Category: fish

Posted on

Roasted Cod with Caramelized Grapefruit and Fennel

I’m a grapefruit convert.  I have seen the light — the Florida sunlight, even in the dark of a Boston Winter.  My farmshare has shown me the way.  I didn’t even like grapefruit until recently, although you wouldn’t know it from this blog.  But the farmshare kept bringing it, which forced me to get creative.  I love the fresh citrus flavor that grapefruit brings when its bitterness is tempered. 

While in San Francisco at the end of February, I had an amazing sea bass with grapefruit-fennel slaw at The Firefly, and I’ve been trying to recreate it ever since.  This comes close, and was on the table in less than 20 minutes. 

This would work with other fish, with onions instead of fennel, with other herbs, and with oranges, which wouldn’t need so much sugar.  I’m also experimenting with natural sweeteners, but honey doesn’t seem to do the trick.  Cod comes in fresh from Gloucester to our local Whole Foods, making it flaky and delicious — a far cry from that tasteless substance in your average fish and chips.

I love the challenges that come in the box of organic produce each week.   Who knows what next week will bring?

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 (easily multiplied)

Ingredients:
2 6 oz cod fillets
1 bulb fennel
2 grapefruits
1/3 c sugar
1 t coriander
1T EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil)
salt and pepper to taste
bed of greens, such as baby spinach, arugula, or watercress (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   
2. Slice the fennel into 1″ pieces, removing the tough core.  Reserve and chop the fronds.
3. By now the oven should be heated.  Place cod in a baking dish, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 10-12 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the EVOO over medium-low heat.  Add the fennel and a pinch of salt.  Cook slowly, until fennel begins to caramelize. 
5. While you’re waiting for the fennel to caramelize, section the grapefruits, removing seeds and pith, and place into a bowl.  If you’re not sure how to do this, check out this video.  Toss the grapefruit sections with the sugar.
6. When fennel has begun to caramelize (it will turn translucent, brown a bit, and taste sweet), add the sugared grapefruit to the pan.  Cook for 3 minutes until grapefruit begins to caramelize.  Be careful not to burn.  Add coriander, toss, and turn off the heat. 
7.  Remove the cod from the oven.  Place each filet on a bed of greens (if desired).
8.  Top with the grapefruit-fennel mixture, garnish with fennel fronds, and serve.

Posted on

Recipe: Chicken (or other protein) with Coriander and Fennel

Looking for something delicious and different? Look no further. You can even make it ahead. This recipe would work with fish, veal or pork chops, or seitan. Make spice blend far in advance. Recipe may be prepared to step 2 and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. Prepared chicken may be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 4 months.

Serves: 4 (easily multiplied)
Make ahead: Yes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T olive oil

2t coriander
2t fennel seeds

5T grill seasoning OR make your own by mixing:
1/2T coriander
1/2T onion powder
1/2T garlic powder
1/2T coriander
1/2T kosher salt
2T black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (375 if using veal or pork chops)
2. Combine all spices. Rub chicken (or other protein) with spices.
3. Heat 2T olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Transfer pan to oven for 10 minutes.

Posted on

Make-Ahead or Weeknight Menu: Maple Chicken (or Non-Chicken), Simple Cranberry Sauce, Baked Sweets, and Roasted Broccoli

A veritable weeknight feast that’s even good enough for entertaining. Like having a bit of Thanksgiving anytime. Highly flexible. Can be done all in one night, made ahead, or some of each. Whatever you have time for. Roast the veggies while baking the potatoes, and while you’re at it, fill your oven with colorful veggies to roast for the rest of the week!

Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 1/2 hour
Serves: 4
Make-ahead (optional): The sweet potatoes and broccoli can be roasted ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 4 days. The chicken (or other protein) can be marinated overnight and/or baked up to 4 days ahead.
Clean-up Tip: When baking sweet potatoes, save your pans by lining them with foil. Sweet potatoes contain a gooey substance that is nearly impossible to clean up otherwise.

Ingredients:
1 recipe Simple Cranberry Sauce
1 recipe Simple Maple-Mustard Marinade
4 chicken breasts (or other chicken parts, or 6 oz pieces of salmon, or seitan or tempeh)
4 sweet potatoes or yams (I prefer yams because they are easier to work with), scrubbed
1-2 bunches broccoli
1-3 cloves garlic (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Olive Oil (to taste)
Lime wedges for the sweet potatoes (optional, but really delicious)

Game Plan:
1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prick sweet potatoes with fork to let steam escape during baking. Wrap in foil or place in foil-wrapped pan. Bake for approximately 1 hour, until a fork goes in easily. Serve with lime wedges.
3. Marinate the chicken (or other protein) for 15+ minutes and start the cranberry sauce.
4. Cut broccoli into florets. Shave the stem with a vegetable peeler and cut into pieces (approximately 1/2″). Toss with olive oil, salt and garlic in an ovenproof baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Saute, grill, or broil chicken, 4-6 minutes/side. If you’ve used oil in the marinade, you shouldn’t need to add extra to the pan, or can use just a bit of olive oil cooking spray.
6. Assemble a gorgeous and colorful plate of chicken cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, lime wedges, and broccoli. Try oranges for dessert!

Posted on

Make-Ahead or Weeknight Menu: Maple Chicken (or Non-Chicken), Simple Cranberry Sauce, Baked Sweets, and Roasted Broccoli

A veritable weeknight feast that’s even good enough for entertaining. Like having a bit of Thanksgiving anytime. Highly flexible. Can be done all in one night, made ahead, or some of each. Whatever you have time for. Roast the veggies while baking the potatoes, and while you’re at it, fill your oven with colorful veggies to roast for the rest of the week!

Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 1/2 hour
Serves: 4
Make-ahead (optional): The sweet potatoes and broccoli can be roasted ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 4 days. The chicken (or other protein) can be marinated overnight and/or baked up to 4 days ahead.
Clean-up Tip: When baking sweet potatoes, save your pans by lining them with foil. Sweet potatoes contain a gooey substance that is nearly impossible to clean up otherwise.

Ingredients:
1 recipe Simple Cranberry Sauce
1 recipe Simple Maple-Mustard Marinade
4 chicken breasts (or other chicken parts, or 6 oz pieces of salmon, or seitan or tempeh)
4 sweet potatoes or yams (I prefer yams because they are easier to work with), scrubbed
1-2 bunches broccoli
1-3 cloves garlic (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Olive Oil (to taste)
Lime wedges for the sweet potatoes (optional, but really delicious)

Game Plan:
1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prick sweet potatoes with fork to let steam escape during baking. Wrap in foil or place in foil-wrapped pan. Bake for approximately 1 hour, until a fork goes in easily. Serve with lime wedges.
3. Marinate the chicken (or other protein) for 15+ minutes and start the cranberry sauce.
4. Cut broccoli into florets. Shave the stem with a vegetable peeler and cut into pieces (approximately 1/2″). Toss with olive oil, salt and garlic in an ovenproof baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Saute, grill, or broil chicken, 4-6 minutes/side. If you’ve used oil in the marinade, you shouldn’t need to add extra to the pan, or can use just a bit of olive oil cooking spray.
6. Assemble a gorgeous and colorful plate of chicken cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, lime wedges, and broccoli. Try oranges for dessert!

Posted on

Recipe: Simple Maple-Mustard Marinade

Try it with chicken, fish (especially salmon), seitan or tempeh. Use it for delicious make-ahead meals.

Total Time: 5 minutes

3 T Maple Syrup
1-3 T Dijon Mustard (to taste)
1 T Balsalmic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: 1-2T olive oil (you may wish to add this here rather than adding oil to the cooking pan)
Optional: 1 t dried rosemary

Combine. To use, add to protein of choice, and mix well. Marinate for 15 minutes to overnight. Broil, grill, sear, or saute protein.

Posted on

Recipe: Simple Maple-Mustard Marinade

Try it with chicken, fish (especially salmon), seitan or tempeh. Use it for delicious make-ahead meals.

Total Time: 5 minutes

3 T Maple Syrup
1-3 T Dijon Mustard (to taste)
1 T Balsalmic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: 1-2T olive oil (you may wish to add this here rather than adding oil to the cooking pan)
Optional: 1 t dried rosemary

Combine. To use, add to protein of choice, and mix well. Marinate for 15 minutes to overnight. Broil, grill, sear, or saute protein.

Posted on

Recipe: Simple Maple-Mustard Marinade

Try it with chicken, fish (especially salmon), seitan or tempeh. Use it for delicious make-ahead meals.

Total Time: 5 minutes

3 T Maple Syrup
1-3 T Dijon Mustard (to taste)
1 T Balsalmic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: 1-2T olive oil (you may wish to add this here rather than adding oil to the cooking pan)
Optional: 1 t dried rosemary

Combine. To use, add to protein of choice, and mix well. Marinate for 15 minutes to overnight. Broil, grill, sear, or saute protein.