Cod a la Portugaise

I wonder where I got this recipe?  I was surprised I hadn't posted it before, as it's so simple and flavorful.

1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned OK)
1/2 cup white wine

Place the first six ingredients in a large skillet and simmer for five minutes

1 pound cod, cut in serving pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper

Place fish in skillet and bathe in sauce.  Simmer, covered, for five or ten minutes until just done.  Cod cooks very quickly this way.

1 tablespoon butter

Remove cod to serving dish and keep warm.  Boil sauce to reduce by about one third.  Stir in butter and pour sauce over fish.  Serve at once.

Cod Cakes

Alaskan cod is one of the most reliably fresh and available fishes I can buy in Tucson. I often make it baked Greek-style or with capers, lemon, and parsley. Tonight, however, I simmered it and made it into old-fashioned New England cod cakes.

I flaked the cooked, cooled cod (about 1 pound) and mixed it with 2 medium boiled smashed potatoes, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, an egg, a chopped green onion, a teaspoon curry powder, salt and pepper. I formed the mixture into fat patties, dredged them in flour, and sauteed them for five minutes per side in a little olive oil. (I consulted Mark Bittman's Fish for this recipe.)

Serve with oven fries, tartar sauce, and ketchup. Oh--and don't forget to garnish with arugula.

Okra and Greek-Style Cod

Can you believe that we're now harvesting okra? This is our second batch. I steamed them following your method and they are wonderful.

I also cooked Greek-style cod last night. Of course you can use any flaky white fish in this recipe (I don't think firm types like tuna and swordfish would be quite right).

Cod, Again

Sprouts, our newest fresh market, almost always has Alaska cod on hand, so we end up eating it a lot. Here is a recipe from an old Joy of Cooking that brings out the best in cod, and is charmingly simple. And I love the name.

Fish Baked in a Covered Dish

1 teaspoon butter
1 pound of mild fish, such as cod
Paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper

Spread a casserole bottom with the butter. Put in the fish and sprinkle lightly with paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until flaky and cooked through. Drain if very watery.

1 tablespoon melted butter
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Mix the butter, lemon juice, capers, and parsley. Pour over the fish and serve at once.

***

We had this with a baked sweet potato and Brussels sprouts with mustard cream a la Jack Bishop.