Rotsi-topped Fish Pie

Rotsi-topped Fish Pie

Rotsi (Rösti) is a new term for me, I had to look that up, Swiss in origin meaning shredded par boiled potato. Normally when I see fish pies they are topped with mashed potatoes or just a nice cheese sauce, so this sounds really good for a different topping. I am going to use my individual serving dish or dishes to test this recipe out and will validate the ingredient amounts as well. On my to cook list and soon. Many variants to make this a different dish every time you prepare it.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large potato, 300 grams, (10-11 oz)
  • 250 grams white fish fillets, skinless, boneless, (8-9 oz)
  • 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 leek, thinly slice, rinsed well
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash and scrub the potato, certainly use more smaller potatoes if you do not have one large one. Cut the potato in half. Heat a sauce pan with salted water, when boiling, add the potato pieces and cook for about 5-6 minutes, you want firm, not fully tender potatoes as you are going to shred them. When the potatoes have been cooked, slightly, drain them and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set them aside.
  • In a sauce pan, add the milk and fish, bring to just a simmer for 5 minutes, this is precooking the fish, and getting some fish juices mixed into the milk. Remove the fish and drain them, retain the milk and set aside.
  • Heat half of the butter in a sauce pan, then add the leek and saute for about 5 minutes or until soft. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk for 1 minute, then remove from heat, then slowly add the milk while whisking. Return to heat and whisk until the sauce comes the sauce comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes, remove from heat and stir in the parsley and mustard, season with pepper as desired. Set this aside.
  • Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F). Get out a small baking dish, I am going to try this with one or two small individual Pyrex dishes.
  • Flake the fish into chunks and fold into the sauce. Gently fold in the quartered eggs. Pour mixture into the dish or dishes.
  • Grate the potato pieces then melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Toss the butter with the potatoes, season with salt and pepper as desired. Scatter the potatoes over the dish.
  • Place the dish in the oven and and bake for 10-20 minutes to get the potatoes golden brown and tender.
  • Serve.

Notes

Low cost.
Variants: 1. Use a combination of fish, like whitefish and salmon. 2. Add shrimp. 3. Omit the eggs. 4. Add peas to the sauce. 5. Add some shredded cheese to the potatoes or place on top of the potatoes. 6. Replace the leek with diced onion. 7. Go heavy handed with the pepper in the sauce. 8. Add extra mustard to the sauce.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Curry Fish Balls

Curry Fish Balls

This sounds very good, and uses a packaged curry from Japan that is exceptional in flavor, Japanese curry tastes neither like Thai or Indian curries. Fish balls (think of small meatballs but made from fish) are very common and for folks in the US, these are readily available at most Asian markets. Curried fish balls are very common in China (and I did receive this recipe from a friend in China). This can be a snack or side dish. If I was a betting man, you could increase the number of balls and make a main dish over rice for two people. On my to prepare list.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Dish, Side
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 3 servings as a side

Ingredients
  

  • 25 fish balls, thawed if frozen, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 1 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 100 grams Golden Curry, 1 small box or 1/2 a large box
  • 1 cup coconut milk, or plain milk if in a pinch
  • 1 cup vegetable stock, fresh or from powder, or water

Instructions
 

  • In a large non stick pan, heat the oil and when hot, saute the onion until soft.
  • If you have never used Japanese curry before, it very much looks like a chocolate bar. This melts into hot liquid quickly.
  • Pour in the stock and add the curry (yes, it does look like a candy bar). Move the curry around until dissolved and mixed in with the onion and stock.
  • Add the coconut milk and stir in, then add the fish balls. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and the curry will thicken.
  • Serve as is for a side dish or snack, or over rice with the curry as a main dish. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Variants: 1. Use mushroom or chicken stock in place of the vegetable broth. 2. Use beef, pork, chicken, or seafood balls in place of the fish balls.
This recipe for Curry Fish Balls is from China Sichuan Food.
Salmon Loaf I

Salmon Loaf I

Adapted from an internet recipe.
To me, this sounds good. This is a a steamed dish and there is also a sauce listed for this as well. On my to cook list. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Notes section.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 servings

Equipment

  • Steamer

Ingredients
  

For the Salmon Loaf

  • 2 cups cooked salmon, fresh or canned, Shortcut
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • ¼ cup butter, melted but not hot
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs, Shortcut
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh parsley, chopped

For the Sauce

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

Prepare the Salmon Loaf

  • If using canned salmon, drain the liquid into a small bowl and set the bowl aside. If using fresh cooked, after you remove the salmon from the steamer, just set the steamer aside, some liquid in the pot may be used in the sauce.
  • Heat your steamer, either a pot with water and a trivet or as I am going to use, a rice cooker with a steamer tray. Butter the heat proof dish you are going to use. (Make sure your dish fits the steamer method you are going to use.)
  • Chop fine either the fresh cooked or canned salmon. Mix the butter into the fish.
  • Mix together eggs, breadcrumbs, parsley, and salt and pepper as desired.
  • Mix the egg mixture into the fish, then add the mixture to your dish and when the steamer is hot, place the dish in the steamer for 1 hour. During this time, make sure you keep sufficient water in the steamer.

