Serves 4-6

For the burger:

½ onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

8 slices pancetta, finely chopped

500g good-quality beef mince, with no less than 30% fat

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Salt and black pepper

50g Gorgonzola, crumbled

Non-stick cooking spray

For the caramelised onions:

450g onions, sliced

2 tbsp olive oil

For the pesto:

110g fresh basil leaves

110ml olive oil

25g pine nuts

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

50g Parmesan, grated

To serve:

4 Burger Baps

1 To make the burgers, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium head and cook the onion, garlic and pancetta for five minutes. Allow it to cool.

2 Meanwhile, mix the mince with the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Add the onion mixture when it is cold and mix well.

3 Form the mixture into eight thin patties and place even amounts of the Gorgonzola into the centre of half. Top with the remaining patties and mould the mince so the burger is an even thickness all around. Set aside to chill until needed.

4 For the caramelised onions, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the onions. Cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onions are dark and soft.

5 For the pesto, combine the basil, olive oil, pine kernels and garlic in a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the Parmesan. Set aside until serving.

6 When the onions are almost done, heat a grill, barbecue or frying pan to a medium-high heat, lightly coating with some cooking spray, and cook the burgers for 4-5 minutes per side for medium, or as to your liking. To serve, place a burger on a bun, top with the onions and a spoonful of pesto.

Serves 4

200g rice

1 tbsp vegetable oil

450g loin of pork, cut into 3cm cubes

1 tsp red curry powder

150g mangetout

70ml light coconut milk

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp red curry paste

1 mango, chopped

5 spring onions, chopped

2 tbsp desiccated coconut

1 lime, quartered

1 Cook the rice according to the packet instructions, omitting the salt and fat.

2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle the pork with the curry powder and add the pork and mangetout to the pan. Cook for three minutes.

3 Combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, and curry paste in a bowl, add to the pan and bring to a simmer.

4 Stir in the mango and half of the spring onions and cook for one minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from the heat.

5 Divide the rice evenly among serving plates and top with the pork mixture. Sprinkle each with the remaining spring onions and coconut, and serve with lime wedges.

Serves 4

280g self-raising flour

800ml milk

2 tbsp, plus 1 tsp, vegetable oil

300g mushrooms

300g cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbsp cream

A large handful of pine nuts

1 tbsp chives, chopped

1 Whisk together the flour and milk until smooth.

2 Heat one teaspoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Pour three tablespoons of the batter into the pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake. Flip the pancake over and cook the other side until golden brown.

3 Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the mushrooms for five minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook for another three minutes.

4 Stir in the cream and pine nuts and cook until combined. Divide the pancakes among the plates and top with the mushroom mixture and chives.

Serves 4

Cooking spray

450g skinless salmon fillet

Salt and black pepper

140g bulgar

2 cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

A large handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

A small handful of fresh mint leaves

½ red onion, thinly sliced

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 Lightly coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over a medium heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and cook for five minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate until cool.

2 Meanwhile, combine the bulgar with 500ml of boiling water. Leave to stand for about 20 minutes until tender, then drain and return to the bowl.

3 Toss the bulgar with the cucumbers, parsley, mint, onion, lemon juice and oil, then season with salt and pepper.

4 Use a fork to flake the salmon into large pieces and gently fold it into the bulgar mixture.

Chicken Tamarind Curry
Serves 6

10 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1½ tbsp tamarind paste
200ml coconut milk
80ml coconut cream

For the sauce:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1½ tsp mustard seeds
2 onions, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1½ tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
½ tbsp paprika
1½ x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
1½ tbsp dried curry leaves
250ml chicken stock
1 tbsp golden muscovado sugar

To serve:
A large handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

1 Put the chicken in a big mixing bowl, add the lime juice, pepper and turmeric, and mix well. (It’s best to use gloves for this as the turmeric stains fingers.) Set aside for one hour.
2 To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 30 seconds until they become fragrant.
3 Add the onions, cover with the lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally.
4 Remove the lid, turn up the heat, add the garlic and ginger, and cook for one minute.
5 Stir in the paprika and continue cooking for another 30 seconds.
6 Add the tomatoes, dried curry leaves, stock and sugar and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced.
7 Heat the oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 Meanwhile, to make the chicken, heat half the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan and cook the chicken in batches until golden, using oil as needed. Transfer the chicken to a warm plate, cover and keep warm.
8 Put the chicken in an ovenproof casserole dish and pour over the sauce. Cover with foil and place in the oven to cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is tender. Skim off any oil from the top of the sauce.
9 Take the chicken pieces out of the tin and transfer to a serving dish. Pour the sauce into a large frying pan and bring to a simmer.
10 Stir in the tamarind paste, coconut milk and half the coconut cream. Adjust the flavour as per your taste by adding more sugar or tamarind.
11 Ladle the sauce over the chicken, drizzle with the remaining coconut cream, and scatter with coriander before serving.

Nicholas Lynch, of Nick’s Fish in Ashbourne, Co. Meath, talks through the fish, which are often overlooked at the fishmonger’s counter. “Megrim, albacore tuna, white sole, line-caught mackerel, deep water grey mullet, brown crab and ling are all native to Ireland and at their peak in June. They are guaranteed to make a delicious meal with minimal effort, but best of all, they’re usually cheaper than the more sought-after varieties and can be easily used as substitutes in many of your favourite recipes. These fish are high in Omega-3 and absolutely delicious. They can be cooked on the barbecue, under the grill, baked whole, or the fillets sautéed in a frying pan. They’re best when cooked simply, so grilling them whole is a great way to eat these.”

