Wednesday 9 November 2011

Mackerel and Cream Cheese Pasta



One of the main things that stops me being a vegetarian is that I would miss fish too much! Red meat I can do without, though it is nice for a treat once in a while, and chicken and turkey are just nice for a bit of variety, but fish...I definitely couldn't live without! I need my brain food!

Not so long a go a friend of mine introduced me to this dish - I don't know his exact recipe, and didn't have him around to ask so I thought I would experiment, luckily for me it was a success!

The pasta is hearty, cheese is creamy, brocolli is fresh, and mackerel salty which makes it the perfectly balanced dish!

What's more, the combination of cheap ingredients and the omega 3 (a.k.a. brain food) makes it brilliant for students!




Pricing (for one portion) - based on Asda's own brand unless otherwise specified:

Mackerel (half a tin) 37p, Pasta 5p (can't belive how cheap pasta is these days? CLICK HERE), Cream cheese 20p, Brocolli 18p, Salt & Pepper 1p...

Total = 81p!

This recipe definitely deserves to make it into my best budget recipes.



If you've not come across mackerel before, or are looking for new ways to cook it, I highly recommend this recipe!


@Verygoodrecipes.com: Mackerel, Cream Cheese, Pasta, Brocolli, Fish

10 comments:

  1. Oooo! This looks lovely. Definitely going to try this out this evening with smoked mackerel!

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  2. Let me know how it goes, I personally think it is so moreish! Hence the GIANT mound in that pasta bowl haha! (I am a greedy guts!)

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  3. I cannot believe how cheap this is!! Great budget cooking. xx

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  4. This was sooo yummy! Definitely making it again =D Gave you a mention on my blog with the recipe.

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  5. I'm glad you liked it Sinead, and thanks for the mention! If I was you abi I'd head down to Asda and stock up on the ingredients ;)

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  6. I've been looking for new ideas for simple pasta dishes and this ticks all the boxes!

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  7. I've got a tin of anchovy fillets and a tin of sardines in my cupboard and I'm not afraid to use them! Why did no one tell me how cheap tinned oily fish is?! Expect lots more fishy fancies guys :)

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  8. What's all this Kitchen Goddess stuff..make room for the Kitchen King..lol
    Can I suggest a variation on your mackerel and cream cheese pasta.

    I have 3 kids (girls to make it worse) all fussy eaters bar 1.
    So having caught a load of mackerel last evening we decided to look at what's in the fridge and make something different. I googled your recipe page and liked what I saw. However as Mackerel can have some nasty bones if not filleted properly, kids early impression of fish, if a bone is swallowed can be very off putting, and it can be a very long term thing with them.
    So thanks to having run my own restaurant in a previous life, I decided to de-bone the complete fish and bake them all separately. Preperation of an adequate amount of fish like these ones straight from the sea , means you can afford to remove all bones by placing your finger under the main back bone and raise it until you can run your finger from top to bottom of the fish, under a running water tap.You should see the fish bones rise from the side flesh and although you will lose some edible flesh you can easily remove the remaining bones when the back bone removed. Remember to trim off the side fins and of course the back bone fins and trim the side edges of the fish lying on its back you will see this is the white skin feels tough and can be bland to eat.
    Once ready to bake pre heat the oven to 150C,
    Cover both the flesh and the outer skin with a light coating of sunflower oil and add a similar coating of plain flour.Fold and place along side each other in a deep baking tray. Drain off any excess fluids from the tray.
    Place on the high shelf and leave to cook for about 15 mins.
    Remove the tray now and turn the pieces to their opposite side. Add a thin layer of butter to each one on the skin side facing up.Add a generous sprinkling of mixed herbs across them all.
    Place in the oven at increased temperature of 180C.
    Now prepare the pasta and cheese. Instead of using broccolli I got a package of fresh Kale ( 10p in ASDA at 9.45 pm good time for a rummage) , enough to feed 5.
    Bring the Kale to the boil and then reduce heat considerably to a light simmer.
    Cook the pasta for around 6 minutes on the boil. Taste for texture.
    Take 2 ASDA cream cheese containers, one plain and one with cloves and gently heat until first bubbles appear stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
    Increase the heat on the fish to 200C
    Now in a large mixing bowl Add the drained pasta and Kale, mix thoroughly.
    Now add the cheese sauce, mixing again thoroughly.
    Place the pasta mix in another baking tray and place on the lower oven shelf.
    Creamed cheese can be an acquired taste and can be strong in odour, potentially off putting for you know who, so I mixed a packet of onion sauce with a half pint of semi skimmed milk (already in the fridge) I am sure any type of milk will do. and again being careful to stir and not boil the sauce, removed from direct heat and then mixed the sauce through the baking pasta mix.

    Now ready to serve.

    Fish should have a nice crackling , brown outer skin, and will have retained its juices by virtue of the flour coating. Pasta tasted nice and mild and I reckon that meal had at least 24 of the 5 essential each day.
    Guaranteed way to get kids to eat greens.
    Hope this is of help to your followers. Total cooking and prep time 35 mins
    Cheers, Martin

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    Replies
    1. Wow Martin that sounds fantastic!!! Bones in fish are an issue - my Mum at 51 is still wary about fish on the bone.

      Thank you so much for sharing this.

      I hope you'll become a regular reader. The blog will also be moving home in a few weeks and with your permission I'd like to republish this comment when the recipe moves with it.

      The new home will be http://supperinthesuburbs.wordpress.com

      I hope to hear from you again soon.

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