Spiced Merluza and Vegetables with Chilli Potato Wedges

by John Peate
(Nerja)

Spiced Merluza and Vegetables with Chilli Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

Wedges
600g Potatoes, cleaned but with skins on
2tsp Chilli Powder
2 Crushed Garlic Cloves
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil

Merluza
600g Merluza (Skin on)
2tsp Vegetable Oil
2tsp Whole Cardamon
2g Whole Cloves

Vegetables
1 Thinly Sliced Onion
400g Broccoli Florets (As much stem as possible)
400g Thinly Sliced (Lengthwise) Courgettes
2tsp Cumin Seeds
2tsp Vegetable Oil

Boil the potatoes, skin on, until semi-cooked. Drain and cut into wedges. Thoroughly mix the chilli powder and garlic in a bowl and add the potato wedges, ensuring that they are evenly and thoroughly coated. Place on a lightly oiled baking tray and bake for 12 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 220°C, turning occasionally.
Gently heat the cardamom and cloves in a pan and then grind them to a fine powder. Score the skin of the fish with several shallow slashes about 2.5cm (1in) apart to form a criss-cross pattern. Dust with the powdered spices, to taste. Heat the oil in a pan and cook fish skin side down for 3 minutes. Remove pan from the heat, turn the fish over and allow to cook on residual heat.
Dry roast the onion slices at 160°C for 10 minutes, or until crisp, and set aside. Steam the broccoli until tender. Heat 2tsp oil and gently fry half of the florets with the cumin seeds until the broccoli is lightly browned.
Cook the courgette in boiling water for just 10 seconds.
To serve, place the fish on top of the potato wedges surrounded by the vegetables.

John Peatey.