Roasted Cod with Olives from Real Simple

Last week, I was really excited to receive a tweet back from Real Simple on Twitter when I posted a recipe that I found on their web site!  In response to my tweet that I planned to make their recipe soon, they said that they couldn't wait to see it.

I was able to make the recipe almost identical to theirs, but for some reason, the store that I went to had no lemons.  I had to use a lime instead.  Also, they used mixed olives which gave their dish more color with the mixture of purple and green olives.  I only had green.  To add a little more color to my Pacific Cod, I topped it with some chopped orange bell pepper that I had lying around.

The last substitution that I made was chicken broth in place of the white wine.  I read somewhere before that you can do that, so when I have a shortage of white wine, I sub chicken broth.  I think this is the best way to cook and serve fish!  When you plate the fish, spoon the sauce on top so that the fish absorbs some, and the rest is all around the fish so that you can dredge the fish in it when you pick it up with your fork.  I hate dry fish, and the result here is moist, flavorful fish.

Thanks to Real Simple for this recipe!  I will be making it often!  You can find the original recipe for Real Simple's Roasted Pacific Cod here.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Pacific cod or some other white fish fillets (such as halibut)
• 3/4 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1/2 cup mixed olives
• zest from 1 lemon, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Place the fish in a small roasting pan. Add enough wine (about 3/4 cup) to reach halfway up the sides of the fish. Scatter the olives and lemon zest around the fish. Drizzle with the oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the red pepper.
3. Roast until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the parsley. Divide the fish among individual plates and spoon the olives and wine sauce over the top.

By Sara Quessenberry , October, 2007