I was doing an inventory of what I had in my freezer and found some frozen B.C. lingcod fillets. They would make a nice Sunday supper for two, I thought, so I thawed them and checked my fridge and pantry for things to serve with them.
I had a few white button mushrooms, small potatoes, broccoli florets and staple ingredients on hand and not long after I was beginning my meal preparation.
With regard to the mushrooms, I decided to use them in a sauce for the fish. To make it, the mushrooms were sliced and sautéed in butter with chopped shallots and thyme. When the mushrooms were tender, flour and garlic were mixed in, creating a roux. Stock was then mixed in, which can be chicken or fish stock, and then the sauce was simmered, thickened and seasoned. The sauce was then removed from the heat and set aside until the lingcod was cooked.
Because the mushroom sauce for the lingcod would nicely flavour the fish, I decided to keep its preparation very simple. I cut the cod fillets I had into smaller, medallion-like pieces, set them on a baking sheet, brushed them with olive oil, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and then roasted them in a hot oven until just cooked thorough.
When the lingcod was almost cooked, the mushroom sauce was set back over the heat and made warm again. The fish was then plated, topped with the sauce and served with the potatoes and broccoli I had.
To cook the broccoli, I simply steamed it until tender and bright green. For the small red potatoes I had, I did a more fanciful preparation where I simmered them until tender, but still holding their shape. The potatoes were then drained, cooled a bit, and then pressed into thick discs. The potatoes were then seasoned and cooked in olive oil until rich golden, creating a nice side dish for the lingcod.
If making those potatoes seems like too much fuss for you, you could simply serve the fish with boiled potatoes. Or, because there’s a generous amount of sauce, serve it with something that will soak that sauce up, such as rice pilaf or mashed potatoes.
Instead of broccoli, other green vegetables, of course, will also work with the fish, such as green beans, Brussels sprouts or other type that appeals.
Lingcod, fresh or frozen, is sold at local seafood stores and at some supermarkets. If you can’t find it, other types of fish fillets, such a cod, halibut or salmon, will also work in the recipe.
Roasted Lingcod with Mushroom Thyme Sauce
B.C. lingcod fillets, roasted, plated and topped with a comforting, easy-to-make mushroom sauce flavoured with such things thyme and garlic. This recipe serves two, but it could be doubled or further expanded if serving a larger group.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 to 22 minutes
Makes: two servings
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp finely chopped shallot or onion
1/4 pound (about 5 to 6 medium) white or brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp dried, or 1/2 tsp minced fresh, thyme (see Options)
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 small garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup chicken or fish stock (divided)
• salt and ground white pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus some sprigs for garnish
10 to 12 ounces (280 to 340 gram) lingcod fillets, patted dry with paper towel and cut into 4 roughly equally sized pieces
2 tsp olive oil
Make sauce by putting the butter in a small pot set over medium heat. When butter is melted, add shallots (or onion), mushrooms and thyme and cook until mushrooms are tender, about four minutes. Stir in the flour and garlic and cook one minute more.
While stirring, slowly mix in 1/4 cup of the stock. When mixture is thick, slowly mix in remaining stock. Bring sauce to a simmer, and simmer one minute. Season sauce with salt and pepper and mix in the chopped parsley. Remove sauce from the heat, cover and set it aside for now (see Options).
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a shallow baking dish with parchment paper and set cod in it.
Brush fish with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast cod 10 to 12 minutes, or until cooked through. When cod is almost cooked, set sauce back over the heat and make warm again. When cod is cooked, set two pieces of it on each of two dinner plates, top with the sauce, garnish with parsley sprigs, and serve.
Options: Instead of thyme, try another type of dried or fresh herb, to taste, in the sauce, such as dill or tarragon. You can make the sauce many hours before needed. After making it, cool it to room temperature, and then cover and refrigerate until ready to reheat and spoon over the cooked fish
Red Potatoes Simmered, Pressed and Fried
Small, waxy, red-skinned potatoes, simmered until tender, drained, pressed into thick discs, seasoned and fried until golden and appealing.
Preparation time: five minutes
Cooking time: 16 to 18 minutes
Makes: two servings
8 small (about 2-inch round) red-skinned potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
Place potatoes in a pot, cover with two inches of cold water and set over medium-high heat. Bring potatoes to a simmer, and then lower heat as needed to maintain that simmer. Simmer potatoes until tender and easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, but still holding their shape, about 12 minutes.
Drain potatoes well, and then lift them out of the pot and onto a cutting board. Let potatoes cool a few minutes, until safe enough to handle, but still warm. Now press each potato with the palm of your hand into a thick disc.
Pour oil into a 10-inch cast iron or non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, and then sprinkle the top of each one with salt, pepper and paprika. Cook the potatoes two to three minutes per side, or until rich golden and piping hot.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
