Scottish Women’s Rural Institute’s tips on easy ways to get your two seafood portions a week

Oct 3 2008 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

FORMER chairman of Moray Seafoods and Scottish Women’s Rural Institute (SWRI) member, Isobel Eckersley has created three economical, delicious and easy-to-cook fish dishes to encourage the nation to eat the recommended two portions of seafood a week.

Isobel said: “With a short trip to your local fishmonger or supermarket you should be able to get your hands on anything from tender and meaty scallops to oil rich mackerel and a north east favourite, haddock.

“Seafood is a nutrient rich food that should play a very important role in our diet, providing high protein, vitamins and minerals and the best source of omega-3 fatty acids.”

Moray Seafoods was established in 1958 by Isobel’s husband, the late Charles Eckersley OBE, who was a pioneer in the shellfish industry.

Prawn & Sour Cream Bake

Serves four as a starter or two as a main course

INGREDIENTS –

6oz cooked peeled prawns, fresh or defrosted

3oz butter

2oz white breadcrumbs (whiz in food processor)

1 onion chopped

1 clove garlic peeled and crushed optional

6 oz low fat cream cheese

1 small carton sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

2 oz grated cheese (parmesan is very good)

Directions –

1 Preheat oven to 180C gas mark 4.

2 Melt half butter in frying pan.

3 Add breadcrumbs and cook until golden and set aside.

4 Melt the rest of the butter and fry the onion and garlic until soft.

5 Add the prawns, cream cheese and sour cream.

6 Remove from heat and season.

7 Spoon into a greased oven proof dish.

8 Mix the grated cheese with the breadcrumbs and spread on top of the creamy prawn mixture.

9 Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until topping is golden and bubbling.

10 Mushrooms added after onions are cooked make a tasty variation.

11 For a starter size use buttered ramekin dishes.

Cullen Skink

Serves four

INGREDIENTS –

2lb Broken smoked haddock pieces

6lb Potatoes

1 onion chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

White Sauce

1oz Butter

1oz Plain flour

1 pint Milk

Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS –

1 Peel and cut potatoes into quarters and par boil.

2 Feel haddock for any bones with fingertips and remove bones.

3 Heat olive oil in non-stick frying pan and add fish pieces (skin side down).

4 Cook fish pieces for 2-3 minutes only, turning gently.

5 Remove from heat and drain juices from the pan for the white sauce.

6 Flake fish and dice potatoes into bite-size pieces.

7 Make white sauce, melt butter in saucepan.

8 Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.

9 Take the pan off the heat, gradually stirring in the milk and fish juices.

10 Return to the heat, stirring continually, bring to the boil.

11 Simmer gently for 5-8 minutes and season with salt & pepper.

12. Add fish, potatoes and chopped onion to white sauce and cook gently for 15-20 minutes.