Baked Wild Alaskan Cod

Ingredients:

1 lbs of wild Alaskan Cod Fish
2 scallions (green onions) - thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of butter melted
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of dried rosemary herb
2 tablespoons of dried dill
1 tablespoons of black pepper
2 tablespoons of paprika


Fish is really good for you but I try not to eat it all the time.  I think for me to stay healthy I need to have a variety of foods in my diet.  I just prepared wild Alaskan Cod for dinner.  I love fish from Alaska!

First I take a rectangular baking dish and lay the fish out (as shown in the picture).  I add different things on top at different times depending on what I bought at the store with the fish or what I have left over in my fridge.  Today I added thin sliced scallions and scattered evenly on top followed by pouring melted butter over all the fish.

After pouring the butter I sprinkle the dried rosemary followed by the dill evenly on top.  You can use as little or as much as you would like.  It really depends on your particular taste.  Do you like a lot of flavor or less.  I usually like a lot!  The same goes for the black pepper but I suggest you just cover it lightly or it could over power the flavor of the other herbs you added.

Once you have added the herbs and any vegetables that you want on top of the fish then I take my olive oil (usually I keep a bottle next to my stove with a spout for pouring) and cover the fish and toppings with it.  This and the butter will help keep your fish from drying out when cooking. 

I make this ahead of time, cover it and place it in the fridge to marinate while I prepare all the side dishes.  When I am ready to cook it I pull it out and top it with paprika just to give it some extra color - manly for looks I must admit. 

Cooking fish is important.  You don't want to under cook it or over cook it.  That is one of the reasons I make sure I have juices in with the fish because I do have a tendency to over cook my food.  I have learned a few short cuts to keep the food from appearing or tasting over cooked! 

I suggest for 1 lb of fresh sliced cod baked at 450 degrees to be about 20-25 minutes.  Check before serving to make sure it flakes. 

Suggestions for topping the Fish:  mushrooms, spinach, crab, tarrogon and thyme.  Really it is up to you on what type of topping and spice you would like to use.  Be creative and try different things!

New Cook? What is Blanching?

Are you a new cook and don't have a clue what some things mean?  Let me explain some basic information about blanching.

• Blanching - sounds interesting but what does it really mean?  Well for starters it is used to cook food in boiling water very quickly and then you would dip the food in ice cold water (yes you can use ice cubes - it is highly recommended) immediately afterwards.  You would bring about 1 gallon to a boil for every 1 pound of vegetables unless they are leafy then you would double your water. This might be because you want some vegetables in your recipe that are still crispy but not totally raw....carrots in a salad would be just one example.  You might want to peel tomatoes without the hassle or even a peach.  You should always let the the produce cool for the same amount of time you boil it. 

We will discuss specific amounts of times in another article but first be familiar with the terms used.  It will making a new Cook a Pro in no time. 

INDIAN RICE DISH

This is perhaps my all time favorite rice dish.  I can serve it cold, hot or at room temp!  It can be modified in so many ways according to your taste buds.....

The Ingredients:

4 cups of chicken broth (prefer organic or low sodium)
2 cups of balsmi brown rice
1 - 2  tablespoons of olive oil
1 dash of salt
2 tablespoons of ground cumin
1 cup of sliced almonds (toasted if preferred)
Chopped scallions (or subsitute with red or white onion)
Chopped parsley
grated lemon
grated orange

Dressing:

1/2 cup of olive oil
Salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/2 cup of honey
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 fresh squeezed lemon and orange
1 - 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

Add chicken broth, olive oil, salt and cumin and bring to boil.  Add rice after you have rinsed it in cold water.  Cook for 40 minutes on medium to low simmer.  I suggest if you have a gas stove like I do to cook it on the low simmer and medium for electric.   Wait 5 minutes after taking it off the burner before removing the lid and then fluff it with a fork.

Add directly to your rice pan the scallions, parsley, almonds, grated lemon and the orange zest! 

Now it is time to make the dressing for the rice.  This is the key to this awesome rice dish.  Take all the ingredience for the dressing listed above and blend it in your blender.  Pour into your rice mixture and toss.  Granish with parsley and almonds if you are serving it to guest.  Ok to serve at room temp, hot or even cold.  This dish is so versatile and delicious.

This is my favorite dish to make at the start of the week and if I need something quick I just pull it out of the fridge and zap it for a minute or just dive in cold.  Great flavor and aroma.  Try it and let me know how you like it!