Valeria Out Loud

First, I’d like to say thank you to those following my blog. I reached 11 followers last night, and, got a shout out on Twitter! This all made my day!  

Feeling good after work last night, I decided that my time would be better spent cooking for my family rather than starting the holiday lights outside.. or the tree!  But the plan tonight is to finish it!  The weather today, much like yesterdays, is unseasonably warm, and I am starting to get impatient with myself cause the girls haven’t received their new annual ornaments from us.    My oldest will be receiving a Hallmark artist bear, she is the artist of the family; and my youngest will be getting a Scooby Doo and the gang in the Mystery Machine, her favorite show!  If all goes to plan, I will share some of the decorating photos with you tomorrow.

For now, here is my recipe:

Broiled Cod with Bread Crumbs

This feeds a family of four. The ratio I use is 1 fillet per adult and ½ per child.

• 3 cod fillets – washed under cold water – haddock, sole, or any other sturdy white fish can be used as well.
• ¼ cup plain dry wheat bread crumbs (or panko crumbs)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (1 for pan and 1 for fish)
• ½ lemon juiced
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp Herbs de Provence*
• Salt and Pepper to taste

In your oven, take a rack and slide it into the top-notch, closest to the broiler.

Turn on broiler to LOW.

Grab a heavy-duty cookie sheet/broiler pan.  I cover mine with either tin foil or the heavy-duty parchment/foil paper.  The heavy-duty parchment paper is one of my key supplies in the kitchen. For taste, I like to drizzle some olive oil on the pan before hand.

Mix together the paprika, bread crumbs and herbs.

Separately, mix together the lemon juice and water.

Arrange the fillets skin side down onto the oiled pan. Salt fish well.

Drizzle more olive oil evenly over the fish, and massage it in.  Then add the lemon water onto the pan, not the fish. Let it pool and surround the fish.  Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs mixture evenly.

Broil for at least 5-10 minutes.  The length of time to cook the fillets depends on the thickness of the fish at the widest part. My rule of thumb when I started broiling fish was set the timer for 5 minutes.  Check the fish’s thickest part.  If it is not white and flaky, but still pinky in the middle, then let broil another minute. Check again after that. Etc. BUT Do not cook more than 10 minutes, cause then the fish will definitely over cook.  Your goal is to get a white flaky fish without burning the crumb.

I love this dish paired with a side of asparagus and sweet potatoes. Which those side dish recipes will be following this week.

Enjoy!

• *If you don’t have herbs du Provence, you can use a variety of herbs together, or even an already flavored bread crumb instead.   If you have a hard time finding them, check out your local Homegoods!

I make my own herbs de Provence now.  I had bought a tin from Homegoods years ago and fell for the flavors.  They were herbs that I liked: lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, and basil. And, since we were in the middle of our yard renovations at the time, I decided then that not only would these herbs be pretty and fragrant scattered in the plantings, but also useful with my cooking. There is nothing nicer than walking through the yard and touching the lavender and then the thyme..the smells make me so happy.  My plan is to get a functioning garden back there some day, but waiting for our ‘oh so ugly’ garage to be struck by lightning, cause behind it is where the sun’s real prime real estate is in our yard!