MEGRIM

“Megrim are flat fish and known sometimes as ‘Megs’. They’re one of the most delicious fish you can get. They have a sweet sole flavour, but are a bit more delicate. These are highly undervalued in Ireland, selling for half or a quarter of the price they do in Spain and France. They’re slightly oily and can be cooked similarly to sole, either whole or in fillets. Since they have such a soft flavour, it is best not to overpower them with too many flavours and spices when cooking.”

Recipe Suggestion: Whole-Baked Megrim

ALBACORE TUNA

“This tuna is slightly drier than the tuna you’d find throughout the rest of the year. Because of its diet, it avoids the pitfalls of regular tuna and, in the US, it is regarded as the “safest” tuna, since it’s said to have the lowest risk of carrying mercury. It’s best to buy this whole and on the grill, since it has enough natural oils to withstand that sort of cooking. It will be labelled as albacore tuna, but ask your fishmonger just to be sure you’re getting this great variety.”

Recipe Suggestion: Wasabi Albacore Tuna Kebabs

WHITE SOLE

“Also known as ‘witches’, and sometimes called ‘lemon sole’ in restaurants, white sole is actually available year-round, but will be at its absolute best in the early summer. It has a beautiful light and lean taste. Since whitefish only has oil in the liver, try a method of cooking that retains or promotes moisture, such as pan-frying or baking with a sauce.”

Recipe Suggestion: Sole Meunière

LINE-CAUGHT MACKEREL

“Unlike the regular tank-caught mackerel, line-caught mackerel has a smaller chance of bruising, and is guaranteed to be as fresh as possible when it reaches the fishmonger. It’s a good, simple fish that is excellent when smoked and can stand up well to more intensive methods of cooking, such as barbecuing or grilling. They also keep their shape when poached or cooked in soups.”

Recipe Suggestion: Easy Bouillabaisse with Line-Caught Mackerel

DEEP WATER GREY MULLET

“Deep Water Grey Mullet has the same diet as bass and bream, so it will have a very similar flavour, which is strong and earthy. It is very popular in Asian cuisine. You can prepare it as you would a bass, so grilling whole, pan-frying fillets or steaming are all excellent options.”

Recipe Suggestion: Steamed Deep Water Grey Mullet

BROWN CRAB

“Brown crab has the same meat as regular crab, just with a brown shell. However, it is much cheaper than normal crab, which is often already processed before being sold. Brown crab, on the other hand, is always fresh since they have to be stored live in tanks, meaning you need to visit your fishmonger to buy this. You can use almost all the meat, and it’s cooked the same way as regular crab or lobster.”

Recipe Suggestion: Spaghetti with Brown Crab & Basil

LING

“Ling is a member of the cod family and has a firm, white flesh. It has a really great flavour that can handle almost any type of cooking, from frying to grilling. It’s not oily, so be sure to use some sort of oil or sauce when cooking it.”

Recipe Suggestion: Grilled Ling with Peas, Leek and Bacon

To get the easy-to-make recipe suggestions for these delicious fish, pick up a copy of the June issue of Easy Food!

Check out www.nicksfish.ie

Martin Anderson is owner and chef of Crest Catering Company and Cookery School in Co. Donegal. He is also a cookery book author and hosts cookery demonstrations as “Fat Chef Slim” to show the benefits of healthy eating. Find him on facebook at www.facebook.com/fatchefslim.

Picatta of Chicken, Tomato, Coriander and Chilli Salsa and Tandoori-Spiced Wedges
Serves 4

4 skinless chicken fillets, fat trimmed, sliced
Salt and black pepper
Reduced-fat cooking spray
2 beef tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1 fresh chilli pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
100g coriander, chopped
A pinch of sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

For the tandoori-spiced rooster potato wedges:
1 tbsp tandoori powder or paste
1 garlic clove, chopped
1.5 kg rooster potatoes, cut into eighths
Reduced-fat cooking spray

1. First, make the wedges. Preheat the oven to 170˚C/150˚C fan/gas mark 5. Mix the garlic and tandoori together in a large bowl. Spray the potatoes with a bit of cooking spray and add to the bowl. Cover with clingfilm and shake well to coat the wedges in the spice mixture. Transfer the wedges to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and roast for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

2. Slice the chicken on a diagonal and season with salt and pepper. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat and lightly coat with cooking spray. Place the chicken in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the chicken is done.

3. Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl to make the salsa.

4. Serve the chicken warm with the salsa and wedges.

Garden Quiche
Serves 6

2 sheets of ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
40g butter
85g courgettes, sliced
85g green beans, halved lengthways
85g peas
1 onion, chopped
300ml milk
25g plain flour
2 eggs
50g ricotta cheese

To serve:
Green salad

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Lightly grease a fluted 23cm loose-base flan/quiche tin.
2 Line the base and sides of the tin with pastry and trim off any excess. Line the pastry with baking paper and half-fill with dried beans or rice. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans. Bake a further 10 minutes or until golden.
3 Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook the green vegetables and onions for five minutes, stirring until soft. Stir the milk and flour into the pan until it thickens to a smooth sauce. Cool for five minutes, stirring frequently.
4 Beat the eggs into the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry case and scatter with the ricotta.
Bake for 40 minutes until the filling is set and turning golden. Cool for a few minutes before taking from the tin. Serve with a green salad.

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