Chef Impersonator: An easy, tasty way to enjoy fish during Lent
I love fish. All kinds of fish. I probably cook it at least once a week. In the oven. On the stovetop. On the grill.
But I regularly hear from friends who say they either don’t like fish or they just don’t eat it. I suspect that may be because they’ve never had it cooked properly, they’re intimidated by the seafood counter, or they just have no idea what to do with it.
If you fall into this unfortunate last category — and especially if you’re observing the no-meat-on-Fridays tradition of Lent — I have a solution.
This simple recipe for oven-baked cod calls for dipping fillets of any dense, white fish like cod or haddock into salted milk, then dredging it in a breadcrumb/Parmesan mixture, topping it with melted butter and thyme, and cooking it at a very high temperature for a very short time.
I prefer to buy fish fresh from the seafood counter when possible. It just tastes better. But there have been many times when I’ve had a bag of frozen fish in the freezer, and those fillets work nicely in a pinch or when you’ve had a busy day. Either way, you’ll convert your non-fish-eating family in no time.
To round out a healthful meal, I’ve paired the cod with two fresh veggie recipes. The honey-roasted baby carrots have just a bit of chopped rosemary on top; I leave the green stems on so kids will know that carrots come from the ground and not a bag.
For the shaved Brussels sprouts with onion and apple, I’ve omitted the bacon for those observing Lent, but feel free to add it if you’re not. It adds that wonderful salty flavor that makes any dish yummy. Use four slices of thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon cut into 1-inch strips and cook until nice and crispy.
If this doesn’t get you eating fish, I’m not sure what will.
Nancy Farrar is the Chef Impersonator. Reach her at ChefImpersonator@gmail.com or visit www.ChefImpersonator.com. View her food photography at www.FarrarFoodPhotography.com.
Oven-baked cod fillets
Serves 4
- 1/4 cup butter, melted, plus extra for baking dish
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup milk (I use skim.)
- 3/4 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs (to add flavor, but plain work well, too)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 pounds fresh cod fillets (defrost first if frozen)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, rolled between hands to release flavor
1. Heat oven to 550 degrees. Butter an 8-by-11 1/2-inch baking dish.
2. Add salt to milk in a measuring cup and set aside. Combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan on a piece of parchment paper or foil or a dish and set aside.
3. Cut fillets into 3- to 4-inch pieces. One at a time, dip pieces into salted milk, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, covering well, and place in buttered baking dish. Spoon melted butter over each piece of fish, pouring it slowly enough that most of it absorbs into the breading. Top with dried thyme.
4. Bake 11 minutes until golden brown, checking often. This is a very high oven temperature, and the time will vary with the thickness of fish.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 401 calories, 15 grams fat, 17 grams carbohydrates, 47 grams protein, 134 milligrams cholesterol, 1,952 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber, 35 percent of calories from fat.
Honey-roasted baby carrots
Serves 4
- 1 bunch fresh baby carrots with green stems intact, unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or use garlic press)
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Cut most of the green stems off the carrots, leaving about a 2-inch stalk.
2. Combine oil, honey, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl large enough to fit the carrots. Toss carrots in mixture until coated. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with chopped rosemary.
3. Roast 7-8 minutes per side, or until the carrots are browned and caramelized.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 100 calories, 7 grams fat, 9 grams carbohydrates, trace protein, no cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium, trace dietary fiber, 63 percent of calories from fat.
Shaved Brussels sprouts with onion and red apple
Serves 4
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts
- 4 slices thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon (optional)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 red apple, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper (go easier on the salt if you’re using bacon)
1. Slice each sprout into very thin circles and break apart. This creates the “shaved” appearance of the pieces. (You can also use a mandolin or a box grater.)
2. If using bacon, fry strips until crispy and set on a paper towel to drain.
3. Cook onions in olive oil until opaque but not caramelized. Add sprouts to onions and stir. Cook about 5-7 minutes on medium-high heat until sprouts are brown and caramelized to your liking. Add apple and salt and pepper and cook an additional 3 minutes just to warm the apple. Crumble bacon on top and serve.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 201 calories, 14 grams fat, 17 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 127 milligrams sodium, 5 grams dietary fiber, 58 percent of calories from fat.
This story was originally published February 23, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Chef Impersonator: An easy, tasty way to enjoy fish during Lent."