Thing #1 = jars of food in the basement. Before the 2011 canning season started, I promised myself (and Erik) that I would do a better job of preserving useful things than I did last year. Those fancy jams just call to me, but two responsible adults can only eat or give away so much. So, I did that. But now we . . . → Read More: Dark Days Challenge Week 5: Fish and Pickled Asparagus]]> There are two ingredients that I’ve been meaning to use more of.

Thing #1 = jars of food in the basement. Before the 2011 canning season started, I promised myself (and Erik) that I would do a better job of preserving useful things than I did last year. Those fancy jams just call to me, but two responsible adults can only eat or give away so much. So, I did that. But now we have to use it all.

Thing #2 = fish. We have great access to locally-caught seafood, but for some reason, I rarely include it in our weekly meal plan. I think part of it is because getting fish from the market in the heat of summer kind of grosses me out. I’m sure it’s fine, because it’s on piles and piles of ice, but it just doesn’t appeal to me. Then I forget about it when cooler weather rolls around.

This was the week to knock out both goals. Well, actually, last week was the week to do that. Sorry…we’ve been busy. This is barely a recipe, so go crazy. If you don’t have spicy pickled asparagus, use dilly beans, fresh beans/asparagus, or tomatoes. Maybe even pickled beets. Add in some olives or herbs. Use a different type of white-fleshed fish or even shrimp. Just dig around in the refrigerator or stash of jars and use what you find.

We ate this on a pile of wheatberries from Cayuga Pure Organics to soak up the juices. Very satisfying for very little work!

Fish and Spicy Pickled Asparagus Packets

Serves 2

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut two long pieces of foil (about 2 arm-lengths each). Fold each in half, so that you have two shorter pieces. Lay one on your counter and pour about half the sunflower oil (1 1/2 teaspoons) in the middle.
3. Cut the fish into two roughly equal halves. Put one half on the foil and flip it over to coat both sides in the sunflower oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper, and half of the garlic.
4. If you’re using pickled vegetables, drain off the brine. Cut the vegetables into small pieces – about the size of your pinky finger. Toss them on top of the fish.
5. Gather the long sides of the foil up to the middle and crimp them. Roll up the short sides tightly. You want to trap steam, but not smother the poor fish, so try to keep some space around the fish itself.

   

6. Put the packet on a baking sheet and repeat with the other piece of fish.
7. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the thickest part of the fish reaches 145 degrees and is flaky and opaque. If you’re using thin fillets, start checking after about 10 minutes; thicker ones might need 20.

   

There is a fresh seafood vendor at the Greenmarket that always has great looking fish and shellfish and long lines. They are P.E. & D.D. Seafood from eastern Long Island. We don’t eat a lot of fish (or meat) at home, but we made a point to finally try theirs. For bonus points we found a recipe that uses bacon!

This recipe turned out to be very quick, very easy, and superb. It . . . → Read More: How to Make Roasted Cod with Haricot Vert, Lemon, and Bacon]]>

There is a fresh seafood vendor at the Greenmarket that always has great looking fish and shellfish and long lines. They are P.E. & D.D. Seafood from eastern Long Island. We don’t eat a lot of fish (or meat) at home, but we made a point to finally try theirs. For bonus points we found a recipe that uses bacon!

This recipe turned out to be very quick, very easy, and superb. It also used haricot vert, or French green beans, which are also in season. It is a minor variation on a recipe from Jamie Oliver: The Naked Chef Takes Off. You can add more or less bacon, beans, or pine nuts but this represents a good balance for us.

Roasted Cod with Haricot Vert, Lemon, and Bacon

Makes 4 servings

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Trim the green beans and layer them in a Pyrex dish or roasting pan. Add the slices of garlic and season as desired with salt and pepper. Add enough olive oil to coat lightly. Toss / mix everything in the pan.
3. Lay the cod fillet(s) over the beans. Season again with a little bit of salt and pepper. Place the half strips of bacon over the fish and the beans. Sprinkle the pine nuts over everything. Shove the lemon halves into the corners of the pan.
   

   

4. Place on the middle rack of the oven for 15 – 30 minutes. The target internal temperature for the fish is 140 degrees, but the timing will vary depending on the thickness of the fillet and whether your oven runs hot. If you don’t have a thermometer, check that the center of the fish has the color and flaky consistently pictured.

   

5. Cut your portions and distribute the beans, nuts, and bacon. Make sure that each serving gets a lemon half. The lemon will have softened and sweetened into a jam-like sauce that is delicious and works so well with the fish and other ingredients. Make sure to scrape out that lemon; it’s not just for show!