Following on from my last post about my Dad going to Norfolk to restock the freezer, I can’t resist telling you about the delightful dinner we had of line caught sustainable cod with shrimp, which I served with mashed potatoes and some fabulous chard Dad picked up on the way home from an organic store – apparently I’d have been in organic produce heaven there, so I’ve bookmarked it to visit when you go back to Norfolk this coming July.
Even before cooking the cod looked lovely, so white and pure, and fresh from the sea that morning – now that is hard to beat isn’t it.
If you think it looks good before going into the oven (I simply baked it for 10 minutes in a hot oven with a little butter and black pepper, scattering with cooked shrimp for the last two minutes), it looked stunning once baked and it tasted stunning too – fresh, milky, tender and succulent; so much better than the fish I can get locally since I’m in the landlocked Midlands; oh to live near the sea.
Mashed potatoes seemed the obvious accompaniment, something to enhance the warming nature of the dish and to mop up all the lovely juices too. Just to ring the changes I put the mash in an oven dish and baked it for twenty minutes dotted with butter to give a crisp topping.
Now, I’m sure you don’t need a recipe for mashed spuds but here’s how I like to do it - cook the potatoes in their skins in just enough water to half cover them so they almost steam, peel them and return to the pot to ‘dry’ before mashing them and adding butter and fresh cream (milk could also be used if preferred).
Chard is such a beautiful vegetable, so vibrantly coloured and it’s a joy to eat too – strong in flavour but not overpowering either and a great base for other strong flavours too as it’s not easily over powered.
As for how I cooked the chard, well that was blanched in boiling water before being fried gently in olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar and a dash of sugar, until tender, giving a piquant flavour which complimented the delicate fish really well; bringing out the delicate flavours and enhancing them no end.
The only down-point being the chard didn’t keep its colour so well, but it still tasted gorgeous.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
A great fish recipe. The cod looks so fresh, I can almost taste it.
This looks so good. I would eat this in no time.
Oooh, that fish looks delicious. When you have truly fresh fish, it’s really a sin to do anything to smother the flavor — a simple oven baking is perfect!
Looks delicious. I love cod. I have never tried chard. It looks so pretty
xxx
What perfect family fare! There’s not another ingredient that needs to be quite as spanking fresh as fish really is there?:)
Looks very good! Sounds easy to make too! Thanks for sharing the recipe with us.
I adore cod! I love cooking it very simply, just like you did here. Fabulous, comforting meal!
Oh my goodness that fish looks delicious, drool – drool!! A great recipe too George thanks for sharing with us
Rosie x
Yes, simple and good soul-warming food. Cod is a staple in our home. I liked what you did with the mash, and the addition of the chard was a good ‘green’ stroke for the meal, a nice way to round it out.