I love recipes for main dishes that incorporate fruit, and the flavours in this dish are a perfect blend of savoury and sweet. Though the original recipe called for the orange and dates to be served as a salad (sans mixed greens), I prefer my version which combines fruit ,veggies, and couscous together with the fish served on top. Though the dish I photographed uses green beans, I much prefer it with roasted asparagus spears rested over the top of the salad, with the fish again placed on top.
Ingredients
Makes 2
– 3 naval oranges
– 6 dates
– small handful of fresh mint
– 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/2 cup couscous
– 1 packet green beans or a bunch of asparagus (enough for 2 people)
– 2 cups rocket
– 2 x 150g white fish fillets (I used tarakihi)
– Moroccan seasoning
– olive oil
Instructions
1. Start by preparing the oranges from the salad, make sure you prepare them over a bowl to catch the juices. Cut 2 and a half of the oranges into 8ths, remove the skins, and cut each 8th into chunks. Cut the dates into thin strips. Add oranges and dates to a medium sized bowl along with mint, cinnamon, and half a teaspoon of olive oil
2. Line a baking tray with tin foil. Snip the ends off the beans/asparagus (whichever you are using), and spread over the tray baking tray. Squeeze the juice from a 1/2 of the remaining orange (i.e. 1/4 of an orange) over the beans/asparagus and top with salt/pepper. Place in the oven at 180degrees celsius fan bake for 15-20 minutes (or until cooked to your desired crispy-ness).
3. Place couscous in a bowl and addd 1/2 cup boiling water, a drop of olive oil, and pinch (or two) of salt to taste. Cover and leave for 5 minutes.
4. Fluff couscous with a fork, and add to it the juice from the remaining orange segment. Add the couscous to the orange and date mixture, along with the rocket. Stir until combined and season with pepper. If you’re using beans, add them to this mixture.
5. Combine 1 a teaspoon of olive oil with 1 tablespoon of Moroccan seasoning in a bowl. Dip fish fillets into the seasoning until coated. Place in a frying pan over a medium head, and cook fish for 3 minutes on each side (flipping only once to avoid breakage) or until golden and cooked through.
5. Divide the mixture amongst two plates. If you’re using asparagus, place asparagus on top of each mixture. Place fish on the very top of the mixture.
