The Changing Seasons: April 2018

An autumn dish; tarakihi fillet with rosemary lime crumb, roasted butternut squash and watercress salad. Image: Su Leslie, 2018

In this last month we have truly felt a seasonal change. The hot, humid days (and nights) are gone; replaced by cold winds, frequent rain and storms which left thousands of my fellow Aucklanders without electricity — some for up to a week.

Cooler temperatures make the kitchen a much more appealing place to be. So when my local grocer had some really fresh tarakihi fillets (ocean bream or morwong to non-Kiwis), butternut squash and fresh limes (at a price that didn’t require me to sell a kidney), I thought I’d try out a dish based on couple of recipes I’d found.

Butternut squash, paired with lime and rosemary. Image: Su Leslie, 2018

And since I haven’t done a “Version 2” Changing Seasons post for a while, this month you’re getting my pan-fried tarakihi with a rosemary lime crumb and roasted butternut squash.

The actual recipes are:

Lemon & rosemary crusted fish fillets (I replaced the lemon with lime)

Roasted butternut squash with lime and rosemary

Image: Su Leslie, 2018

Peeled and cubed squash mixed with olive oil, lime zest and chopped rosemary before roasting. Image: Su Leslie, 2018

While I did prepare the squash pretty much according to the recipe, I modified the fish dish a bit.

The original recipe involves grilling the fish with the breadcrumb topping.

Some stale bread, rosemary leaves and lime zest; blitzed to a crumb. This forms a topping for the fish. Image: Su Leslie, 2018

But since I was using the oven to cook the squash, I decided to pan-fry the tarakihi. I also hate overcooked fish, and being able to watch its progress in a pan means I’m more likely to “get it right.”

Someone told me that you get a really good result by:

a) making sure the skin is really dry

b) putting the fish skin-side down in a hot pan until only the thickest part of the fillet is still opaque

c) turning the fish and and taking the pan off the heat

d) removing the fish from the pan after about a minute.

Worked for me!

The downside of that method is that you can’t make the crust, but I fried the breadcrumb mix in the same quantity of olive oil the recipe suggested putting over the crust. I spread it over the fish on the plate (and on the squash after I’d taken the photos). Yum!

The addition of watercress and a squeeze of lime helped balance the sweetness of the squash. Image: Su Leslie 2018

Image: Su Leslie, 2018

About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly challenge, originally hosted by Max at Cardinal Guzman. I’ve taken over hosting duties this year, and if you would like to join in, here are the guidelines:

The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic):

• Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
  
• Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
• Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them

The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):

• Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
• Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
• Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.

If you do a ping-back to this post, I can update it with links to all of yours.

UPDATE

First of all, my apologies for taking longer than usual to create this blogroll. I’ve just got back home after a fab week away.

So here are other bloggers’ Changing Seasons’ posts for April. Please visit and enjoy the month though their eyes.

Marilyn at Serendipity Seeking Intelligent Life on Earth

Ladyleemanila

Tish at Writer on the Edge

Joanne at Following a Bold Plan and My Life Lived Full

Sarah at Art Expedition

Max at Cardinal Guzman

Deb at The Widow Badass

Ruth at RuthsArc

Ju-Lyn at Sunrise Sunset

Pauline at Living in Paradise

Jude at Under a Cornish Sky

Mick at Mickscog

Yvette at Priorhouse Blog