Cod, better than mere fish!

Of all the different fish that land on our table there is none more loved than Cod. Cod is tolerant of abuse. You can over cook it and it is still moist, you can under cook it and it is still edible---but also easily corrected. Plus the taste and texture are wonderful.

Last night I made a new version, adapted from my YouTube chef friend Jacques Pépin. His version was covered with a mixture of black olives, sundried tomatoes and olive oil. I found that I was out of both black olives and sundried tomatoes---so I substituted Kalamata olives and tomato paste, blended in the food processor.

As a gesture of civility to my wife, I first put aluminum foil on the baking pan, then a touch of EVO where each piece would go. I arranged the pieces to overlap in an effort to create more even thickness (I cut these pieces from a full filet) and then topped with the olive mixture. I knew the topping would have an assertive flavor so I was sparing in my use---probably covering 40% of the surface. To that I, basted with a simple lemon butter sauce (2 tbsp. of fresh squeezed lemon and 4 tbsp. butter, melted and mixed well). Then under the broiler for 6 or 7 minutes.

After plating, I again basted with the remainder of the lemon butter sauce.

Served with fresh green beans and eaten to yummy sounds :bowdown:

I've never cooked Cod at home. Usually have it in Tacos or Fish and Chips. Salmon is my go to when cooking fish at home.

Nurse Paula will not eat fish (other than Calamari) unless she can see the ocean so it's not a frequent dish around here.

Salmon is one that I do only on occasion---on the occasions when I can get Alaskan Salmon. All "Alaskan" Salmon is wild caught, by state law, there can be no farming of Salmon. The color (deeper red), the texture (firmer) and the taste are distinctly different. Once you've had it---you won't go back! :hatoff:

Another on my banned list, Taipa. The texture is disgusting, not unlike the "farming technique" employed in many farms. They are "fed" by cleaning up the bottom of the pool of the waste from the higher value crop growing and swimming above :o:

Other than mussels I try to avoid all farm raised sea food. However, I do make an exception for Lox :peace:

Dave

Brine softer or mushy, or oily fish filets for 30 minutes then rinse well and soak for 15 in fresh water. Then when you cook it you will have a firm non oily texture to the filet. World of difference

I'll give that a try---but not on Tilapia---it won't change my image of what they eat----and yes I know a lot of our food sources do similar things (like chickens)----but I look at Tilapia and I see fish poop :shrug: