Bacon-wrapped coley with cheesy polenta
- Published: 26 Jul 23
- Updated: 25 Mar 24
Chef and MSC UK ambassador, James Strawbridge says “this recipe is my twist on a classic, the well-loved dish hunter’s chicken (cacciatore). I’ve brought in Louisiana-style flavours to give it a sweet and smoky kick which balances nicely with the cheesy, comforting corn grits – or in this case, polenta.”
Try turmeric-roasted hake with coconut sauce for another sustainable fish supper.
Photography: David Loftus
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Serves 4
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Hands-on time 25 min, plus oven time 15 min
Ingredients
- 4 coley fillets (about 120g each)
- 8 slices smoked streaky bacon or pancetta
- 100ml good-quality barbecue sauce
- 50g mozzarella, chopped
- 50g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
- 2 thyme sprigs
- Buttery green veg to serve
For the cheesy polenta
- 185g polenta
- 50g salted butter
- 50g mature cheddar, coarsely grated
- Pinch cayenne pepper or splash Tabasco
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7. Put the polenta in a saucepan and cover with 1 litre water. Season with a good pinch of salt and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until it resembles runny porridge. After 30-35 minutes, add the butter, cheese and cayenne/Tabasco. Stir until smooth and season to taste.
- Meanwhile, stretch out the bacon/pancetta with the flat of a knife blade and wrap each fillet of coley carefully in 2 slices to cover the fish like a parcel, then put in an ovenproof dish lined with baking paper. When the polenta has 15 minutes of cooking time remaining, put the fish in the oven. After 10 minutes, spoon over the barbecue sauce and cover with the cheese and thyme. Return the dish to the oven to cook for a further 3-5 minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Serve the coley on a bed of cheesy polenta with green vegetables on the side.
- Recipe from August 2023 Issue
Nutrition
- Calories
- 679kcals
- Fat
- 35g (18g saturated)
- Protein
- 38g
- Carbohydrates
- 52g (15g sugars)
- Fibre
- 2.5g
- Salt
- 2.6g
delicious. tips
Coley is a great swap for cod as both have beautiful, flaky and meaty textures. The bacon protects the fish and keeps it juicy and tender, but if you don’t eat meat, you could make it without.
“When you buy seafood with the blue MSC ecolabel, you’re supporting sustainable fishing communities all over the UK and Ireland who are helping protect our ocean.” James Strawbridge
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