Dishes of Fish and Seafood

These pollock fish cakes baked in the oven are a simple, healthy weeknight dinner that works equally well for the whole family and on a kids' menu. Pollock is an affordable, mild white fish that turns out wonderfully tender and juicy when handled right. Baking in the oven keeps the cakes lighter than pan-frying and helps preserve their soft texture. Run the pollock fillets through a meat grinder or blitz in a food processor with sautéed onion and grated carrot, add milk-soaked white bread, an egg and seasonings. Shape into patties, place on a baking sheet, brush lightly with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes until golden. Proportions for 12 cakes inside.

A whole stuffed carp baked in the oven is an impressive holiday centerpiece that always commands attention at the table. The whole golden-skinned fish with a juicy vegetable filling looks ceremonial yet cooks just as easily as a regular bake. Clean and gut the carp thoroughly, remove the gills (this is essential — otherwise the fish will turn bitter), and rub with salt, pepper, lemon juice and spices inside and out. Stuff the cavity with sautéed onions, carrots and mushrooms, lemon slices and dill sprigs. Bake on a foil-lined sheet at 180°C (350°F) for 50-60 minutes until cooked through. Proportions for a 1.5-2 kg fish and serving tips inside.

Oven-baked pollock with vegetables is a simple, diet-friendly and remarkably tasty dish that delivers maximum nutrition with minimum calories and fat. Pollock is an affordable white sea fish with tender flesh and a low fat content, and pairing it with vegetables and baking it in its own juices under foil makes it an ideal choice for healthy eating, slimming or children's menus. Cut the pollock fillet into serving pieces, season with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish on a bed of carrot rounds, zucchini, broccoli, tomato and onion. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil and sprinkle with herbes de Provence. Cover with foil and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 25-30 minutes, then uncover for a final 5 minutes to get a light golden top. Proportions for 4 servings inside.

Whole crucian carp stuffed with vegetables and baked in the oven turns this humble freshwater fish into a true centerpiece. The vegetable stuffing makes the fish juicier and more aromatic while also serving as a built-in side dish that decorates the plate beautifully. For the filling I use sautéed onion and carrot, lemon slices, dill, parsley and garlic — simple ingredients that balance the carp's flavor and neutralize any river-fish smell. Rub the fish with salt, pepper and olive oil inside and out, stuff with the vegetables, place on a baking sheet and roast at 200°C (400°F) for 30-35 minutes until deeply golden. Proportions for 4 fish and prep tips inside.