Summer meals are especially enjoyable when they combine fresh ingredients, bright flavors, and simple preparation. Fish works beautifully with citrus, herbs, and light sauces.

Two dishes worth trying are crispy tacos with grilled sweetcorn and lime-pickled cucumber, and roasted hake served with saffron aioli and herbed butter beans.

1. Crispy Fish Tacos

Mild white fish makes a tasty taco filling when coated in seasoned breadcrumbs and fried until golden. Grilled sweetcorn adds a smoky note, while lime-pickled cucumber brings freshness. A creamy jalapeño yogurt sauce completes the combination.

Ingredients (serves 4)

For the cucumber:

1 cucumber, deseeded and thinly sliced

Juice of 2 limes

A handful of fresh mint leaves

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and black pepper

For the yogurt sauce:

1 jalapeño, deseeded

A handful of coriander leaves

1 garlic clove

200 g Greek yogurt

Juice of 1 lime

For the fish and toppings:

500 g fish fillets, cut into strips

75 g plain flour

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg, beaten

100 g panko breadcrumbs

Vegetable oil, for frying

2 corn cobs

1 teaspoon olive oil

8 small tortillas

Shredded red cabbage, optional

Extra coriander and lime wedges

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Mix the cucumber with lime juice, mint, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Leave it for at least 20 minutes to develop a tangy flavor.

2. Finely chop or blend the jalapeño, coriander, and garlic. Combine with the yogurt and lime juice, season lightly, and refrigerate.

3. Brush the corn with olive oil and grill until lightly browned. Let it cool, remove the kernels, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Mix the flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Coat the fish in the flour mixture, dip it in beaten egg, then cover with breadcrumbs.

5. Heat a shallow layer of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Fry the fish in batches for two to three minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.

6. Warm the tortillas in a dry pan. Spread each with jalapeño yogurt, then add cabbage, fish, grilled corn, and drained cucumber. Finish with coriander and lime.

2. Roasted Hake with Saffron Aioli

Roasted hake pairs nicely with a creamy saffron sauce and warm butter beans. Roasted garlic adds a mellow flavor, while crab, anchovies, lemon, and tarragon give the beans a savory finish.

Ingredients (serves 4)

For the butter beans:

1 whole garlic bulb

Olive oil

2 cans butter beans (400 g each), drained and rinsed

1 red chili, finely chopped

A handful of coriander leaves

4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped

100 g crab meat

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Salt and black pepper

For the saffron aioli:

A pinch of saffron threads

150 g mayonnaise

1 garlic clove, grated

1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the fish:

4 hake fillets, approximately 150–180 g each

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Cut the top from the garlic bulb, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 40–45 minutes until soft.

2. Soak the saffron in a tablespoon of warm water for five minutes. Mix it into the mayonnaise with grated garlic and lemon juice. Season lightly and refrigerate.

3. Toss the butter beans with olive oil, chopped chili, and coriander. Roast for the final 20 minutes of the garlic's cooking time, stirring once.

4. Squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl and mash it. Warm a little olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped anchovies, and stir until softened. Mix in the garlic.

5. Fold the garlic mixture into the warm beans. Add the crab, lemon juice, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, then keep warm.

6. Pat the hake dry and season with salt. Heat olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan. Cook the fish skin-side down for about one minute, then turn it over.

7. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for approximately five minutes, adjusting the time to suit the thickness of the fillets, until the fish is cooked through.

8. Divide the butter beans between four plates. Add a hake fillet to each portion and finish with saffron aioli and extra tarragon.

The fish tacos bring crisp textures and fresh toppings to the table, while roasted hake offers a comforting combination of fish, creamy sauce, and seasoned beans. Preparing the sauces and vegetables ahead of time makes both recipes easier to serve and enjoy.