MUSHROOM, CARROT & QUINOA FISH BALLS

Serves 6

(makes approx. 24 fish balls)

INGREDIENTS

• 500g hake fillets (or any firm white fish)
• extra virgin olive oil
• 500g white button mushrooms
• 1 large carrot, peeled & grated
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 XL free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• zest of 1 lemon
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup spring onions, sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste

For the tomato rice

• 2 tablespoons (30g) butter
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 ½ cups long grain rice

For the herbed yoghurt sauce

• 1 cup Greek-style /double cream yoghurt
• 1 handful fresh herbs, roughly chopped (dill, parsley & chives work well)
• ½ lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

1. For the herbed yoghurt sauce: mix all ingredients together in a bowl and set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
2. For the tomato rice: cook rice according to package instructions. Heat butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook gently until softened. Add the tinned tomato and season well. Simmer until the tomato has thickened and reduced. Stir through the cooked rice and fold it gently into the tomato sauce.
3. Keep the lid on and the rice warm until ready to serve.
4. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Place hake fillets on a lined baking tray.
5. Lightly brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until fully cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before removing any bits of skin.
6. Lightly flake the cooked fillets into a large bowl and set aside to cool completely.
7. Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until they are finely chopped. In a large saucepan heat a drizzle of olive oil and add the mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms give off all their water and begin to brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
8. Add the cooled mushrooms to the flaked fish along with the rest of the ingredients. Season and mix well.
9. Roll into balls about the size of a golf ball. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 25 minutes.
10. Serve fish balls on tomato rice with a dollop of herbed yoghurt sauce.