Maple/Dijon Cod & Green Beans Almondine

Sometimes things just work out for the best... I had to get creative because I found a recipe I really wanted to try but a winter storm prevented me from getting called-for ingredients. All I can say after tasting the outcome using different protein and vegetable is... 

Thank you, Blessed Mother... for that wonderful storm! :-)

Ingredients:

Fish:

• 2  6oz cod filets - thawed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp real maple syrup
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Coastal Blend – I get mine from The Spice & Tea Exchange
• 1 clove garlic - minced very fine

Vegetables:

• 12 oz fresh green beans
• 1 med yellow onion - cut up - I like full length strips to mimic the beans
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 - 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Toss vegetables and seasoning in large bowl, spread evenly on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes.

During that time, rinse the filets and pat dry. Mix the ingredients for the cod coating and cover fish on all sides.

Remove veggies from oven, toss and spread to sides of the pan. 

Add fish to middle of pan and return to oven for 9-11 min depending on thickness of filets.

Serve with a green salad and consider my Dijon Chive Vinaigrette as a dressing.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Lemon Caper Cod (Snapper)

This is a wonderfully creamy fish dish with a bit of a fresh zing by way of citrus, giving the meal a very summery feel. The original fish for this recipe was Victoria Snapper, but cod filets work beautifully and are now my go-to for this dish. ;-)

The original recipe called for white rice (GI 72) and dates back to my pre-diabetes days. A better choice for this dish is a portion of our beloved Lemon Parmesan Barley with a low GI of 35.

Ingredients:

• 4  6 oz cod filets or 1.5 lbs Victoria Snapper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1 tsp dried coarse basil
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups fat free sour cream
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 385 F. Coat baking dish with cooking spray or a tiny bit of olive oil. Sprinkle fish on both sides with kosher salt and bake for 9 minutes or until the fish is just opaque.

Heat the oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the lemon juice, capers, basil and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add sour cream and simmer for five more minutes or until heated through.

Pour sauce over fish placed on platter and serve or plate fish and serve sauce separately, depending on your mood. A green vegetable like fresh green beans or broccoli and Lemon Parmesan Barley compliment this recipe perfectly. 

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Garlic Butter Baked Cod

Adapted from a recipe found in The Washington Post 

I absolutely adore the versatility of cod. In this recipe you will bake this delightful fish in some previously sauteed goodies. :-) In my opinion one can never have too much garlic, but in this dish, despite sporting seven cloves plus powder, the garlic flavor is not as overpowering as one might think because of its balance with all the other ingredients. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (may substitute extra-virgin olive oil)
• 7 garlic cloves - minced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes - halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup dry white wine - Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
• 1 tbsp lime juice with 1/4 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt, plus more as needed
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving (optional)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1 to 1.5 lbs cod

Preparation:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. When it stops foaming, add the garlic and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the wine to incorporate, then stir in the lime zest, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper and salt to combine.

Stir in the parsley and basil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce has reduced by about one-third, about 5 minutes. Taste, and add more salt as needed.

Meanwhile, pat the fish fillets dry and lightly season both sides with salt and black pepper. Nest the fillets in the sauce and use a spoon to baste the fish. 

Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil, transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then uncover and bake for 6 to 8 minutes more, until the fish is cooked all the way through and flakes easily with a fork. (Cooking time will vary with the thickness of the fillets.)

Divide the fish among serving plates, spooning the sauce over, sprinkle with chopped fresh basil and parsley and serve with a lime wedge, if desired. Roasted Asparagus & Red Bell Pepper pairs very well with this dish.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Baked Cod With Mushrooms and Ginger

 Adapted from a recipe found in the NY Times

Cod is my go-to white fish because of its ability to pair so well with many different flavor pallets. The relatively inexpensive price tag also helps when we are looking to eat healthy on a budget. In this recipe the cod goes on a mildly Asian adventure that is packed with wonderful flavors... :-) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2-4 cod filets - about 6 oz each
• olive oil
• salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut in thin slices - baby portobello work well also 
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• thinly slivered scallions, for garnish
• A few microgreens - for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat the filets with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Lay the fillets in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. 

Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When oil looks wavy, add mushrooms and sauté until they take on a little color, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat. Add the soy sauce and ginger to the mushrooms and stir well. Spoon mushrooms evenly over fish fillets.

Bake, uncovered, until the fillets flake easily when probed with a fork, about 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer fish to individual dishes or a serving platter. Sprinkle individual filets with scallions microgreens for that finishing touch. Be sure to spoon any gingery pan juices over each serving. 

