How to cook fish correctly seems to be a question for many people. The fear of overcooking or undercooking stops many from attempting to make fish at home. This recipe, adapted from Alison Roman, takes all the guesswork out of cooking fish. Since the fish simmers slowly in a tomato broth, it’s less likely to overcook, staying moist and tender. The soft, flakey fish gets a boost of texture and flavor when topped with crispy shallots and a drizzle of shallot oil. Serve with toasted whole-grain bread to soak up the broth, over brown rice, quinoa or whole wheat pasta or even wrapped inside of a warm corn tortilla.
Poached Cod in Tomato Broth with Crispy Shallots
Ingredients
4 cod filets, about 4-6 ounces each
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
1 teaspoon fish sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Optional garnish: lime wedges, chopped parsley and mints
Directions
- In a Dutch oven or large saute pan or skillet with high sides, saute shallots in oil over med-high heat. Once they become golden, add red pepper flakes and cook another 30 seconds.
- Transfer shallots to a small bowl, cover with most of the shallot oil, leaving some oil in the skillet. Set aside.
- With oil remaining, add garlic and saute for about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, breaking them up, and cook for about 10 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add some water.
- Add fish sauce and lay cod filets in the sauce. Spoon tomato sauce over the filets. Cover the pot and cook on a low simmer for about 10 minutes (10 minutes per inch thickness of fish).
- Serve fish in a bowl with tomato sauce, topped with crispy shallots. Garnish with a wedge of lime wedge and chopped herbs, if desired.
Note: Serve over whole wheat pasta, brown rice or with toasted whole-grain bread. Sliced red onion can be substituted for shallots.
Recipe adapted from Alison Roman, nytimes.com
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Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN 