Pan-Fried Pollock with Cucumber & Herb Salad
Tender pollock fillet meets a refreshingly light cucumber and herb salad, proving that quick cooking and real flavour go hand in hand. Crisp cucumber with dill, parsley and a hint of garlic gives just the right contrast to the pan-fried fish. When cooking fish, keep the golden rule in mind: rinse, acidify, season. That's how the fillet stays juicy and full of flavour.
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber, about 350 g
- 0.5 bunch dill
- 0.5 bunch flat-leaf parsley
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 punnet cress
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- salt and pepper, freshly ground
- 1 pinch sugar or granulated sweetener
- 1 lemon, juiced, juice of 1 lemon
- 300-400 g pollock fillet, fresh; also sold as coley or saithe
The ingredient amounts above scale with your choice. The value per serving stays the same, while the total in the pot grows with the number of servings.
All nutrition values side by side
| Nutrient | per serving (estimate) | Total for 2 Servings |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 249 kcal | 498 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 2 g | 4 g |
| Protein | 28 g | 56 g |
| Fat | 13 g | 26 g |
| Fibre | 1 g | 2 g |
| of which sugar | 1 g | 2 g |
How this is calculated
Target amount = ingredient amount × target servings ÷ base servings. The result is then rounded for kitchen use: from 100 g or ml to the nearest 5, between 1 and 99 to the nearest 1, pieces and spoons to half units, amounts below one unit to quarters, thirds or halves. Teaspoons and tablespoons also go down to an eighth, kilograms and litres stay finer.
Total = value per serving × target servings. The value per serving is unchanged, because ingredient amount and serving count change by the same factor.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (FIC), Art. 32 and 33: nutrition values per 100 g or 100 ml, additionally allowed per portion.
- European Commission, Guidance document for competent authorities for the control of compliance with EU food law, setting of tolerances for nutrient values declared on a label, December 2012.
Nutrition values are estimates from the recipe record, not laboratory results. Even for checked labels the EU sets tolerances: for fat, protein and carbohydrates 20 percent in the range of 10 to 40 g per 100 g, and 2 g per 100 g below that. Home cooking varies more, because variety, size and cooking loss of the ingredients differ. Kitchen rounding also shifts the total slightly against the plain rule of three. Anyone who has to keep amounts exact for medical reasons, for example during a nutrition therapy prescribed by a doctor, should discuss them with a doctor or a registered dietitian. Your serving count is calculated in your browser only, it is neither stored nor transmitted.
Instructions
- For the cucumber and herb salad, peel the cucumber and dice it very finely. Finely chop the parsley and dill, and finely chop or crush the garlic.
- Combine the cucumber, parsley, 2 tbsp olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, cress, salt, pepper and the pinch of sugar (or sweetener) and mix well. Let the salad sit for a few minutes to develop flavour.
- Rinse the pollock fillet, cut it into two pieces and drizzle with the lemon juice. Then season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a hot pan and sear the fish hard on one side. Reduce the heat and cook the fish for about 7 minutes.
- Turn the fish and sear for a further 2 minutes or so. Alternatively, after the initial sear, transfer the fish seared-side down to an ovenproof dish and finish in the oven at 180C (fan 160C) for about 8 minutes.
- Arrange the pollock on a plate with the cucumber and herb salad and serve immediately.
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Nutrition facts per serving (estimate)
| Calories | 249 kcal |
|---|---|
| Carbohydrates | 2 g |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| Fibre | 1 g |
| of which sugar | 1 g |
Frequently asked questions
Can I finish the pollock in the oven instead of the pan?
Yes. After a hard sear in the pan, transfer the fish seared-side down to an ovenproof dish and finish in the oven at 180C (fan 160C) for about 8 minutes.
How do I know when the pollock is cooked?
The fillet is done when it flakes easily with a fork and is no longer translucent in the centre.
What does rinse, acidify, season mean for fish?
First rinse the fish (clean), then drizzle it with lemon juice (acidify) and finally season it (salt). This keeps it juicy and gives it a fresh flavour.
Is this recipe suitable for a low-carb diet?
Yes. With only about 2 g of carbohydrates per portion (an estimate), this dish fits well into a low-carb way of eating.
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