Halibut en Papillote - A Make Ahead Meal

Halibut en Papillote

My cousin, Therese, loves to eat healthy, as do I. So whenever she visits the menu is focused on fish, vegetables, and no carbs. Just recently, she and her husband, Tom, took a drive from NJ to Westchester to visit to my parents in their new home in Westchester. This past January we moved them from Long Island to be closer to us, and fortunately our family and their friends have been willing and gracious to make the trip to visit them. We hadn’t seen Therese and Tom since before the pandemic so it made perfect sense to feed two birds with one crumb. They started out early in order to extend their stay to include dinner at our house. Lucky us.

Keeping it light yet ensuring it would be filling was my main goal. So, we started off with mezze-style appetizers that would do just that.

All make ahead appetizers. Just plate before guests arrive.

Also, top of mind was trying to make as much ahead of time as possible. This was a Friday night dinner and I was going to be busy most of that day. Whenever you can give yourself a running advantage to ease your work load on the dinner day, the better. Here’s what I prepped the day before.

• Cut the crudite and kept in glass jar with wet paper towels. Carrots are kept in a covered jar of cold water.

• Made White Bean dip

• Grilled Eggplant

• Roasted Tomatoes

• Made Marinated Feta

• Store bought olives (Offering store bought items also helps ease the work load.)

Made ahead on the day of:

• Roasted Spiced Carrots

  • Cut carrots lengthwise. Season with cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, salt, pepper, oil. Roast at 425 degrees until tender and browned. I made this in the afternoon, then warmed it up at the same time the Halibut baked

• Roasted Onions

  • Cut in thick slices or in wedges. Season with Magic 3 (oil, salt, pepper). Roast at 425 degrees until caramelized. I made this at the same time as the carrots, then warmed it up at the same time the Halibut baked.

• Halibut en Papillote

  • While the onions and carrots were roasting I prepped each packet and refrigerated them. Then baked it while we enjoyed the appetizers. You can prep this up to 4 hours ahead of time.

The night before while the tomatoes were roasting I set a simple but fun table. I wanted to give a nod to dinner. So I pulled out two matching runners that featured a sea creature and laid them across the short end of the table. This create a bridge from one side to the other. I picked up these runners at IKEA years ago, and have used them in so many ways. I love the bold, graphic contrast to the neutral tone. An inexpensive purchase that has paid off. I then chose complimentary napkins, swaddled the silverware in the center, then secured it with a napkin ring. The flared top of napkin gave the illusion of a fishtail. Another nod to dinner. The flowers were trimmed and rearranged from the ones my niece, Gianna, brought over for dinner earlier in the week. Glasses and some candles to make it moody, and we can call the table done.

This meal was a strike right down the alley for Therese’s palate. But not to worry, everyone else enjoyed it, too.

Making fish en papillote is not only a fun way to serve the main course but can be prepped ahead of time, placed in the fridge and baked right before serving. Oh, and wait, there is more; you don’t need exact amounts, or exact ingredients. Something near and dear to my heart. Use the type of fish and vegetable in the amounts that work for you and your guests. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s protein and veg all in one neat packet so you don’t need a side dish of vegetables. (I made more veggies because Therese loves, loves, loves vegetables.)

Ingredients

Halibut 6-7 oz/person ( you can use cod, snapper, flounder, salmon)
Onion, rounds
Scallion, long strips
Carrots, strands
Zucchini, rounds
fresh thyme
Lemon slices
Olive oil, salt, pepper
White wine

Instructions

1. Slice the vegetables accordingly. This is an important step since everything will be baking together at the same time. It is essential that the ones that need more cook time be cut more finely than those that don’t. I used a vegetable peeler for the carrots, while the onions and zucchini I cut in thicker rounds. The scallions I cut in long strips.

2. Place the parchment paper on a baking sheet. Start placing the lemon slices, onions, zucchini on top of each other at the center of the parchment. This way when you fold over you will have enough paper to fold and tuck.

3. Then place the fish, carrots, thyme and season with salt, pepper a drizzle of oil and splash of white wine.

4. Fold the parchment paper over the fish/veg pile then starting at one corner fold the paper all the way around creating a seal. You can either bake right away or if you are making ahead, place the entire baking sheet in the fridge until you are ready to bake.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

As I mentioned, I was short on time. Therefore, I didn’t have time to photograph the en papillote part. However, I did have images from the time I made it with red snapper. Which is actually an excellent example to demonstrate the many variations of this technique. In the pictured below, I used Red Snapper, Spinach, Zucchini Strips, Scallions.

