmon and red pepper tartine

A bright and breezy lunch or snack that uses a lighter version of the much-loved Lebanese garlic sauce (toum), pepped up with dried mint and capers.

INGREDIENTS
2 red capsicums
2 yellow capsicums
4 tbsp olive oil
2x200g salmon or ocean trout fillets, trimmed
1 tsp finely grated or crushed garlic, or more to taste
1 tsp dried mint
Sea salt and pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint plus
2 tbsp mint leaves for serving
1 tbsp salted capers, rinsed
4 thick slices sourdough bread
1 lemon, cut into wedges

METHOD

■Heat the oven to 180C. Coat the capsicums in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, place on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Add the salmon to the tray and bake for a further 10 minutes. Remove the salmon and keep in a warm place.

■Remove the capsicums and place in a plastic bag to help soften the skin. When cool enough to handle peel off the skin, discard the core and seeds and tear into thick strips.

■To make the dressing, beat the garlic, dried mint, sea salt and pepper into the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil until lightly thickened. Stir in the chopped mint and capers.

■Grill the bread and brush with a little of the dressing. Top with the red and yellow capsicums. Break up the salmon with your fingers and plonk on top. Spoon the dressing over the top, scatter with mint leaves and serve with lemon.

Serves 4

Oven-roasted sardines with fennel and garlicky crumbs

If you don't have cherry tomatoes to hand, roughly chop two large tomatoes and strew over the top.

INGREDIENTS
100g stale sourdough bread, crusts off
1 tbsp olive oil and extra for serving
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Sea salt and pepper
1 fennel, trimmed and finely sliced
8 or more sardines, about 180g each
100g good black olives, pitted
400g cherry tomatoes, halved
100ml dry white wine
2 tbsp parsley leaves

METHOD

■Heat the oven to 200C. Tear the stale bread into rough, rustic, crumbly bits. Heat the oil and garlic in a small pan, add the crumbs, salt and pepper and gently fry, tossing well until the bread starts to crisp.

■Arrange the fennel on the base of a large oiled baking pan and place sardines in a single layer on top.

■Scatter with olives and cherry tomatoes. Add the wine, strew the garlicky crumbs over the top and bake for 20 minutes until the sardines are cooked through and the crumbs are golden.

■Scatter with parsley leaves and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and serve with a leafy green salad.

Serves 4

Mackerel curry with tomatoes and eggplant

A whole mackerel cut crosswise into small, manageable steaks would be ideal for this ''kari ikan'', or substitute ocean trout or any other oily fish. If you don't have time to soak the dried chillies, use two fresh mild red chillies or a good pinch of dried chilli flakes instead.

INGREDIENTS
1 lemongrass stalk, peeled and sliced
4 dried red chillies, soaked for 1 hour in hot water and drained
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
8 shallots or 1 onion, chopped
1kg small mackerel steaks
Sea salt and pepper
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
12 fresh curry leaves, plus 4 sprigs for serving
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tomatoes, cut into quarters
3 slim eggplant or 1 large, cut into bite-sized chunks
300ml coconut milk
2 tbsp tamarind puree

METHOD

■Pound or blend the lemongrass, drained chillies, ginger, garlic and shallots or onion to a paste. Season the fish. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frypan and quickly brown the fish on both sides, then remove.

■Add 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the paste for 4 minutes, stirring, or until it smells fragrant. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, curry leaves, salt and sugar. Add the tomatoes and eggplant and cook for 3 minutes. Slowly add the coconut milk, stirring, and bring just to the boil. Add the tamarind, stirring, then return the fish to the pan.

■Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until the fish and eggplant are cooked through, scatter with sprigs of curry leaves and serve hot.

Serves 4