Fish with Sorrel Pesto

Fish with Sorrel Pesto

Sorrel is one of those annoying ingredients I see referred to in cookbooks from time to time but never see in the shops. It wasn’t until I planted some seeds and grew my own that I was able to experiment with this super lemony fresh-tasting herb. Don’t worry if you don’t have a herb garden full of sorrel. There are plenty of substitutes in the variations below!

enough for: 2
takes: 15 minutes
2 fish fillets
2 handfuls sorrel leaves
2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic
1 handful pine nuts
green salad, to serve

1. Heat a medium frying pan on a medium high heat. Rub fish with a little oil and season with lots of salt. Cook fish for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking.

2. Meanwhile, for the pesto, whizz sorrel, Parmesan, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Add a good pinch of salt and add some olive oil with the motor running until you have a saucey paste. Taste and season with more salt if needed and some pepper.

3. Serve fish with a big dollop of pesto on top and salad on the side.

Variations

no sorrel? – basil or flat leaf parsley are the best substitutes or try mint or coriander (cilantro) for something a bit different. A big squeeze of lemon can make the pesto taste more fresh and lemony.

paleo (gluten, grain + dairy-free) – replace Parmesan with an extra handful of pine nuts or different nuts like almonds, cashews or Brazil nuts.

vegetarian – serve pesto with pan fried eggplant ‘steaks’ or some cooked quinoa or on a bed of lovely lentils. It’s also really lovely with poached or fried eggs or as a fresh topping for a simple omelette dinner.

carnivore – replace fish with chicken thigh or breast fillets or a good quality pork chop.

more substantial – serve with mashed or roast potatoes. Or serve fish on a bed of cooked grains such as quinoa, brown rice or farro.

more veg – serve with lemony kale.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

fish fillets – freeze them.

sorrel leaves – cover with oil and store in the fridge. Or you can freeze the leaves, they’ll wilt but will still be delicious.

parmesan cheese – keeps for months in an airtight container in the fridge.

garlic – pantry in the dark or a brown paper bag to prevent sprouting.

pine nuts / olive oil – keep them in the pantry.

salad leaves – are highly perishable. My first path would be to use them for another meal (salad for breakfast!) but if that isn’t possible you can pop them in the freezer. They will wilt down but can then be used anywhere you’d use wilted greens. At least this way they wont go slimey.

Prepare Ahead

You can. Just cook as per the recipe but keep the fish, pesto and salad separately. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 1 week or can be frozen (except the salad).