Greek-Style Baked Cod

My nephew occasionally likes to flex his culinary muscles and serve up something delicious. Because he was evacuated from his Peace Corp volunteer position in Ecuador when the pandemic hit in March, he’s now living with his mom, and she benefits from his kitchen capers.

Recently he delighted her with this Greek-Style Baked Cod. Served alongside some creamy garlic orzo pasta and roasted cauliflower, it was a 5 star meal that left her bragging for the rest of the week. (We tend to do that about our kids, even when the great feat is making microwave popcorn without setting off the smoke alarm - but in this case it was warranted!)

This recipe calls for you to quickly pan-fry the cod pieces to brown, then place the cast-iron skillet (or other oven-proof cookware) into a hot oven to finish the cooking process. The citrus hits the palate first like a delightful little party, and the cod. light and flaky, is simply delicious! Enjoy!

Greek-Style Baked Cod:

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb Cod fillet pieces (4–6 pieces)

• 2-3 teaspoons of minced garlic (5-6 cloves)  

• 5 tbsp fresh or bottled lime juice

• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp melted butter

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp ground coriander

• 3/4 tsp sweet paprika 

• 3/4 tsp ground cumin 

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Mix lime juice, olive oil, and melted butter in a shallow bowl - set aside.

3. Mix flour, spices, salt and pepper in another bowl - set aside.

4. Dip fish in the lime and oil/butter, then dredge in flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. SAVE THE LIME JUICE MIX!!!

5. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place fish in hot oil, browning each side, but stopping shy of cooking through. Remove from heat.

6. Add minced garlic to the lime juice mix and pour over the cod pieces.

7. Place skillet with cod in preheated oven. Bake about 10 minutes. The fish should flake easily.

8. Garnish with parsley or cilantro if desired.

9. Serve immediately with sides of choice!

Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower

Want a tasty and healthful side-dish for one of the many holiday meals you’ll be hosting or contributing to? I’ve got just the thing! This delicious - and super easy - Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower!

While I LOVE my green-bean casseroles as much as the next person, I know that more than a small helping each season would be considered an over-indulgence. This dish, whose star players are making headlines ‘round the globe for their nutritious, high-fiber and inflammatory properties, has no such guilt attached. I can (and did!) go back for seconds (or thirds) and feel GOOD about myself for doing so.

Roasting the cauliflower in a HOT oven, crisps and browns the edges and gives it a little bit of a sweet taste, which plays off the earthy turmeric spice in a lovely way. The garlic and sweet red pepper adds depth that would be missing if it were just roasted on its own.

If you want to add even more texture to the palate, and create a heartier side, top it with some roasted pumpkin seeds. (sunflower seeds or even slivered almonds wold work too!)

This photo was taken at a family Thanksgiving gathering, where even my grandkids dug in - No better endorsement than that!

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1 florets

• 1 sweet red bell pepper, cut into 1” pieces

• large head of garlic, peeled and minced

• 1 Tablespoon turmeric powder

• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• kosher salt

• olive oil

• roasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 

2. Trim the leaves and remove the core of the cauliflower, then cut into florets about 1-1/2”. Place them in a large mixing bowl. 

3. Add the bell pepper and minced garlic

4. Drizzle a liberal amount (1/8 - 1/4 cup) of olive oil over the vegetable mixture and turn several times to coat.

5. In a small bowl, combine turmeric, white pepper, paprika, and good dash or two of kosher salt. Mix. Shake over cauliflower, pepper and garlic, toss together until evenly coated with oil and spices.

6. Spread in an even layer onto a large baking sheet.

7. Roast in a hot oven for 20-30 minutes. The cauliflower should be tender but not overly soft, and nicely browned and crisp in several places.

8. For an added crunch and heartiness, sprinkle with roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, or slivered almonds.

9. Serve hot.