Prepare the Sauce

  • Prepare the sauce about 10 minutes before the loaf is done steaming.
  • In a small sauce pan, heat the milk to a boil. While the milk is heating, mix together the butter and corn starch in a small bowl. When the milk is at a boil, whisk in the butter mixture. Then whisk in a 1-2 tablespoons of the liquid from the salmon can or 1-2 tablespoons of liquid the fresh salmon was steamed on.
  • Whisk in the beaten egg, sprinkle in a pinch of black pepper. Remove from heat.
  • When the loaf is done, remove the dish from the steamer, pour off any water from a corner of the dish, then cover the dish with a plate and carefully invert the plate and dish together and lift off the dish leaving the loaf on the plate.
  • Slice the loaf and pour the sauce over the slices, serve and enjoy.

Notes

I will price this when I get salmon and determine how many fillets I need to make 2 cups cooked salmon. I will say High cost per serving for now.
Shortcuts: Steamed Salmon, Breadcrumbs.
Oven Fried Fish

Oven Fried Fish

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This makes sense, there is oven fried chicken, so why not oven fried fish. I made this on 20 Dec 2022, easy to put together, and excellent fish. I used 4 pangasius fillets and cut each in half.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Baking Pan (9x13 inch)

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams fish fillets, boneless, skinless, (1 lb)
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs, Shortcut
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions
 

  • For the fish I will use Pangasius or Barramundi, both are very good, but any whitefish, boneless and skinless will work fine. If the fillets are large, just cut in half, it makes them easier to remove from the baking dish after cooking.
  • Preheat your oven to 200° C (400° F) and grease with butter a 9x13 baking dish.
  • Add the milk to a shallow dish, stir in the salt. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow dish.
  • Dip a fillet into the milk coating both sides, then coat with the breadcrumbs, then place into the baking dish. Repeat for remaining fillets. Goal is a single layer of fillets in the baking dish.
  • Pour the melted butter over the fillets.
  • Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork.
  • Serve with sides of your choice, enjoy.

Notes

Pangasius will cost about 45 Baht/500 grams. For 4 servings, this is about 35 cents per serving.
Honey Butter Baked Salmon

Honey Butter Baked Salmon

Kurt Hammerschmidt, Thailand.
This sounds incredibly good and comes from a good friend here in Thailand. Common ingredients easily available. This is written for using a half of a salmon fillet, about 1.2 kilos or about 2 1/2 pounds. You can certainly use the smaller fillets (individual portions from Tesco), just use the Serving box under the Ingredients list to change to the desired servings you would like and the ingredients will be recalculated for you.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet
  • Oven

Ingredients
  

  • 1 salmon fillet, about 1.2 kilos, (2½ lbs)
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • â…“ cup honey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
  • lemon or lime, slices
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 190° C (375° F), position the rack in the middle of the oven. Line a large baking sheet or baking pan (9x13) with foil large enough to fold over the fillet and seal.
  • Melt the butter in a small sauce pan, then add the honey, garlic, and lemon/lime juice and whisk to combine.
  • Place the fillet (or the smaller individual portion fillets) on the foil in the baking dish or on the sheet, brush the fillet or fillets with the honey butter mixture.
  • Sprinkle with a good amount of sea salt and black pepper.
  • Fold the foil over the fillet and seal completely, raise up the edges so it does not leak.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Carefully open the foil, use mitts as the steam will be very hot, and fold the foil back to expose the the fillet or fillets. Broil for a few minutes until the fillet is nicely caramelized on the top.
  • Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with lemon/lime slices as desired.

Notes

I will price this when I get 4 individual serving fillets from Tesco, for now I will say High cost per serving.
Tuna Salad

Tuna Salad

Natasha's Kitchen, Natasha Kravchuk, United States.
This recipe comes from a good friend, and she has never been wrong with a recipe, and this recipe is excellent as well. Makes for tasty sandwiches. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cans tuna in water, standard size cans, or 2 cups fresh, Shortcut
  • 1 medium brown onion, finely diced
  • 1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored, seeded, diced
  • 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, diced
  • 1 cup mayo, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon lemon or lime juice, or to taste
  • ½ cup toasted nuts, sliced almonds or chopped pecans, optional
  • â…› teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Core and chop the apple. I use an apple corer and slicer that removes the core and makes 8 slices. I took each slice, slice it again lengthwise, then chopped. Add the lime or lemon juice at this time to prevent the chopped pieces from turning brown.
  • Toast the nuts, your choice of almonds or walnuts, these are optional.
  • Drain the tuna well or prepare fresh cooked tuna and let that drain after you have removed the bones and flaked it. If using fresh tuna, use 2 cups or 2 1/2 cups. Three cans of tuna (140 grams each), the onion, and apple with lime juice ready for mixing.
  • Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix to combine, taste and adjust mayo, pepper, and lemon/lime juice to your liking. Mixed and ready to chill, no nuts or avocado used this time.
  • Cover and chill for a few hours, serve in sandwiches or as a dip.

Notes

Figure about 42 Baht per average size can of tuna, for 8 servings, this is about 66 cents per serving.
Shortcut: Tuna.
Variants: 1. Replace the tuna with 2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken. 2. Use a red onion in place of the brown onion. 3. Use a Fuji apple in place of the Granny Smith apple.
Tuna & Rice

Tuna & Rice

Adapted from an internet recipe.
To me this sounds good, I will have to give this a try. Simple ingredients. On my to cook list. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1½ cups dry white rice
  • 3 cups vegetable stock, fresh or from powder
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 2-3 cans tuna in oil, (185 g / 5 oz each), Shortcut
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a large sauce pan, when hot, add the onion and cook until softened, stirring often. When the onion is soft and translucent, add the rice and stir to coat with the oil and cook until the rice grains have a glassy look.
  • Add the stock, stir then cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the peas and corn, cover and cook another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and leave the pot covered to stand for 5 minutes.
  • Open and drain the canned tuna and place in a small bowl and flake with a fork. If using fresh cooked tuna, you will need 1-1½ cups.
  • Gently stir the parsley into the rice, then the tuna, serve.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcut: Fresh Tuna.
Variant: 1. Use a mix of peas and corn, peas, corn, and carrots, or go all out and a mix of peas, carrots, corn, and green beans.
Baked Whitefish

Baked Whitefish

I made this in 22 April 2018 and oh my, it is delicious! Any boneless whitefish fillets can be used, such as tilapia, barramundi, pangasius, ocean perch, haddock, cod, etc.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 whitefish fillets, skinless, boneless, about 1 kilo, (2 lbs)
  • lemon pepper, as desired
  • salt, as desired
  • paprika, as desired
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 180 C (350 F) and lightly grease with butter a 9x13 baking dish.
  • Rinse the fillets then pat them dry, arrange fillets in the baking dish and season with the salt and lemon pepper.
  • In the small sauce pan you melted the butter in, mix in the lemon/lime juice, and the garlic. Brush this over the fillets in the baking dish.
  • Sprinkle the fish with the parsley, rosemary, and paprika.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 35 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
  • Serve.

Notes

Just using Pangasius from Tesco at 86 Baht/kilo, for 4 servings, this is about 67 cents per serving.
Adapted from an internet recipe.
Ginger Steamed Sardines

Ginger Steamed Sardines

Ayam Brand, Malaysia.
Sounds very good. I look forward to making this. I do list a shortcut for homemade sardines in olive oil, but that is not really a cost saver due to the cost of olive oil. Link to the shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Malaysian
Servings 2 servings

Equipment

  • Steamer
  • Steamer Handles

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tin sardines in olive oil, (120 g / 4¼ oz, Ayam or any brand)
  • ½ inch fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 spring onion, sliced, green and white
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
  • sugar, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Heat your steamer. I will use my tiny rice cooker with a steamer tray. You can also use a pot and a steamer basket.
  • Drain the oil from the tin into a small bowl. Remove the sardines from the tin, split in half and arrange on a heat proof dish.
  • Mix the ginger and spring onion (keep a pinch of the spring onion aside for garnish) with the oil from the tin to make a paste.
  • Heat the oil in a small pan and cook the paste until fragrant.
  • Pour the oil mixture over the sardines and place the dish in your steamer. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
  • While the sardines are steaming, using the same pan the oil was heated in, add the soy sauce and water and heat that up, add sugar to taste.
  • When the sardines have steamed for 5 minutes, carefully remove the dish, pour the soy sauce mixture over the sardines, serve and enjoy.

Notes

One tin of sardines in olive oil at Tesco is 59 Baht. For 2 servings, this is about 46 cents per serving.
Shortcuts: Sardines in Olive Oil.
Sardine Salad Sandwich

Sardine Salad Sandwich

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Very good, easy sandwich to make if you like sardines. Links to the shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tin sardines in olive oil, (120 g / 4¼ oz, Ayam or any brand), Shortcut
  • 1 tablespoon mayo, and more for the bread
  • 1 tablespoon pickles, chopped, Shortcut
  • 4 slices bread
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • lettuce leaves
  • 1-2 hard boiled egg, sliced, Shortcut
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Drain the sardines and place in a bowl, add the mayo and chopped pickle. Mix with a fork, mashing up the sardines. If using homemade sardines, use about 3 pieces.
  • Lay out the 4 slices of bread, spread mayo on each slice. On 2 slices, add a layer of sliced tomato, divide sardine mixture on top of the tomato, top that with lettuce leaves, then add a layer of sliced egg, season with salt and pepper as desired. Top with a slice of bread, mayo side down. Cut in half and enjoy.

Notes

One tin of sardines in olive oil at Tesco is 59 Baht. For two sandwiches, 1 per serving, this is about 92 cents per serving. 
Shortcuts: Fridge Pickles, Perfect Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs, Steamed Eggs, Sardines in Olive Oil.
Variant: 1. Use a good amount of softened cream cheese on the bread in place of the mayo.