Fish for Thought

I've been quite the culinary Queen in recent days, exploring freshly discovered recipes courtesy of Stella magazine - my absolute favourite Newspaper fashion supplement (it comes with the Sunday Telegraph which - conveniently - my Gran happens to buy every week!).

So this recipe was taken from last weeks issue of Stella. My palette has become sufficiently more akin to what could be thought of as more "adventurous" cuisine (or at least in my eyes). Considering how much of a fussy eater I was as a child and teenager, this is quite the revelation!

My recent passion for fishy-based meals is particularly odd, as my child-rooted aversion to all things seafood (or rather, everything besides breaded/battered fish and/or the beloved fish-finger) was still very much prominent until earlier this year.

Now, for the first time in my life, I'm able to devour fish whether or not it has the breadcrumb layer to disguise its inner flesh! I can even eat the smaller water creatures without fuss (and with much pleasure), such as prawns and...well, I haven't got as far as anything else yet. Mussels still seem like a dodgy option to me...

Back to the matter at hand; here is what you need to create a stunning fish dish suitable for even the fussiest of eaters - well, almost. This serves 5 very hungry fellows - you'll have to adjust the quantities to the desired amounts.

8 pieces of white bread (go for wholemeal for added healthiness - I merely followed the recipe at hand, being the massive cooking noob that I am)
60g mature cheddar cheese
A handful of finely chopped fresh parsley
1 TBS olive oil
5 fillets of smoked haddock
20g butter (or just a giant spoonful!)

Mix the bread in a food processor to create your breadcrumbs. Chop the parsley, grate the cheese, and now blend all three together.

Paint a little bit of olive oil to cover your roasting tin and place your haddock fillets skin side down. Add the rest of the oil, as well as the butter, to the breadcrumb mixture and - once it reaches a suitable crumbly texture - spread it over your fish. Alll cover until there's no white flesh in sight (nicely done).

Bake in a preheated over (220C/gas mark 7) for about 15-20 minutes. Best served with boiled 'tatoes and a nice heaped pile o' peas (mushy peas, if you prefer). Tartar sauce is also pretty ideal as far as fish goes.

Fish is well renowned for being the healthiest pick when it comes to protein. Haddock contains a quarter of its weight in protein - which translates to 25g per 100g portion. It also goes without saying that fish is a major source for ♥-happy Omega-3 fatty acids and nutrients including vitamin D - both of which have been proven to elevate the mood and combat symptoms of depression.

So if you're well overdue some TLC and share my newly-kindled love, eat your seafood: it's good for you!