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Spiced kingfish with avocado tabbouleh

This refreshing dish has become something of a staple in our household due to its incredible flavour and the fact that I can get it on the table within 15 minutes of assembling the ingredients. I highly recommend buying a mortar and pestle and some small airtight jars (or recycle pre-used ones). Fill the jars with a variety of freshly ground spices, label them and put them in an accessible spot so you remember to use them. Just a sprinkling of a few different types of spice can elevate a humble piece of fish, chicken or steak to mouth-watering levels. Now, I'm not usually one to use measurements as I love to experiment and create a different flavour every time, but this spice mix works a treat.

4 x 120g kingfish fillets

1 tbsp coconut oil

lemon wedges to serve, optional

SPICE MIX

2 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper

SAUCE

80g black tahini

1 tsp harissa, optional

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

TABBOULEH

50g red quinoa, rinsed

2 large handfuls flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 large handfuls coriander leaves

1 handful mint leaves

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

½ lebanese cucumber, diced

1 large avocado, diced

1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

1 tbsp lemon juice

1. To make the spice mix, place all the spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder. Mix in the salt and pepper.

2. To make the sauce, place all the ingredients in a bowl or a jar with a lid and mix or shake to combine. Add two to four tablespoons of water to thin the sauce a little.

3. To make the tabbouleh, first cook the quinoa by placing it in a small saucepan with 160ml of water and bringing to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Set aside to cool.

4. Finely chop the herbs and combine with the quinoa and other tabbouleh ingredients in a small bowl.

5. Coat the fish in the spice mix. Melt the coconut oil in a frying pan over high heat and quickly sear the fish for 30 seconds on each side. Place the tabbouleh on serving plates, top with the fish and serve with the sauce and lemon wedges, if using.

Serves 4

Tips

1. I love to use fillets from the belly of the kingfish for this recipe.

2. Black tahini is made from black sesame seeds and is available from health food stores and Asian supermarkets.

Fish tagine with quinoa and green olives

It's common for people to be time-poor these days, so I appreciate the need for convenience when it comes to food. I imagine most people would look at this recipe and think, it's just not gonna happen. But I urge you to look at it with a different view – that it provides not one, but two or three nutritious meals. With this tagine, I often make a big potful of the base (the vegetables, herbs and spices), then before I add the seafood, I remove half or two-thirds of the mixture, allow it to cool and pop it in the fridge or freezer. That way, the next time I want to make a tagine, I can just pull it out, reheat it and add some fresh fish, mussels or prawns, or more quick-cooking vegies, like spinach, silverbeet or kale.

6 baby beetroot, peeled

3 baby fennel bulbs, quartered

12 baby carrots

1 sweet potato, cut into wedges

10 okra, halved lengthways

360g chermoula

3 tbsp honey

1 tsp sea salt

60g almonds, activated if possible

80g green Sicilian olives

250g red quinoa, rinsed

600g fish fillets, skinned, pin-boned and cut into 4cm pieces (I love using cod, barramundi or snapper)

1 preserved lemon, skin rinsed,  finely sliced

juice of 1 lemons

coriander leaves to serve

1. Combine the beetroot, fennel, carrots, sweet potato, okra, chermoula, honey, salt, almonds and olives in a tagine or large saucepan with one litre of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about one hour, or until the vegetables are well cooked.

2. While the vegetables are cooking, place the quinoa in a saucepan with 850ml of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Place the quinoa in a bowl or spread it on a tray and allow to cool.

3. Stir in the fish and preserved lemon. Simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through, stirring gently from time to time. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.

4. Scatter with coriander leaves and serve with the quinoa.

Serves 4

What dinner can you have on the table in 15 minutes? Share your dish or recipe in the comments below.

Comment of the week
The comment on this story judged to be the best by the goodfood.com.au editor will be published in The Feed in the Epicure and Good Food print sections on Tuesday and win $100 in prepaid cards courtesy of eftpos. Comments will close on this story at 9.30am AEST Thursday May 29th.

Recipes from Healthy Every Day by Pete Evans, published by Plum (RRP $39.99)