Haddock, Mussels, Braised Cabbage, and Sundried Tomatoes
Serves 4
Coming from the Northeast of England, we would have fish and chips every Friday. My mam would order three papers at the local chippy, which is the store that sold freshly cooked battered fish and chips wrapped in newspaper. I can always remember carrying them home on a dark, cold winter’s night. Funny how many of my memories seem to be on a dark, cold winter night. Even at 4 pm it would be getting dark and hopefully the chilly wind was on my back and not in my face as I walked home. The paper kept my hands warm, and the smell of the fish and chips mixed with cheap vinegar made my belly rumble.
Unwrapping the paper when you got home, the steam and smell of the chip shop took over the room. Mam would get the plates. We would set the table. Dad would always get a full paper, and my mam and us three kids would get half a paper each. My brother and sister fought over the scraps, the little bits of deep, fried batter that fell off the fish while it cooked. Crispy morsels of death when you really think about it now. When you’re 10 years old, you don’t know any better, and they’re just delicious. We always had a choice between cod or haddock. I always chose haddock. You got a bigger portion, and it was cheaper.
Fast forward over forty years, my diet now is mainly 80 percent plant based. I never deep fry anything these days, and only pan fry using the smallest amount of oil for a crispy outer texture. It has been a number of years since I decided to choose this life style. It was to help my wife fight cancer, and I’m sure it prolonged her life from the three years the doctors told her she had back in 2008 to the eight years she actually lived. She left us in 2015. The experiment to see if a mainly plant-based diet would help her worked. From the doctors, we got zero nutrition advice. They only advocated drugs, which made her feel weak and frail. I have no scientific evidence to back up that that a plant-based diet helped her, but she did live longer than the doctors predicted. Plus, we both enjoyed the new foods, texture, smells and recipes that we cooked together. My wife was also a great cook. Good times, good food and really great memories of a beautiful lady, wife, and mother.
I’m so close to going 100 percent plant based now. I have to admit I could easily give up meat. I do love fish and shellfish. So, for the time being it’s still on my menu two or three times a week. Other meats for me can be a once a month event for me but not my boys. They like meat. At least twice a week they have it. I don’t force anyone to follow my beliefs, not even my children. I like the fact that they can think for themselves and deicide as they grow what is best for them.
Since I do not eat deep fried food anymore when I make fish and chips for the boys, it’s breaded fish and hand-cut chips baked in the oven. You still get great flavor, but it is far healthier for you in the long run. I still love haddock, and from my childhood days I love mussels. Mussels are a favorite of my middle son Matthew as well. He can eat them every day. A good combination of fresh haddock and freshly caught mussels makes a truly wonderful dish for dinner. Now, I’m not going for a cheap portion that’s big. It’s truly quality over price and size. With braised cabbage and sundried tomatoes, you develop a rich sauce that finishes off this dish perfectly. Bon Appetit!
Haddock, Mussels, Braised Cabbage, and Sundried Tomatoes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
½ cup shallots, peeled and chopped
3 cups cabbage, washed and roughly chopped
½ cup white wine
½ cup low sodium fish stock
1lb fresh mussels
1 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained of oil and roughly chopped
1 cup low sodium navy beans, drained
4 4oz to 6oz haddock fillets, double check and remove any bones
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
How to make:
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, and cook until it starts to wilt, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the mussels, white wine, and stock. Put the lid on, cook for a further 5 to 6 minutes until the shells open. Remove the lid. Add the tomatoes and beans, continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the herbs just before serving.
While the mussels are cooking, take a new frying pan and add the remaining oil. Warm it through then add the haddock fillets. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, and turn over. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until done to your liking.
To serve, divide the cabbage and mussels evenly between 4 serving bowls. Create a shallow well in each bowl, and top with a portion of haddock. Drizzle over any remaining sauce from the cabbage and mussel pan. Serve.