Cod with mushroom and red pepper relish recipe

Cod with mushroom and red pepper relish

SERVES 2
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

1 pound cod
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons cooking fat
¼ onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint (2 cups) button, cremini, or portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

This dish isn’t in our Fancypants Meal section, but it’s beautiful enough to wow guests. Plus, our pairing suggestion of roasted squash can cook at 350°F, so your oven can easily pull double duty. The squash will take about an hour to roast at this temperature (assuming a large dice), so put it in the oven about 45 minutes before you start cooking the fish. Or, start your cauliflower steaming just before you start prepping the fish—it should be done and ready to blend in the food processor as the fish is coming out of the oven. Make your dressing ahead of time and throw together a salad while the fish cooks and you’ve got a company-worthy meal.

PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan or glass baking dish with parchment paper.

CUT the fish into portions and gently pat dry with a paper towel. Season evenly with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ⅛ teaspoon of the pepper and place in the baking pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the flesh in the center of the fish no longer appears wet or spongy in texture when you pierce it with a fork. It’s done when it just barely starts to flake when pulled apart.

WHILE the fish is cooking, add the cooking fat to a large skillet over medium heat. When the fat is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the ginger and stir for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. The mushrooms will release moisture, bringing the flavors together, and then become more dry in appearance. Add the roasted red peppers and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper and stir for 2 minutes, allowing the peppers to warm. Remove the pan from the heat and hold covered to keep warm.

REMOVE the fish from the oven, spoon the mushroom and pepper mixture generously over the top of the fish, and serve immediately

MAKE IT A MEAL: This dish goes beautifully with a simple green salad dressed with our Balsamic Vinaigrette and either roasted butternut squash or a simple Cauliflower Mash.

✪ DRIED MUSHROOMS Using a mix of more exotic dried mushrooms like shiitakes, porcini, morels, or chanterelles in this dish will boost the flavor and texture of your relish, and make the finished look even more impressive to company. You’ll want to use about 3 ounces of dried mushrooms for this dish—feel free to mix and match varieties. Soak them in warm water for 30 minutes first, to rehydrate them and rinse off any dirt or grit. Then, slice them (or dice them, depending on their shape and size) and prepare your “relish” as directed.