Serve with a green vegetable of your choice (green beans almondine) along with a tossed salad using Carolyn's Asian Dressing

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

 

Steamed Cod with Lemon Butter Sauce

Here's a simple one that has endless possibilities in the pairing arena. I decided on some of my leftover White Bean Salad and fresh string beans. The salad is already citrus based and the green beans work really well with a drizzle of lemon butter. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Fish:

• 2  6-ounce cod filets
• 2 tsp Garlic Lover’s Blend pulverized (toasted garlic, salt, paprika, parsley)
• Black pepper to taste – one twist on the grinder works for me
• 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  

 Sauce:

• 3 tbsp butter
• Juice & zest from ½ lemon
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Preparation:

Juice and zest the lemon to be ready.

Pat filets dry, coat with EVOO and season fish on both sides. Steam for 4 minutes.

While fish is steaming, combine butter, salt, lemon & zest and warm in small pot. Add some sauce to the fish when steaming is done. Serve rest of sauce at the table.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Skillet Cajun Spiced Fish with Tomatoes

 Credit for this delicious skillet goes to Gina Homolka at Skinnytaste.com

Cajun spices, tomatoes, onions and peppers give any white fish extra pizazz and a little kick. Super easy and quick... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 6 ounce pieces white fish fillets (flounder, fluke, cod, halibut)
• 3/4 cup onion - chopped
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 3/4 cup diced green bell pepper - yellow or orange are okay, too
• 2 1/2 cups ripe tomatoes - chopped (canned are okay, too)
• 1 tbsp Cajun spice seasoning

Preparation:

In a deep skillet, cook onion and garlic in olive oil on medium heat for a few minutes until soft.

Add tomatoes, peppers and spices, stir and cook until tomatoes are soft, about 2-3 minutes.

Lay fish fillets in the sauce, cover and cook on medium-low until fish flakes easily, approx 12-15.

To serve, place fish on plate and spoon sauce on top. Serve immediately.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Cannellini Cod

Beans and mustard with fish and tomatoes? Weird, right? Trust me..... it works ;-)

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs cod or other white fish filets
• your favorite white cooking wine - use real wine ;-)
• 15 oz cannellini beans - drained but not rinsed
• country style Dijon mustard
• olive oil
• salt to taste
• fresh beefsteak tomatoes
• fresh ground black pepper
• fresh parsley - chopped

Preparation:
Let your tastebuds be your guide with this one, and make it your very own. :-)

Paste:
Mash cannellini beans, add mustard, oil, salt & black pepper to taste, and warm. Paste should be thin but not runny.
Fish:
Cut tomatoes into ¼” slices, sear in large skillet and set aside. Sear fish in same pan and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and parsley. Add wine and simmer covered until almost done. Spoon off most of the broth and save for a little treat later. Layer tomatoes on the filets, spread paste over tomatoes, cover and simmer low a little more. Garnish with shredded parsley and serve.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Wondra Codfish

Most people know that I idolize Chef Gordon Ramsey for his skill and success, but when it comes to actual daily cooking and dishes that I can make myself, Chef Jacques Pepin is my go-to hero. Chef Pepin shows us how to cook good food from the comfort of his kitchen right in his own home. You can tell by looking over his shoulder that his kitchen is his happy & safe place and that it is a place of creativity and joy. Chef Pepin says he is not looking for people to walk away from his table with a "culinary experience", but rather with the little voice inside their head saying "Damn that was good food!"

Chef takes simple ingredients that most of us already use and blends them in ways that I have grown to trust. My first experience where I was a bit leery was when I made his Chicken Lyon where he adds ketchup to the sauce. Yes... it definitely works and has become a family favorite. 

Having built trust in Chef Pepin's ingredient choices, I was intrigued when I watched his video where he added julienned radish to a cod dish. Carolyn was skeptical as well, but in the end, his understanding of blending flavors to create what I termed greatness for the common man proved to be absolutely outstanding.

He did not title the dish in the video, but because this was my very first introduction to Wondra Flour,

I have decided to name it: Wondra Codfish  :-)

Ingredients:

• 2  6oz Cod filets
• Half & Half (or milk or heavy cream)
• Wondra Flour
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt & Pepper
• 1-2 scallions -cut ~1/4" pieces
• ~1/2 cup mushrooms - cut up
• 2 radishes - julienned
• ~1/4 cup black olives - quartered or halved depending on size you have

Preparation:

Okay so one thing to know here is that Chef used "whatever was in the refrigerator"..... Quantities of each ingredient are pretty much your choice. Chef Pepin is very accommodating in his recipes and actually urges us to make his work our own. You can get a rough idea from the pic below. Get all ingredients ready before you start the fish. The actual cooking is rather quick.