With the many variations that can be made the list seems endless. But let me give you a few ideas. Other vegetables that work well: Asparagus, Spinach, Kale, Yellow Squash, Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, Capers, Basil, Sun-dried tomatoes, Broccolini.

You can even use potatoes if you slice them thin.

As you can see, this method affords a huge range of flexibility and versatility depending on your guests tastes. That is also another huge benefit. Since they are made in individual pouches, you can customized them for each guest. This might seem like asking for trouble having to make different combos for each guest. But it does allow you to accommodate guests who have allergies or food sensitivities. Or just the pesky ones who don’t like certain veggies!)

All in all, it was a fun evening of healthy eating and a great time catching up with family we love.

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A Pot of Versatile Veggies - Refrigerator Remnants

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted a new recipe.  Between making sure I provided a few posts with helpful tips and holiday entertaining, and focusing on fulfilling orders from my customers, I let a period pass without dedicating time to share recipes. Although those may be some reasons, truth be told, the more obvious one is that without our usual entertaining schedule, I’ve been less motivated to experiment and haven’t had the need to invent new dishes to serve guests.  That part makes me a bit sad. Ok, a lot sad.

Even though we haven’t been entertaining doesn’t mean I haven’t been cooking.  On the contrary, I’ve actually been cooking up a storm, doing more than ever since I starting providing weekly meal service to select customers in my local area, plus baked goods via shipping.  Plus, I’ve had some catering opportunities pop up as well.  So cooking has been firing up my kitchen, it just didn’t feel like there was anything to blog about.

Or so I thought. As life often does, it shines a light on a topic and then energy is sent forth which appears in full bloom. Here’s a clear example of what I’m talking about. Did you ever think about a friend and then suddenly that friend calls you? It’s like sending out a smoke signal, and you get a return response. That energy swirls around us constantly. It happened just like that to me recently. I had been talking to three friends about the fact that I have not blogged about a recipe in quite some time, and expressed my mixed emotions about it. So, imagine my surprise and thrill when I got the spark to create again. That particular day while I was doing my usual refrigerator ‘cleanse and see what’s still viable’ exercise, I felt a sudden reminiscent pang of my old something from nothing style.  It dawned on me that I have been creating dishes for JuanCarlos and myself all along but just hadn’t been focused on photographing, documenting and writing about them.  When I looked at this batch of veggies that needed some love and attention, I thought this could be worth sharing if nothing else but to motivate you to clean out your fridge. Admittedly, this recipe is not earth shattering. In fact, it’s quite basic. But it’s significance is greater than the recipe itself. One, it motivated me to photograph and document again. And two, hopefully it will inspire you to go through your fridge and figure out what to do with your miscellaneous food items. I should create an ongoing series entitled: Refrigerator Remnants.  You see, inspiration is everywhere.

Fennel, Celery, Rainbow Chard, Garlic, Onions, Carrots. The absolute basics.

Basically, this process is nothing more than pulling out all those unused items in your fridge that are at their last hope for use, and then coming up with a plan on how they all play together.  As I mentioned, this ‘recipe’ isn’t rocket science.  It’s actual a pumped up mire poix or soup base but without the liquid.  But it is hearty, tasty, versatile, and most of all met the requirements of using items that might have ended up in the trash a few days from now. 

This pot of veggies can be used as a side dish to any protein: meat, chicken, fish, beans or tofu.  It can be a main with a heaping helping of rice or couscous or even piled on top of a baked potato.  Or can even be part of a taco filling or quesadilla.  I’m sure there are plenty of other ways to serve up this veggie packed plate. Feel free to use any of my suggestions but I’ll let you figure out how you want to serve them up.  For now, I encourage you to go through the exercise of rummaging through to find your Refrigerator Remnant Recipe. Remember, these were the items and amounts that I had in my fridge. The goal here is to inspire you to create with whatever you have, and balance the flavors with the amounts you have. For instance, even though I had a ton of celery, the fennel was what was most pronounced in the combo below.

Here’s mine:

Ingredients

2 med onions (approx. 2.5 c )
4 lg carrots (approx. 3.5 c)
4 c celery
3c fennel
2 garlic cloves
12c red Swiss chard
Olive oil, salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Cut all the vegetables into large chunks.

As I said, a pumped up mire poix.

2. Cut and discard the ends/toughest part of the Swiss Chard. Then cut the remaining ribs out and chop them into smaller pieces..

3. Cut the leafy part of the Swiss Chard into strips.

4. Pour oil, salt and pepper into the pot to heat up then add all the vegetables except the leafy parts of the chard. Add whatever spice combo you desire. See below of different combos to try.

5. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until tender but still al dente. You don’t want these to cook down so much that they become mush. You want a tooth bite to them.

6. Add Swiss Chard leafy parts, cover and cook over low flame for 5-8. minutes until wilted.

I didn’t add any additional spices since I made such a big batch I didn’t want to commit to one spice profile. I figured I would enhance it each time I warmed it up. This worked out fine as the anise from the fennel really flavored the dish to the point of not needing anything else.  But this is one of those dishes where anything goes.  Make it your own.  Here are some spice combos to try.

Italian Flavor: Dry Thyme | Oregano | Red Pepper Flakes | Cannellini Beans

Indian Flavor: Turmeric | Cumin | Cinnamon | Cloves | Curry | Coconut Milk

Middle Eastern: Cumin Seeds | Fennel Seeds | Sumac | Cardamom | Chick Peas

French: Herbs de Provence | Tarragon | Chives | Chervil

Spanish: Saffron | Pimentón de la Vera/Paprika | Cayenne Pepper

Mexican: Cilantro | Chili Pepper | Cumin | Allspice | Coriander

And here is how I served it up.

I had leftover ginger/red onion paella rice so I shaped it into a large patty and fried it up.  Then topped it with veggies.  For JC I added the leftover chicken thigh he had from the night before.  I know, I know, nothing earth shattering here, but I know I have some viewers who get overwhelmed with trying to figure out what to do.  This is just one way of culling everything together.

Leftover ginger/red onion paella rice. Perfect for making fried rice patties.

Note about the rice patty. Since this was leftover paella rice that had been previously sautéed with oil, ginger and red onion it had a natural stickiness to it that allowed it to hold the shape without any binder. If you only have long grain rice then you will need to add a binder of egg and flour in order to hold the patty together.

Why make one when you can make two. This fried rice patties are so delicious.

Use a cast iron pan with oil and high heat to get a crispy exterior.

Golden brown perfection.

Use the same ring for the veggie mix placement makes a nice, neat presentation.

The bigger chunks make this a more hearty side dish.

Using the same ring mold that you used to make the rice patties, place on top and fill with the veggie mixture, and pack tight.

I added chick peas to my mixture to add protein.

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5 Basic Ingredients - 4 Different Dishes

Being home in shelter in place means so many things to so many people. It conjures up different experiences for each of us. Some people are using the time to get home projects accomplished. Get their yards ready. Some are decluttering. Some are mastering their skill set like solving puzzles. Others are finding hidden talents like painting, dancing or singing. Maybe you are learning a new language. Whatever this time brings, my wish is that we embrace it.

For me, I’ve gone back to my comfort zone which is cooking and baking, using all the food I have, and using it wisely. This has been, and still is, one of my strong suits. It’s how I honed my cooking skills and harkens back to my ‘something from nothing’ style and overall approach to cooking. Which is; check out what you have and figure out what to make, regardless of the ingredients or the quantities.

For those you who aren’t aware of how I began this style, it started when I was in my late teens, just wanting to experiment at home. (You can also click on my About page for more of my back story.) My grandmother, who was both an awesome cook and amazing baker, and one of my strongest influencers, would look on with doubting eyes as I mixed up and cooked up concoctions for the family to try. I often heard her famous line, “What a “mushgononza”. Which is basically the slang version of the Italian word mezcolanza meaning mixture or mash up of several things. I guarantee you that she meant it more as a mixed up mess. However much she may have doubted me during the cooking process, she inevitably would turn to me and say, ‘Not bad, not bad at all.’ Phew, praise from the master.

My Grandma Perri making her famous peaches & cream cake.

However, I would say that this style of cooking truly took form when I used to visit my sister after she first got married. Jill rarely, ok, never had fresh herbs but usually had a pantry full of canned stuff, and a freezer of frozen items. I would look through her stash and try to figure out what can I make from what was seemingly a hodge podge of items. For more on this, you can click the highlighted link for the Zucchini Orzo Pie story.

From that point, I just kept that style in my own kitchen. Not caring too much about recipes, or amounts. Simply buying what looked fresh, and then once at home figuring out how they all would dance together. Which is why I sometimes encourage you to not fuss about recipes so much but try your hand at using however many carrots you have, or to substitute what you. Sure, I give you amounts and recipes. That’s because I want you to cook, and get a feel for how much looks right. Some of you, I know, are pros and already do this, and just use the recipes as guides. My recipes are a jumping off point, and are here for whatever level of cooking you feel comfortable.

And so in that style of use what you have,
I give you 4 super simple dishes using a combination of 3-5 basic ingredients and then adding a protein and a starch, thus turning them into different dishes. Using slightly different cooking methods, you also create different flavors and textures. From sautéing to stir frying, braising or simple soup making. This is like those old Chinese menu ideas; two from column A, one from column B, etc. Feel free to mix and match. That is the beauty of basics, you can create so many variations.

Celery and fennel.

The Basics:

• Onions

• Celery

• Fennel

• Carrot

• Basil

 The Proteins:

• Shrimp

• Cod

• Mushrooms

The Starches:

• Polenta

• Barley

• Rice

Mushroom Barley Soup

4 Basics + 1 Protein + 1 Starch
(Onions, Celery, Carrots, Basil) + (Mushrooms) + (Barley)

Instructions:

1. Cook the barley in a separate pot.

2. In a medium stock pot, sauté onions, celery and carrot in olive oil until softened and season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the mushrooms, over a medium heat cook until softened.

4. Then add chicken or vegetable broth or water to cover and let simmer.

5. Add the barley once cooked. I added basil which I had on hand and it gave it a nice floral note that I enjoyed.

Serve with a salad or crusty bread and lunch is served. And check out the video below. I’m getting all fancy now and inserting moving visuals. Enjoy a steaming hot bowl of comforting soup.

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Simple Shrimp Sauté

3 Basics + 1 Protein + 1 Starch
(Onions, Celery, Basil) + (Shrimp) + (Polenta)

Instructions

1. Cook polenta according to the package. (You can add cream and butter at the end to make it luxurious and extra creamy, but keeping it in the basic mode, use just water.)

2. Sauté the sliced celery and onions until softened, then season with salt and pepper. Keep the celery leave tops and use them along with the basil to finish.

3. Add the shrimp and cook until just pink, then add the freshly chopped basil and celery leaves.

4. Top the polenta with the shrimp mixture. Yum and Yum

Another video for your viewing pleasure.

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One Pot Poached Cod

3 Basics + 1 Protein + 1 Starch
(Onions, Fennel, Celery) + (Cod) + (Rice)

Instructions

1. Wash, dry and cut the cod into chunks (approx. 2” squares) and set aside.

2. Sauté the sliced onions, celery and fennel in olive oil, and slowly cook until softened.

3. Add water and then nestle the cod pieces into the pan. Cover and let poach until the cod is white and cooked through. Depending on how thick the pieces are this should only take 8-12 minutes. A beautifully flakey cod with braised vegetables is soothing and delicious.

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Leftover Rice & Mushroom Stir Fry

2 Basics + 1 Protein + 1 Starch
(Onions, Basil) + (Mushrooms) + (Leftover Cooked Rice)

Instructions

1. Chop the onions into a small dice. Sauté using olive oil until softened, add salt and pepper.

2. Slice the mushrooms and add to the onions and let them cook together until the mushrooms get browned.

3. Add the cooked leftover rice until completely heated through. Add seasonings to taste. (Salt, pepper or even red pepper flakes). Finish with chopped

And there you have it, 5 basic staple ingredients combined with other fairly basic proteins and starches. And just like that you have 4 different meals that are complete, hearty, delicious, and I dare say… EASY.

Send me your mix and match creations. I would love to hear how you are making the most of your basic items.

Carrot, Ginger, Coconut Milk Soup

Oh the woes of having to eliminate foods from my diet. The struggle is real. Sometimes we forget that our internal body needs looking after. All too often we abuse and mistreat ourselves as if we could go in for spare parts or replacement pieces, or take a pill and get better. It’s not that simple. There are many reasons why our bodies get out of whack. Certainly environment plays a huge role. Genetics another. And then, of course, there is our own care or mis-care. As individuals, our stories vary greatly. As for me, I will attest to the many, many years I worked crazy, long hours, went entire days without drinking anything else but coffee, ate pasta and pizza as quick fill me ups at all odd hours and got little sleep. Bad, bad, and badder. Those were typical days in my life of television production. It wreaked havoc with whole system.

When you are young, you don’t think much about it. You just go, go, go not realizing the damage that is being done. I don’t want to get all preachy. That’s not what my blog is about, but from time to time I do like sharing tidbits of info that show up in my life and are food related. So this is what’s been happening lately. As you may remember I have been eliminating wheat, yeast and handful of other foods from diet after I developed a reaction when consuming those foods. But then a sinus issue has been bugging me. After seeing several traditional doctors to no avail, I knew it must be all related to one thing. The fact is that most of my issues are related to gut health. Now, I can’t be certain that the past misuse of my body is why my gut health is poor right now but I would venture to bet that it has some serious bearing. I also don’t claim to have the answers. Each of us is different and finds cures and results in various ways. I have gone to different types of doctors, naturopaths, Ayurvedic practitioners with minor successes, but nothing major. In an effort to continue making improvements, I starting seeing a new naturopath. I feel confident that I will fix the issues once and for all. In doing so, he asked me to alter my diet by following the GAPS regime for 8 weeks to eliminate all carbohydrates and grains and any starchy vegetables, legumes. All the stuff I LOVE!!

It’s very restrictive, so after one week of following this regime, I thought I would go stir crazy. That’s right, only one week in and I was miserable. My stomach was gurgling and begging for something soft and warm… Like a big bowl of pasta. But alas, I would not give in. I decided that some sort of creamy type of soup would be my salvation and I needed it ASAP! Which meant I absolutely had no time or patience for shopping. I always have beans in the pantry which would make a great soup, but those, too, were a no no on this regime. Seriously, beans? Thankfully, carrots were in copious amounts in my fridge. Thinking, thinking, thinking, carrots and what? Other items in abundance in my house; ginger and coconut milk which seemed like excellent companions. They were on my list of “yes, thank goodness you can eat those”. Thus Carrot, Ginger Coconut Milk soup would soothe my soul.

Since my tummy was feeling delicate, I made this soup very mild in flavors. But this is one of those soups that can be easily altered to up the flavor ante. Much like my Faux Creamy Cauliflower Soup, you can spice this up, adding toppings or make it as thick or soupy as you desire. These types of soups are an ideal base to build upon, as well as just a great soup. I didn’t want anything too spicy, so I held way back on the ginger, but that is one ingredient that you could add more of to really bring out that spicy note.

(I wanted to give you a guide line for the spicer version, so I made a second smaller batch and increased both the ginger and garlic which definitely gave it a kick. I’ve given you both recipes below. Also, you can add ground ginger to fully round out that flavor, I just didn’t have any on hand.)

Simple stars of the show, or should I say soup.

Ingredients

Mild Version
6-7 c Carrots, rough chop
13.5 oz can coconut milk
1 c celery, chopped
1 c onions, chopped
1 T heaping ginger, grated*
1 t heaping garlic, grated
2 t turmeric
2.5 t salt
1/8 t ground pepper
3 T olive oil
6 c water (veg or chicken or broth)

Spicier Version/Small Batch
3 c carrots, rough chop
7 oz. coconut milk
1/2 c celery, chopped
1/2 c onions, chopped
2 T ginger, grated**
2 t garlic, grated
2 t turmeric
1.5 t salt
1/8 t ground pepper
3 T olive oil
3.5 c water (veg or chicken or broth)

*Note: It’s important to grate the ginger instead of just cutting it into chunks. Ginger is very fibrous and when you blend it those fibers do not fully break down. Grating it gives you a smoother consistency.
** Note: The smaller batch is half the amount of the milder version yet the ginger and garlic are doubled which is actually 4x more than the mild version. Adjust to your level of spiciness.

Instructions

1. Chop up all the veggies in chunks. You can make these large or small, it doesn’t matter since everything will be blended together. However, if you want to soup to be ready quicker, cut smaller chunks so they cook through faster.

Funny, the vegetables in this soup are usually the base for any other soup AKA mirepoix or the trinity. In this case, THEY are the soup.

2. First sauté the onions and celery in olive oil. Then add ginger, turmeric, garlic, salt and pepper and cook over medium low heat until the spices are toasted. But careful not the burn the garlic and ginger since they are grated.

3. Then add the carrots and let cook for 10 minutes.

4. Add water or broth and bring to a boil then let simmer until the veggies are soft enough to blend.

5. Next blend the soup.

• If you are using an emersion blender, first remove about 4-5 cups of the liquid and set aside. By doing this, you can decide on the thickness of the soup. If you prefer it thick and chunky, don’t add any more of the broth back in. If you want it more smooth and soupy, then continue to add the liquid until you reach your desired consistency.

• If you are using a regular blender, use a slotted spoon to remove the veggies and add them to the blender with about 1/2 cup of liquid to start. IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember when using a blender with hot liquid do not completely cover the lid. It is important to let out some of the steam while blending or the top will pop off and burning hot liquid will splatter. Add liquid until you reach the thickness you want.

6. Once you have the desired consistency, add the soup back into the pot, add the coconut milk and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Thicker version. More filling.

The more cooking liquid you blend back in not only creates a smoother, more soup like version, but also yields more soup.

As I mentioned earlier, this was a very mild soup which makes it great for kids, too. Because it’s so neutral it can be used in several ways.

• Hold back on the adding the broth to keep it super chunky, then use it as a base purée for seared or poached salmon, or filet of sole. Top with crispy shallots.

• Add all the broth and make it super soupy and use it as a sauce for rice noodles, topping it with fresh scallions, cilantro and chopped peanuts.

• Spoon it over rice, add roasted shrimp and chili peppers.

Black cod with broccoli rabe and the thicker carrot puree.

This is the start of a beautiful carrot crusade. It definitely soothed my achy woes.

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Baked Cod

How to break the code on cod? My husband has an absolute love for this fish. I, however, teeter on a more love hate relationship. Maybe it’s because for a long time this was his fish of choice, making it often and in the same way. Once or twice he cooked it encased in salt. Which was pretty good, but gosh darn, a mountainous waste of salt. And I mean a colossal waste. Given my ambivalence for this solid white fish, it came as a bit of a surprise when at the fish store I up and purchased cod. When I tell you I have a love hate relationship, it leans less on the love side, so I was seriously concerned about my decision making skills. Yet, as I wandered the store second guessing myself, my reasoning came into full view as I foraged through the vegetable section selecting only the best. That was it. The fact is that when I shop, I shop for the freshest items. Period, end of story. I don’t shop thinking I have to buy this or that. Since nothing seemed as fresh as the cod fish, it was a forgone conclusion that would be my choice. The first part of the cod decoding done.

As I got misted from the produce sprinklers reaching into the vegetable section, I tossed into my basket; carrots, Chinese cabbage, turnips and a variety of mushrooms.

Back home and determined to continue decoding the cod situation, I dreamed up with my own invention. Lucky for me my sister was around so I would have an ally in my cod corner. And JC’s cod the same way would take a rest for the day. Here’s how it went down.

Also, for some of my readers who might feel that my recipes seem easy to only me, I would like use this recipe as an example of an easy one pot meal. It’s chop, sauté, season and bake in the oven simple. I would love to hear your feedback, so comment away!!

The fresh line up; garlic, carrots, celery, Chinese cabbage.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. Cod Fish
1 large turnip, sliced (approx. 1 c)
4.5 c Chinese or Nappa Cabbage, chopped
1.5 c carrots, sliced
2.5 c celery, sliced
3 garlic cloves. sliced
1 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1//2 t turmeric (for the cod)
pinch of cumin (for the cod)
Magic 3 - olive oil, salt, pepper

Chop it all up. I decided to go long diagonals keeping everything looking the same and cooking the same.

Instructions

1.In a large sauté pan, add oil, carrots, celery, garlic and season with salt and pepper.

First cook down the heartier vegetables just until they are soft.

2. Sauté the vegetables until softened, then add cabbage. Cook until wilted.

3. Season the cod fillets with turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper.

Make sure that the fish is dry before you season.

4. Then make a spot in the pan by moving the vegetables to create a hole to place the fish. Add a drop of oil to ensure the fish does not stick.

Make a nice resting spot for the fish to reside while they cook in the oven.

5. Cook on the stove top for a few minutes then place in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. The fish should be soft and fall apart when pressed with a finger.

Delicate, mild and flaky, this lightly spiced fish melts into the softened vegetables perfectly.

A one pot full of flavors that subtly meld together.

I served this dish with a mixture of mushrooms and black rice sautéd with scallions and onions. Cod - decoded and done to perfection. Jill loved this dish and has mentioned wanting to “relive” it again soon. I guess it was a success.

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