Thrifty chic: Fried gemfish fillets in a spring vegetable consommé

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If you are looking for a dish that’s delicious, good looking, quick and easy to make and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, this is it! A perfect dinner party meal – trust me your guests won’t be disappointed. And at less than $5 per serve neither will your wallet.

The fish is crispy on the outside but flakey and decadently soft on the inside and the spring vegetable broth has the right amount of acidity and an interesting flavour to bring the whole dish together.  

Thrifty doesn’t mean food has to be boring and this dish proves it. Using fish and vegetables that are in season makes sense when it comes to preparing meals on a budget, as well as getting the best flavours out of the available produce. 

Serves 2

Fried gemfish fillets in a spring vegetable consommé

Consommé and potatoes can be prapered a day ahead, so all you have to do is heat them up, which takes roughly as long as it does for the fish to cook.

• 250g fillet of gemfish (look for a thick piece that can be cut into 4 squares)
• 2 desiree potatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh peas
• 1 tbsp cubed carrot
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 lebanese cucumber
• 1 tbsp microherbs (micro rocket or alfalfa)
• salt
• white pepper
• flour for dusting
• oil for frying

Boil potatoes for about 15 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool slightly then peel the skin off and cut into 3 thick slices.

Using a food processor / chopper chop the tomato and cucumber, reserving a thin slice of cucumber. Pour the mixture onto a sieve placed over a bowl and allow the juices to drain into the bowl. Season with salt and white pepper. Add carrot cubes and peas to the broth, transfer to a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for about 3 minutes.

In the meantime, heat 1 tbsp oil in a small frypan and dust fish and potato slices with salt, pepper and flour. Fry fish for 4 minutes skin side up, and a further 2 minutes skin side down. Fry potatoes in the same frypan until golden.

Arrange fish and vegetables in a bowl, add the consommé and sprinkle with some micro herbs and the cucumber slice diced into tiny cubes – flesh only, no seeds.

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