Pat the filets dry with paper towel and season both sides with S&P. Dip the filets in half & half and then Wondra flour. Heat olive oil in a skillet that has a cover. Cook in fryer on both sides until golden brown... couple minutes each side on medium high. Then lower heat, cover and cook fish through... couple more minutes. Set the fish on a warm serving dish or plate both servings. I lay pieces of aluminum foil over filets to keep them warm.

Add butter and a little more olive oil to the pan on medium. Add the scallion and mushroom and sautee for maybe a minute. Then add the olives and radish and toss for about another minute. Don't overcook... crunch is your friend here. :-)

Top the filets with the garnish and serve with a green vegetable of your choice. Enjoy!

Here is Chef Jacques Pepin's original video: Wondra Codfish

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Hoisin Cod & Zucchini

Chef Jacques Pepin loves to share his food and his recipes. As wonderful as his recipes are as he prepares them, he also encourages us to take his dishes and make them our own by tweaking them to suit our pallet, budget or ingredient availability. The first time I watched him prepare a very simple Miso Cod with Zucchini I was instantly intrigued. I've made numerous Miso marinades that involved cooking before you even start with the fish, so his one minute marinade prep, along with knowing I had a nice zucchini in my fridge, instantly got me planning dinner before breakfast.

Unfortunately I had no Miso on hand, but I do keep an assortment of Asian seasonings. Hoisin Sauce replaced the Miso, and not only did my trial run work very well, but it made the dish my own. I think Chef Pepin would approve... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 6oz cod filets
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce (approx.)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (approx.)
• 1 tbsp mirin (approx.)
• 1/4 tsp sugar (approx.)
• dash of sriracha sauce
• 1-2 zucchini depending on size and appetite :-)
• olive oil
• salt to taste

Preparation:

In a shallow plate mix the hoisin, soy, mirin, sriracha and sugar. Place fish in marinade, coating all sides.

Cut the zucchini into bite size lengths and then julienne the sections. Place in foil lined baking dish (easy cleanup) and toss with some olive oil and salt. Spread the mound of zucchini to both sides of the pan and place the cod filets in the center.

Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes and serve with a salad of your choosing, preferably with an Asian dressing.

Click HERE to watch Chef Jacques Pepin prepare Miso Cod & Zucchini

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Panko Cod with Bok Choy & Tomato

I originally created a version of this recipe with chicken thighs (still available), but switched it up today to be a fish dinner using some amazing cod I found on sale at my local grocer. My One made yummy noises and that was good enough for me!!! Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

• 2 6oz cod filets
• 1 egg
•  ~2 cups seasoned Panko
• 2 tsp mayo
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1/2 head bok choy
• 1 tomato cut up
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp water
• cooking spray
• salt & pepper

Preparation:
The Cod:
Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and set your oven to 400 degrees. Pour Panko in a bowl. Crack and beat the egg in a second bowl. Add mayo, mustard, salt & pepper to egg and blend well. Dip the fish in the egg mixture, coat in Panko and place in baking dish. Once the oven is at 400, put in the cod and set timer for 8 minutes.

The Veggies:
Cut off the bottom inch of the bok choy and discard. Wash and cut up the stalks and leaves to bite size pieces. Place in a pot with oil and water and simmer until just cooked, but still crunchy, and season with a bit of salt & pepper to taste. Cut up tomatoes, blend with bok choy and simmer another 1-2 minutes just to get the tomatoes warm.

Check on the cod and maybe broil for a minute if not brown yet.  Golden brown Panko is your indicator here.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Baked Cod with Spinach, Onion, Scallion & Leek

I'm really quite fond of cod & spinach pairings. Here I've added some simple flavors of yellow onion, leek and scallion that compliment the aforementioned combination nicely. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• ~1 lb fresh cod filets
• 1 lb baby spinach – coarse stems removed
• 1 medium onion - chopped
• 1 leek stalk - chopped
• 2 scallion stalks - chopped
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Pat cod filets dry and season both sides with salt & pepper. Set aside. Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

Heat 4 tbsp oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven that is oven safe at 375F. Once oil is hot, add the onion, scallion and leek (thoroughly cleaned) and saute until onions just start to brown.

Add the tomato paste and blend… scraping the bottom to release aromas.

Lower the heat and add the spinach. Toss to blend and season with salt & pepper. Tossing occasionally, wilt the spinach down and continue cooking so some of the liquid evaporates. Turn off the heat.

Transfer the mix to an oven safe skillet that has a tight fitting lid. Spread the mix out evenly an then add the cod filets (upside down) on top of the spinach blend. Drizzle each filet with a little olive oil and place cover on skillet. Place covered pan in oven for 10 minutes. After 10 min remove cover, flip the filets and drizzle a little more olive oil and salt. Bake uncovered for another 5-6 minutes until cod is cooked through.

Serve with a tossed salad to keep the dish extremely diabetic friendly.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!