PREGNANCY RECIPE: fish fingers, chips and peas

If it's true about tastes being passed from mother to baby, then our Rosebud is going to be a huge fan of ham and cheese sandwiches, peas and chocolate (not in the same mouthful, I should add, no bonkers cravings going on here). Yes, I've exposed her to plenty of flavours - vegetables and fruits through the seasons, fish, game and spices - but childhood flavours seem to come up time and again. So, only fitting on a Friday to recreate that teatime favourite, fish fingers, chips and peas but in a slightly more foodie form. A word of warning - the butternut squash doesn't crisp up like your usual spud so swap for a good starchy potato like Maris Piper or King Edward if you want something closer to the real thing.

Fish fingers, chips and peas

You can use lots of other fish for the fingers such as cod, coley or salmon.
 
Serves 2
Prep: 5-10 mins
Cook: 30 mins

2 haddock loins, cut in half
3 tbsp stale breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and sliced into chips
250g frozen peas
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp mayonnaise

1. Preheat your oven to 200c/180c fan/Gas 6. 

2. Peel the butternut squash then cut in half. Scoop out the seeds then slice into evenly sized chips. Put some olive oil in a roasting tray then put in the oven to heat for a few minutes. When the oil is hot, add the chips, making sure they’re spread out so they can crisp up on the metal surface. Season then put in the oven. 

3. Meanwhile, cut the haddock loins in half. Dip the fingers into the egg then into the breadcrumbs. An easy way to coat them is to put the breadcrumbs in a freezer bag, add the fish then shake the bag. Repeat for all 4 fish fingers then put onto an oiled baking sheet. Put in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until crisp, golden and cooked through.

4. Make the pea puree by cooking the frozen peas in a pan of boiling water for 2 mins. Drain and mix with the capers and mayonnaise. Blitz in a food processor until roughly mashed.

5. Serve with lemon wedges and vinegar. Yummm.