Recipe Fish Wrapped in Lettuce from Riverford Farm Cookbook

Simple, fresh, seasonal and British – that’s the philosophy behind the new recipes from Jane Baxter, collected in the latest cookbook from Riverford Farm, Everyday & Sunday. Here’s one to try

Once the paste is made, this dish is simple to put together, says Jane. Cooked fresh, green vegetables, such as French beans or calabrese can be added to the broth. The fish can be cooked the same way but without the paste substituting fresh summer herbs and finishing the sauce with a little cream. Serve with basmati rice.

Serves 4

1 cos or romaine lettuce

4 x 175g pieces firm white fish (gurnard, brill or farmed sea bream)

1 red onion, finely chopped

300ml hot fish stock

2 tsp fish sauce

For the paste:

2cm fresh root ginger, grated

Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red chilli, deseeded if preferred, finely chopped

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp chopped coriander stalks

1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped

75g creamed coconut, grated

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Remove eight leaves from the lettuce and pour boiling water over them in a colander in the sink. Refresh immediately in cold water, cut out and discard the thick central rib from each and lay the leaves out on a clean cloth.

Make the paste by mixing all the paste ingredients together and blitzing briefly in a food processor until well combined.

Spread out two lettuce leaves, place a piece of fish on them and spread the spice paste over. Repeat to use all the lettuce and fish, reserving 1tsp of the paste.

Roll up the lettuce parcels, folding in the sides to seal. Place the fish parcels on top of the onion in an ovenproof dish. Pour on the hot stock and fish sauce and place in the oven for 15 minutes.

When cooked, place the fish parcels on a warmed serving dish. Transfer their juices to a pan and whisk in the reserved paste. Serve poured around the fish, with greens and rice.

Taken from Everyday and Sunday rcipes from Riverford Farm by Guy Watson and Jane Baxter (18.99, Fourth Estate)