Easter recipes: How to make fish broth, fish & vegetables for Easter Sunday brunch

Nothing fishy about these delicious fish recipes which can be easily prepared at home for Easter celebrations: Pesce Aqua Pazza, and Caldeirada.

The harbinger of new life and hope, Easter is a celebration and how can any celebration be without good food and drinks? This Sunday being Easter calls for a breakfast spread followed by a lazy, lavish lunch. Listed below are two fish-based dishes that should elevate any feast. The Pesce Aqua Pazza is a classic Neapolitan dish made with fresh fish poached with veggies and water while the Caldeirada is a mild dish made with any white fish and suitable for any palette. Chef Ralph Prazeres, who has prepared the latter, is also helming an Easter pop-up this weekend at Slink & Bardot, Worli, Mumbai. Here's to good food and celebrations!

Pesce Aqua Pazza by Chef Pavan Kumar, Casanoni, Goa

Pesce Aqua Pazza

For fish stock

Ingredients:

Fish bones: 100 gm

Onion: 40 gm

Celery: 20 gm

Leeks: 30 gm

Pepper corn whole: 5 gm

Bay leaf: 1 gm

Salt: 4 gm

Water: 1/2 litre

Method

Wash the fish bones and add to a pan; broil with vegetables, add water and simmer for 25 min. Strain the stock and keep aside.

For the fish

Ingredients:

Sea bass fillet: 300 gm

White wine: 50 ml

Extra virgin olive oil: 50 ml

Cherry tomatoes red: 50 gm

Cherry tomatoes yellow: 50 gm

Celery: 30 gm

Peeled garlic: 10 gm

Fresh red chili deseeded: 3 gm

Sea salt: 5 gm

Flat parsley: 15 gm

Refined flour: 20 gm

Method

Dust the seabass fillet with flour, salt and keep aside.

In a hot pan, add olive oil. Sear the seabass on both sides and take out.

Add garlic to the pan, once translucent, deglaze with white wine, add chopped celery, half cut cherry tomatoes, chili. Season with salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add fish stock, fish fillet and simmer till the fish is cooked. Finish with olive oil, lemon and chopped parsley.

Caldeirada by Chef Ralph Prazeres

Caldeirada

Ingredients

Any white fish: 6 slices

Salt to taste

Garlic: 10 cloves, minced

Ginger: 1-inch piece, minced

Green chillies: 4, minced

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp

Onions: 3 large onions, sliced into nice rounds

Tomatoes: 3 large tomatoes, sliced into rounds

Vinegar: 1 tbsp

Olive oil: 2 tbsp

Chopped coriander for garnish

Method

Clean and wash the fish.

Mix garlic, ginger, green chillies, turmeric and a bit of salt.

In a shallow pan, arrange half the onions in a layer, followed by half the tomatoes. Place half the fish on top and sprinkle with half the spice mix.

Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients.

Pour over vinegar, oil and water to cover.

Cover pan. Place on medium heat and cook till the fish is done. Carefully lift the fish out and arrange on serving dish, pour the gravy over it. Garnish with a bit of coriander. Serve hot.