Fish Balls With Coriander Pesto
Age Appropriate: 8 months plus or for the whole family.
This simple, tasty dish is packed full of the antioxidant amino acid taurine. In this recipe, you could use white fish or salmon. Salmon, in particular, is an excellent source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium.
Salmon has the 2 Omegas 3s – DHA and EPA known to make us happy and for good brain function. The body cannot make omega-3 fatty acids, so the best way to obtain them is through the food we eat! This is an excellent option for babies, introducing them to seafood and fish. It is age-appropriate for 8 months onwards.
Note that it is best to source wild-caught salmon, usually from Canada. Salmon here in Australia, particularly Atlantic salmon, is farmed. The fish are often not well, so they are fed antibiotics and other crazy things like chicken fat to fatten them up quickly and also food colouring to improve the colour for sale. As you can imagine, this is not great for your baby’s first introduction to seafood or fish and will affect their precious microbiome negatively. At this stage, we are looking to build their microbiome health within the first 1000 days. Sourcing wild-caught fish will ensure higher nutrient absorption.
Ingredients
Coriander Chilli Pesto
1 Bunch coriander
Half bunch parsley (optional)
1-2 red or green chilli deseeded (depending on how spicy you like it)
1-2 garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 Cup (approximately) melted coconut oil
Salt to taste
Fish Balls
500g Wild Caught Salmon or firm white fish snapper/barramundi (tip: if buying the fish from a fish monger, ask them to mince it for you; use the processor.)
Half a bunch of fresh coriander chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
Onion powder to taste
Garlic powder garlic to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste
Coconut oil for shallow frying
Method
Prepare the Pesto first. This will last approximately 3 days in the fridge.
Place all ingredients in a blender.
Taste and add more seasoning or lemon juice, according to your preference.
Put aside until ready to serve.
Secondly, prepare the fish balls.
In a bowl, place all ingredients and mix well.
Spoon large tablespoon portions of the mixture and roll into balls.
Heat a large fry pan with a good amount of coconut oil for frying.
Place fish balls in the pan, carefully turning them so they cook all over and through to just cooked in the middle. You could leave them slightly pink in the middle for a more moist fish ball if using salmon.
Serve with the Coriander Pesto.