Stokes Sauces: Fish Friday - deliciously simple fish for Friday supper

Fish Friday Flavours

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/mayo-range

There are many different theories as to the origins of eating fish on Fridays and other holy days.

One such feeling is that a powerful medieval pope made a secret pact to prop up the fishing industry to transform global economics.

The result: Millions around the world end up eating fish on Fridays as part of a religious observance. Dan Brown himself would have struggled to come up with this plot line.

The 'economic' reasoning has been denied rather than disproved in favour of the more generally accepted theological associations with the death of Christ.

Demand for fish was such that its supply became a major problem inspiring clever thinking. Herring was most readily available but was tasteless when smoked or salted to preserve it. Well, there was no Stokes Tartare Sauce or Creamed Horseradish Sauce way back then.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/ketchup-and-sauces

Cod became popular and the Vikings' ability to preserve it was adopted. So the search for cod was on.

The route the Vikings took at the end of the first millennium across Greenland, Iceland and Newfoundland matched up with the natural range of the Atlantic cod.

Historical clues suggest that fishermen from Bristol headed out for Newfoundland around 1480, even before Columbus and Cabot set sail.

Fish Fingers

How times have changed but not our hunger for seafood. Now though we reach into the freezer, fry a few fish fingers, pop them in a sandwich (or this fish finger tortilla wrap) with Stokes Real Mayonnaise and our award-winning Tomato Ketchup.

If that's not tempting your taste buds try this:

Fish Finger Pie:

Fry slices of red pepper until soft then add a tin of baked beans to heat through. Cook the fish fingers as directed. Now build the layers in an ovenproof dish - peppers and baked beans; several good glugs of Stokes Tomato Ketchup; the fish fingers next; then cooked mashed potatoes on top with a grating of Cheddar cheese to finish.

Pop the whole thing under a hot grill until the cheese browns and bubbles ... gosh it's good.

Fabulous Fish

What are your Fishy Favourites?

What is your favourite fish dish for Fish Friday and what tips can you share from your kitchen to ours. Tell us anything that might make our friends and readers think ... 'of course', what a wonderful idea.

Let us know on Facebook or Twitter and we'll send something tasty to the 'family flavourite' we most want to try.

Simple Sea Bass

Here's how:

Use 1 fillet each for a starter, 2 each for a main course. Dust both sides of your fillets in a little seasoned flour. Melt a good knob of butter in a frying pan.

Put the fillets in the pan skin side down and fry for 2 minutes, initially pressing the fillets flat with a spatula. Carefully flip the fish over and cook for another 2 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and set the fish aside, keeping it warm.

Put more butter in the pan returning it to the heat then de-glaze it with a glass of white wine. Add the zest and juice of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp of Stokes Brown Sauce creating a sweetly spiced lemon sauce for the fish. Serve with green beans and new potatoes, all in season locally now.

Comforting Cod

This is another dish that shows just how quick and easy it is to enjoy a healthy piece of fish.

Here's how:

Use a good skinless cod loin each, about the size of the palm of your hand.

Grate the zest of 2 oranges and segment them (so there's no pith or membrane). In a pan, fry 1 finely diced onion in oil for 5 minutes then add a handful of pitted olives, the orange zest and segments, 1 tbsp of chopped thyme leaves, 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp of Stokes Chilli Jam and 2 or 3 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup.

Let this bubble gently for 10 minutes with the lid on then add the cod pieces, replace the lid and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes more until the fish is just cooked.

Try serving this with thick pasta such as buttered pappardelle.

Stuffed Lemon Sole

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/traditional-condiments

These delicate little sole fillets are stuffed with seasonal British leeks. This makes a wonderful starter with 1 fillet each or a main course of 2 each served with new potatoes.

Here's how: