Part 20 (1/2)

Wipe the haddock fillets clean, run them briefly under the tap to rinse, then pat them dry with kitchen paper and place in a shallow dish. Sprinkle with a little salt, cover and put in the fridge to chill until needed.

Put the onion, carrot and thyme in a saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, then strain out the vegetables and pour the liquid into a frying pan large enough to hold the fish.

Put the new potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Fill another saucepan with water, and put it over a medium heat. Add the baby carrots to this pan after the potatoes have been cooking for 5 minutes, and cook for a further 2 minutes. Then add the mangetout or peas and green beans and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about a further 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the frying pan with the liquid over a medium heat and bring it to a simmer. Carefully slip the fish into the liquid and simmer until the fillets are cooked - how long this takes will depend on how thick they are, but should be about 2-5 minutes. The flesh will be opaque and flake easily when the fish is ready.

Drain the vegetables and put them in a warmed serving bowl; add a sliver of b.u.t.ter. Lift the fish out of the liquid using a slotted fish slice and put on warmed plates. Serve immediately with the baby vegetables, and with the garlic mayonnaise on the side.

B.

Have a slice of wholemeal bread with 1 teaspoon low-fat spread as well (this adds 100 calories)

C.

Have half a wholemeal roll with 1 teaspoon low-fat spread and add 1 more tablespoon mayonnaise as well (this adds 185 calories)

D.

Have an entire wholemeal roll with 2 teaspoons low-fat spread and add 1 more tablespoon mayonnaise as well (this adds 325 calories)

see all fish, poultry & meat FISH, POULTRY & MEAT.

Baked mackerel with carrot & fennel salad

If you never buy fennel because you're not sure how to cook it, try simply slicing it raw, as in this delicious salad.

CALORIES PER PORTION 590 Cals serves 2 2 x whole fresh mackerel (cleaned and heads removed), weighing about 200 g (7 oz) each 2 lemons a bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only 1 large shallot or small onion, sliced 2 garlic cloves, halved 300 g (10 oz) new potatoes 3 carrots, grated 1 fennel bulb, very finely sliced 4 teaspoons olive oil 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar 15 g (34 oz) b.u.t.ter salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 200C (400F), Gas mark 6. Wipe the fish clean, run them briefly under the cold tap to rinse, then pat them dry with kitchen paper. Put them on 2 large squares of foil and season them, inside and out.

Slice one lemon and stuff the fish with the slices, then add the parsley, the onion and the garlic halves. Pull the foil up around the fish and squeeze the juice of the other lemon all over the fish. Bring the foil up and seal the parcels. Carefully transfer them to a roasting dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the potatoes and the salad. Put the potatoes into a pan of lightly salted cold water, bring to the boil and cook until they are tender. Mix the carrot and fennel in a large bowl. Put the oil and vinegar in a jar, add a little black pepper, then seal the jar and shake until the dressing has combined. Pour it over the carrot and fennel and stir well. Drain the potatoes, put them in a bowl and slice the b.u.t.ter over the top.

Take the mackerel out of the oven and carefully unwrap the parcels. Put a fish on each plate and serve with the salad and new potatoes in their separate serving dishes.

B.

Increase the amount of potatoes to 500 g (1 lb) between two people (this adds 75 calories)

C.

Increase the amount of potatoes, as for B, and have half a wholemeal roll with 1 teaspoon low-fat spread as well (this adds 215 calories)

D.

As for B, and have an entire wholemeal roll with 2 teaspoons low-fat spread as well (this adds 355 calories)