I am always looking for healthy fish dinners and this Sicilian style cod is full of flavor. Quick, and easy to prepare.
Yes, another "Chopped" style recipe is hitting the blog! This time I've got some fresh cod, a 1/2 jar of pizza sauce in the fridge, and some rosemary. I don't have a lot of experience with cooking cod. I've made fish tacos with cod once.
Since I wasn't too familiar cooking with cod, I needed to do some research. I found a couple of recipes with tomato sauce. There was a 1/2 jar of pizza sauce left over in my fridge and I didn't want to waste it. So, I thought it's just as good as tomato sauce. Maybe, even better! There's seasoning in it already.
My recent discovery has me searching for more Italian recipes. I did 23 and Me and found that I am 34% Italian. I have always loved Italian food but I now find myself researching recipes from the regions that the test says I am from; Campania, Sicily, and Calabria.
If you haven't cooked with cod, let me warn you. There are bones you may have to deal with. These bones are called pin bones and I could see them in the raw fish, but was unable to get them out with my fingers. I didn't have needle nose pliers that I could use on the fish. Next time I will ask the fishmonger to take them out. Don't let this discourage you from trying cod. It's light, yet meaty, and not fishy at all. The fish will take on the flavors of the ingredients you are cooking with. That's why this fish is so versatile.
We ate the fish very cautiously, pulling the bones out before taking a bite. Sorta ruined our dining experience but the fish was really delicious.
Sicilian-Style Cod
Serves 4
Prep ingredients
4 pieces of cod, about 6 oz per piece
1 cup pizza sauce, or spaghetti sauce
4 cloves garlic, smashed
4 rosemary sprigs
Mediterranean spice blend
Kosher salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 lemon (optional)
Method
Season cod with spice blend and Kosher salt. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a non-stick, ovenproof pan over med-high heat with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Sear the top side of cod until browned, then turn fish over. Since the pan is very hot, carefully add the sauce, garlic, and rosemary springs. Put the pan in oven for 10 min. Garnish with parsley, squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve.