Cod with Roasted Veggies

Variation #2

Serves 2 - A good "one dish" dinner.

When buying Cod, if you ask for "Hotel" or "Captain's Cut" the fish should be of uniform thickness (but often more expensive). If the fish is uneven in thickness, when cooking fold thin piece(s) under to make as equal in thickness as possible.

The potato part of this recipe is adapted from Emma’s Cod in Mark Bittman’s Fish cookbook, but this recipe uses olive oil instead of  3 T butter/2 servings and adds additional vegetables.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Coat the bottom and sides of a baking dish with equivalent area of 12 ½” x  9” x ~2" with olive oil.

Toss:

2-3 medium red bliss or Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced, with
2 t olive oil

Arrange potatoes in a single layer (stacking a layer against the sides in baking dish too, if necessary), and bake 25 – 35 minutes until potatoes are browned on both sides, you may need to turn some/all potatoes half way through cooking.  Check after 20 minutes and then about every 5 minutes to be sure the potatoes are not beginning to burn.

Place in a dish (large enough to accommodate remaining vegetables to be used):

½ medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 t olive oil

and toss to coat onions with the oil. Put onions on top of potatoes and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Place in the same dish used for the onions, a combination of some or all of the following vegetables, varying the amount depending on the varieties of veggies used and the amount of veggies desired (to make this a more economical, sustainable dish, increase amount of veggies and decrease amount of fish):

Carrot(s), julienne
Parsnip(s), julienne
Small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 t olive oil

and toss to coat veggies with the oil. Put veggies on top of potatoes and bake additional 5 minutes. For crispier veggies, omit this step. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F.

Sprinkle:

1 1/2 t Herbes de Provence on
2/3 - 1 pound cod

Variation #1

Place cod on top of potatoes and veggies and bake at 350 degrees F, approximately 15 - 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of fish, or until the fish becomes opaque throughout and flakes easily with a fork. After 10 minutes check the fish for doneness and the veggies.  If the veggies not covered by the fish are becoming too browned, cover them with a piece of aluminum foil.  Note: Bittman advises cooking less:  “Roast the cod for 8 – 12 minutes [at 425 degrees F] depending on the thickness of the fillets (cod begins to “gape” – its sections separate – when it is done, is opaque throughout, and will offer no resistance to a thin-bladed knife; avoid overcooking)."

Remove fish from oven and divide fish and veggies between 2 warm plates.

VARIATION # 1:  Omit all of the vegetables, except the potatoes.

VARIATION #2:  Serve Cod with Roasted Veggies on a bed of sautéed spinach.

VARIATION #3: See Cod Provencal; omit all of the vegetables except potatoes and serve with tomato-olive sauce.

Reviewed 5/25/2017