By Lara Pickford-Gordon and Kaelanne Jordan (photos)
If you’ve given up meat for Lent, finding alternative meals that the entire family will enjoy can be a challenge. Also added to the stress is the hike in fish prices.
The Catholic News got a few fish and vegetarian meal suggestions from La Petite Fleur’s chef Shanice Louison and owner Bernadette Burke at their 22 Murray Street, Woodbrook bistro. These recipes, according to Burke are “healthy, economical and easy to prepare” and the ingredients are staples of any well-stocked kitchen. Visit catholictt.org for more Lenten recipes.
Saltfish accra
Yield: 20–30 accras
Ingredients
1 pack boneless saltfish
1 cup of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup water
6 chadon beni leaves and/or seasonings of your choice
2 pimentos, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Preparation
Serve with tamarind sauce.
Roasted vegetable sandwich
Ingredients
1 eggplant
1 zucchini (or vegetable/s of your choice)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 leaves of lettuce
2 small tomatoes
Preparation
Serve with crusty baguette, hops, ciabatta or bread of your choice.
To make yuca (cassava) fries
Served best with aioli sauce.
Did you know?
White fish with cranberry sauce and creamy polenta
Ingredients
1 white fish fillet (the number of fillets can be adjusted to number of persons)
Seasonings—chadon beni, celery, pimentos, lime, garlic
black pepper
salt
½ cup flour
Paprika
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Vegetable oil or any other oil of choice.
Preparation
To make cranberry sauce
Preparation
Place 1 ½ tbsp dried cranberries into hot water to rehydrate, then drain.
Make a creole sauce: sauté sweet pepper, onion, garlic and tomatoes, add a little ketchup.
In a small bowl mix water and a ½ tsp corn starch. When it is combined add the sweet pepper etc. Place one cup water to other ingredients with the cranberries.
Creamy Polenta
½ cup corn meal
1 ½ cup cream
Onion, 1 clove garlic
Olive oil
Salt, black pepper
Preparation
5 facts about whitefish
* It is one of the most reasonably priced fishes when compared to king fish and snapper.
* Whitefish helps fight inflammation.
* Supports the immune system.
* Helps to keep your bones strong.
* Supports nervous system and blood cells health.
* Low in LDL (the ‘bad cholesterol’).
* Low-fat source of protein.
FISH TIP: Fish stock from boiled fish head can be used as the base of the sauce. Stock can also be made from leftover fish bones baked in the oven for 3-4 minutes, put into a pot of water and simmered for a few minutes then strained. The stock is added to a “roux” which is a combination of equal amounts of butter or oil and flour which is cooked over a low heat until thickened but still creamy.