Fish with coriander pesto

Serves 2 in 25 mins – preferably 10 mins one day and 15 mins the next

I have been thinking about Hawaii a lot lately: my family, the sun, the sea, the sand, the waves, the hikes, the views, the relaxed life-style, and the food. You name it, I’ve thought about it. I think partly because it’s mid-May and we are still experiencing hail, and partly because I’ve started a company and I don’t know when I will get back. I miss the sunshine, but I don’t want to gripe. The weather is too easy to discuss in London, and, let’s face it; it’s not really that interesting.

Anyway, on Saturday I ventured down to Goode & Wright on Portobello Road for brunch with my friend Nicolle. This is an excellent brunch spot by the way. It has great food and a much better vibe than a lot of Notting Hill eateries – more relaxed and unpretentious.

Along the way, everything I saw was pointing to sunshine, from the Hawaiian Kukui nut leis hanging in market stalls to the dreadlocked Rastas selling coconut water and the Seychellois selling curries and fish samosas (yes Dad, sometimes they do have kari zourit).

After brunch I went down to Goldborne Road, which is my new favourite place in my extended ‘hood. It is just the right combination of ethnic, stores that have been there for years and new lifestyle type shops with interesting concepts.

One of the best parts of the street is the number of stalls/trucks that sell food to eat at makeshift tables – like this:

This is the real street food truck.

It also has the closest fishmonger to my house, Golborne Fisheries, and fish seemed like the perfect dish to bring some sunshine into my weekend.

Fishmongers are increasingly hard to come by. When I lived in Islington I went to the famous S J Hatt, and have been missing it. So, I am pleased to have found another.

There is plenty of choice, including this guy, who was alive and waving around a piece of parsley like the white flag of surrender.

I had decided on a tropical fish dish but bought sea bass, as it is more local and more sustainable than a lot of the tropical fish on display. Plus, I love how moist it is. I then made a coriander pesto with macadamia nuts and hard goats cheese to slather on top and served it with grilled plantain and a variation on Manto’s salad. (Manto being an extremely talented Indonesian chef who will get further mention on this blog.)

The coriander pesto is best made the day before so the ingredients have time get to know each other and the flavour really melds. Store it in the fridge but take it out a couple hours before you will serve it so it’s room temperature.

Coriander pesto ingredients:

• 1 bunch coriander – leaves only
• 1 lime juiced
• ½ red chilli, seeds removed
• 2 spring onions
• pinch salt
• 4 whole macadamia nuts
• 25g hard goat cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Blend everything except the olive oil. Once fine, add the olive oil. This whole process takes about 10 minutes.

The next day you will need:

• 1 sea bass filleted
• 1 plantain cut in half lengthways

And, for Manto’s salad:

• 1 small papaya at any stage of ripeness – riper will mean sweeter and green will mean more tart
• 1 head little gem lettuce
• 1/2 red chilli, seed removed
• 2 cm slice of shallot
• 1 lime juiced
• 2 tbsp mayo
• salt and pepper to taste

Turn the oven on to grill at 250C and put in plantain on some tinfoil for 4-5 mins. Then turn over and add the fish to the pan, putting it back in for another 5-7 mins.

While this is cooking, wash the gem lettuce and cut into strips widthways. Then chop the papaya, red chilli (finely!), and shallot (finely!) and add to the lettuce. Make a dressing from the mayo, limejuice and salt and pepper. Combine with the salad and toss.

Plate the fish and top each piece generously with the sauce, about 2 tbsp each (not just a drizzle!). Serve with half the plantain each and the salad.

The coriander pesto tastes cool and refreshing with a nutty creamy undertone and rising chilli.

The salad is quite chilli hot (Manto’s original even more so with raw garlic slices and two types of chilli) and then sweet or tangy depending on the ripeness of the fruit.