Eating fish during lent is associated with the Greek word for fish, ichthys, which is an acronym for Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter, meaning Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour. There are many interpretations of why Catholic tradition favours eating fish on Fridays, but the version that appeals to me most is found in the 15th Century Book of Festivals which says that when Adam sinned, God cursed the land – however, he did not curse the water and, therefore, it is lawful for man to eat what comes from the water during Lent.

Fish used to be the economical choice for families but, today, it is considered a treat and often expensive

Fish used to be the economical choice for families but, today, it is considered a treat, sometimes nearly a delicacy and often expensive. However, eating fish on Fridays is not about economics – the reasoning behind it is fascinating. After all, it is not exactly a penance eating fish, for most people.

This month we see a large variety of fresh local fish becoming available at local fishmongers; you should be able to find red mullett (trill), grey mullett (mulett), red rock fish (ċippullazz), white bream (sargu), moray eel (morina), octopus (qarnita) and gurbell (brown meager) and many more. When it comes to fish, the fresher it is, the better the flavour. To source the best fish, find a trusted fishmonger or hawker and stick with them. You can disguise the taste in chicken and meats that are not fresh, but the same does not apply to fish.

Fresh fish should smell of the sea and the gills should be bright and moist, not just from being sprayed for display. When preparing it, the scales should flake off easily and the flesh remain firm. It is, sometimes, hard to judge when fish is ready and cooked and it may be easier to invest in a kitchen thermometer, rather than waiting for the flesh to turn from translucent to opaque. For perfect fish, the internal temperature should read at between 125ºC to 150ºC.

Eating raw fish has become very popular since the introduction of sushi. And cooking fish by merely soaking in lemon juice to make a ceviche style dish is another option. Unlike with poultry, eating fish raw does not carry the same risk of salmonella – however, raw fish may carry parasites and should be avoided by the elderly, pregnant women and children.

I like the simplicity of cooking fish al cartoccio, wrapped in a parcel with a slice of lemon and a few drops of olive oil, salt and pepper and baked in a hot oven for a few minutes. Fresh herbs, olives and capers can be added to serve it.

Roasted Skate

1 skate wing
00g cherry tomatoes (I use yellow and red)
5 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon capers
5 black olives chopped
some chopped basil for garnish

The skate (ħamiema) needs very little cooking time and, for those that do not like the idea of picking bones, it is an ideal choice. Succulent, soft and moist flesh literally slides off the cartilage.

The flavour is delicate and, to retain its natural moistness, the fish is best cooked at a high temperature for as little time as possible. For my roasted skate you will need:

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Toss the cherry tomatoes in some olive oil. Season the skate with salt and pepper and place on the roasting dish. Top with half the tomatoes, half the capers and half the olives. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Roast for 10 to 15 minutes in a very hot oven.

Garnish with the rest of the fresh tomatoes, capers and olives, more freshly ground pepper and some chopped fresh basil.

It is delicious as it is or, you can also make a light dressing of 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard, juice of half a lemon, 2 tablespoons olive oil and some more capers. Whisk them all together and pour over the skate just before serving.

Lampuki

1 kg lampukia
fresh lemon
Spelt flour for dusting
Fresh marjoram
Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olives and capers to garnish
Vegetable oil for frying
Organic apple vinegar and olive oil to serve

Lampuki are commonly known as mahi mahi, or dolphin fish, although they are not associated in any way to dolphins. Their flesh is firm and dense and can cope with stronger herbs and flavours.

There are various ways of cooking them, but frying them helps retain their wonderful consistency and, once in a while, makes for a welcome treat.

Ask your fishmonger to clean and fillet your fish. Rinse the fish and cut it into portions. Cover a flat dish with a layer of sifted spelt flour and place the fish on it. Season with salt, pepper and freshly chopped marjoram.Heat the oil in a heavy pan and shallow fry the fish on both sides, using low heat so that it cooks inside.Serve with a slice of lemon. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil and organic apple vinegar. Garnish with olives and capers and serve immediately.

Grilled Red Mullet

4 red mullet, allow one per person. Mine weighed around
250g each
1 tablespoon dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon olives
1 orange, juice and zest
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, if required

I like to cook this fish whole and serve it on the bone.

Clean out the fish and remove the scales. Rinse it and keep it in the fridge while you prepare the other ingredients.

To prepare the dressing, place the capers, parsley and olives. Add the mint, orange juice and half the zest and use a hand blender to break it down to a smoothie’s consistency. Taste and season if required. Keep in the fridge until you need it.

Take out the prepared fish from the fridge. Mix the breadcrumbs with a spoon of the dressing. Place a small amount of the mixture in the cavity of each fish, brush the fish on both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle some orange zest. Grill on both sides.

Serve immediately with some of the dressing and more orange zest garnish.

Salt Cod Fritters

1kg salted cod
Vegetable oil for frying
500g water
500g all-purpose flour, plus some extra for dredging
10g dry yeast
A pinch of salt
Dried oregano and mint (mum used her own dried herbs from her garden)

Salt cod fritters bring back good childhood memories and I use mum’s old recipe. These fritters should have a light crispy crust and be soft and creamy inside and I like mine chunky and rustic. There seems to be a comeback with food vans selling salted cod fritters and local bean purée (bigilla) around the island in place of the street vendors pushing carts on wheels around the villages. Street food has now evolved and these fritters are nearly a delicacy. You can use baking powder instead of yeast, but yeast keeps leftovers moist and doughy and they are delicious the next day.

Soak the cod in water overnight; change the water and rinse twice. Boil until soft; drain and remove bones.

To make the batter, put the 10g of yeast together with the flour and dry ingredients, add lukewarm water and leave to rest so it rises. Dip the cod pieces into the batter and deep fry until crispy on the outside.

Allow to rest for five minutes before serving.

You can find recipes by Lea on www.goodfoodeverday.wordpress.com and www.timesofmalta.com. You can also watch her cook live on TVM2 weekday afternoons.

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