Pan Fried Paprika Cod and Fennel Moqueca

Bring a pot of water (the amount is specified in the ingredient table above) to the boil with the star anise and a good pinch of salt. Once boiling, add the rice, turn the heat down, put a lid on for 10 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to rest for 10 mins with the lid on, or until the rest of the meal is ready. Tip: If the rice is ready before everything else, it doesn’t matter, it will wait!

Time for the moqueca sauce! Put your bigger pieces of onion in a pan with a drizzle of oil and cook on medium heat for 5 mins, before adding your chopped fennel to the pan. Stir everything together and cook for another 7-10 mins. Season with a good pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper.

Once the 7-10 mins are up and your vegetables are soft, add the tomato purée, garlic, chopped coriander stalks and half the smoked paprika (use less if you don’t like spice). Cook for another minute then add the vegetable stock pot and specified water to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the stock pot. Once simmering, turn the heat down slightly and simmer the mixture for 10-15 mins.

Mix the rest of the smoked paprika with a drizzle of oil in a bowl then put the cod in the bowl too. Season each fillet with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper and then mix until it’s nicely coated in the paprika marinade.

Now it’s time for your salsa! Put a drizzle of olive oil in a bowl. Grate in the zest of the lime and squeeze in half the lime juice (use less lime if you’re not a huge citrus fan!). Mix together with a fork. Roughly chop the coriander leaves and chop the fennel tops (the ones put aside in step 1), as finely as you can. Put them both in the bowl with the lime dressing. Put your small pieces of onion in the bowl as well and then mix everything together.

Put a frying pan on medium-high heat. Once hot, place your cod in the pan skin-side down and cook for 3-4 mins before turning over and cooking for 3 mins on the other side (you don’t need extra oil in the pan). Tip: To get crispy skin on the fish, don’t move it around while it’s cooking!