Boxing Day fish with almonds

26th December 2020 | Eativity editors

After all that feasting over Christmas, you’re probably in the mood for something a little lighter today. We totally hear you. To make up for the indulgences of the past few days, why not go for a fresh and healthy fish dinner for Boxing Day, using great Australian seafood?

This recipe for fish with almonds from Quirky Cooking’s Jo Whitton is so saintly, it may as well come with its own halo. It’s gluten-free, grain-free, egg-free and low FODMAP, and even has dairy-free and nut-free variations for those who want it.

“This is a very quick and easy way to cook fish, and there are no messy splatters on the stovetop to clean up afterwards,” Whitton says. “The crispy, lemony, roasted almonds in a buttery parsley sauce make this simple dish taste extra special.”

Serve your Boxing Day fish with roast vegetables and a leafy green salad, or a simple salad and some fermented vegetables on the side.

Jo Whitton’s Boxing Day fish with almonds

Jo Whitton’s Boxing Day fish with almonds

Serves 4–6

You’ll need:

3 tbsp ghee
1kg firm, white-fleshed Australian fish fillets*, skin removed, cut into serving sizes
Juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp fine sea salt, or to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
½ cup roughly chopped raw almonds
¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp butter, or extra ghee

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place a large ovenproof pan or roasting dish in oven to heat.

2. Once the pan is hot, remove from oven and add the ghee, spreading it evenly over the base. Add fish and turn over in the melted ghee.

3. Drizzle juice of ½ lemon over fish and season with salt and pepper.

4. Place in oven and roast for 10 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and check if fish is cooked by gently pulling apart the flesh on the thickest part with a fork. If it’s ready, the flesh inside will be opaque and flake easily. If the fish is not quite cooked, return to oven for another 5 minutes, or until done.

6. Remove fish to a dish, cover and keep warm. Add remaining lemon juice and almonds, parsley and butter or ghee to the hot pan and stir to combine. Return to oven for 5–10 minutes, stirring once, until almonds are crisp and golden brown.

7. Place fish on a serving platter and sprinkle over the almond–parsley mixture.

Dairy-free option: swap ghee and butter for coconut oil and/or olive oil.

Nut-free option: swap almonds for pepitas, and cook for 5 minutes in step 6.

*To find the most sustainable fish options this Boxing Day, check out the sustainable seafood guide at goodfish.org.au. You can also check out our sustainable seafood guide. To find Australian seafood near you, use the fish finder at greataustralianseafood.com.au