Daz Switalla Flavour Secrets No.1 The Strand Chef www.no1thestrand.co.nz

Last week I explained how the mint had taken over the strawberry patch, this week I wanted to mention the ever present silverbeet in the garden.

It seems to have gone ballistic – even the chickens are chomping at the beak to eat them when I have to toss them out cause they have gone to seed.

This humble vegetable has been pretty much a Kiwi staple for many years. When we are all trying to stretch our budget, silverbeet usually remains consistently a low cost item or a must have for many vegetable gardens.

High in vitamin A, K and C, it is also rich in minerals, dietary fibre and protein. So what can you do that's a bit different with this popular vegetable?

There are many pie combinations on the internet using silverbeet, with the various forms of cheeses; ricotta, feta, Swiss cheese. I have tried a few, but my partners silverbeet pie tastes the best. Her secret is parmigiana cheese.

I have since used this idea as a crusting mix, a sort of a blanket which wraps itself onto chunks of fresh hapuka, sealing in the moisture and complimenting the flavour very well.

Fresh Fish in silverbeet and parmigiana blanket with caper sauce
Gluten-free recipe. Serves four.

Ingredients for blanket mix

Four chunks of fresh hapuka fillets, about 150g each
2 large or 4 med heads of finely chopped silverbeet
1/2 cup shredded parmigiana cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
3 eggs
Salt and pepper
Corn flour or fine polenta for dusting fish
300mls cream
1/2 glass white wine
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 Tbsp of capers
30g butter (optional)

Method

Whisk up lemon juice and eggs, add chopped silverbeet and parmigiana, dust fish chunks in corn flour then in mix, wrapping around some of the silverbeet mix. In a non stick pan heated to a medium heat, carefully place coated fish allowing each piece to seal in pan on each side, sometimes it helps to add a little oil. Place whole pan if possible or transfer to oven dish in medium oven about 200 degrees for approximately 10-15 minutes. This is of course determined by the size of fish, give it a poke – it should be firm.

For the sauce, reduce the wine with the zest until almost gone, add capers and cream. Reduce again till thick then add the lemon juice, while off the heat whisk in softened butter for those who need to give the sauce extra lift. Serve with the tender chunks of fish and micro greens or salad.