It is a new year and today I have a low-fat, quick and healthy way to do fish and chips. And, let’s face it, we all love fish and chips. In this recipe, the fish is oven-baked and not deep fried, but I am confident that if you cook it this way people will never guess.

Spray oil is great and is available in all supermarkets. Hake is good value and very plentiful. The toasted dried breadcrumbs give a lovely crunchy texture to the fish. If you try this tartare recipe I think you will stick with it as it is so much nicer to make your own.

I love going to Thailand and pad thai noodles are one of my favourite things to eat. It is very much one of their traditional dishes.

Bear in mind that chilli that is small is hot. You will get shrimp paste in an Asian supermarket. If you do not have it, you could use shrimps but the flavour of the paste is more intense. This recipe also works well with chicken or beef or prawns.

Happy New Year.

The Nation’s Favourite Healthy Food, by Neven Maguire is published by Gill & MacMillan.

Baked Fish and Chips

Serves four

4 x 150g (5oz) hake fillets, pin-boned and skin removed

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

900g (2lb) Country Crest potatoes

2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil

25g (1oz) plain flour

1 egg

25g (1oz) panko (toasted dried breadcrumbs)

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp Donegal Rapeseed spray

Lightly dressed green salad, to serve

Tartare sauce

2 gherkins, finely chopped

3 tbsp mayonnaise

3 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt

1 tbsp chopped rinsed capers

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp lemon juice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Place the hake in a shallow dish, then sprinkle over the lemon juice and leave to marinate for 30 minutes covered with cling film in the fridge.

2 To make the tartare sauce, mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. Place in a small bowl and cover with cling film. Chill until needed.

3 When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark six).

4 Cut the potatoes into thick chips. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the chips for five minutes. Drain and dry well on kitchen paper. Place the chips on to two baking sheets and toss in the rapeseed oil, then arrange in a single layer and season with a little salt.

5 Put the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Lightly beat the egg and place in a shallow dish. Mix together the breadcrumbs, lemon rind, parsley and sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Dip each hake fillet into the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, then dip in the egg mixture. Finally, coat each fillet evenly in the flavoured breadcrumbs and place on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with the rapeseed oil.

6 Put the chips into the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until golden. Place the coated fish fillets in the oven and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and golden brown.

7 Divide the fish and chips between four plates and add a small dish of the tartare sauce to each one along with some of the green salad.

Pad Thai Stir-Fried

Noodles with Pork

Serves four

175g (6oz) thai flat rice noodles

100g (4oz) roasted peanuts

Juice of 2 limes

1 red bird’s eye chilli, finely sliced

3 tbsp thai fish sauce (nam pla)

2 tsp rice vinegar

2 tsp dark soy sauce

1 tsp shrimp paste (from a jar)

1 tsp palm sugar (optional)

2 tbsp Donegal Rapeseed oil

350g (12oz) piece of pork fillet, well trimmed, halved and thinly sliced

2 eggs, beaten

2 shallots, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

200g (7oz) bean sprouts

4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander, plus extra sprigs to garnish

Lime wedges, to serve

1 Soak the noodles in a large bowl with enough boiling water to cover them for 15 minutes, until softened and pliable. Drain the noodles in a colander, then place in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 45 seconds, until tender, or according to the packet instructions. Drain well.

2 Meanwhile, blend the roasted peanuts in a mini blender or roughly grind using a pestle and mortar. Set aside.

3 Mix the lime juice, chilli, fish sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, shrimp paste and the palm sugar, if using, together in a small bowl and set aside.

4 Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a wok until very hot, then stir-fry the pork for about five minutes, until cooked through and just turning golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Pour in the eggs and quickly swirl the wok so that the egg sticks to the sides in a thin, even layer. Leave for about 30 seconds, until the eggs are just set, then break into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Remove and set aside with the pork.

5 Wipe the wok with kitchen paper and return to a medium heat, adding the remaining tablespoon of oil. Stir-fry the shallots and garlic for two to three minutes, until softened and just beginning to brown. Pour the lime juice mixture into the wok and simmer for one to two minutes, until it has reduced and thickened slightly.

6 Add the drained noodles, bean sprouts, spring onions and coriander to the wok. Toss for one minute to wilt the bean sprouts, then return the cooked pork and egg to the wok and toss everything to combine.

7 Serve the pad thai noodles in warmed bowls. Garnish with sprigs of coriander and place the lime wedges and a little pile of the ground peanuts to one side.