Fish fillets with a spicy marinade

This recipe ticks all the boxes: fresh, spicy, fast and crispy. The marinade can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for a couple of days. The fish can be marinading while you get other things done in the kitchen, and it only takes minutes to cook. But it’s important to only allow the fish to marinade for a maximum of 30 minutes, otherwise it will fall apart and be difficult to handle. Serve with a big, crisp salad of cucumber, tomatoes, peppers and onions in a sharp lemon dressing.

1 Place all the marinade ingredients in a food processor. Blitz until you have a rough puree. Empty into a stainless steel bowl and add the fish fillets and mix well. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.

2 Remove the fish from the marinade, shaking of the liquid, and place in a single layer on a baking tray. Drain the liquid from the marinade bowl, and take the remaining solids and pat them all over both sides of the fillets, pressing it firmly as you go.

3 Spread the corn flour on a large plate. Dip the fillets carefully, one at a time, in the flour, coating both sides, and lay them back on the tray.

4 Put a 5mm depth of oil in a large frying pan or sauté pan and set over a medium-high heat. When hot, slip the fillets into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes per side, until reddish-brown. Drain on kitchen paper and serve at once.