I Get Ideas For Dinner Everywhere

      So I’m at the fish counter at my local supermarket contemplating what to buy for dinner tonight night when I see a woman choosing two nice pieces of rock cod.
    “Are you going to saute or fry that fish?” I ask her.
    “No,” she answers, “I’m going to fix it like we had at a restaurant a few months ago. I bake it at 350 degrees, smother it in diced tomatoes and sliced black olives and fresh chopped parsley.”
    “That sounds good,” I say. How long do you bake it?”
    “Oh, about 15-20 minutes and then I sprinkle it with shredded cheddar cheese and put it back in the oven until the cheese is melted.”
    “Yum!Okay. That does it.” I turn to the fishmonger.  “Give me two pieces of rock cod, please.”
    As the woman strolls away with her shopping cart I shout, “Thanks for the tip!”
    “You’re welcome,” she answers. “Enjoy!”
    So tonight we’re having the fish, rice pilaf, made with Royal Blend rice (a blend of  white, brown and wild rice) and some lovely organic broccoli that came in the Farm-fresh-to-you box Lexi orders once a month. Even though you can go online and see what veggies and/or fruit is coming in the box, when I open the door and there it sits on the porch, it’s still like Christmas every month. Here's how I made dinner:

After checking the fish for bones I seasoned it with salt and pepper and put it in the prepared pan. 

I know, I know. My pan doesn't look like one of Ina Garten or Rachel Ray's but I don't have a crew to clean up after me. After you spray the pan with cooking spray and lay the fish on it, spread the diced tomatoes over the fish and then sprinkle with sliced olives and parsley.

Bake the fish at 350 degrees until it flakes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Put it back in the oven until cheese is nicely melted. It's ready to serve.

It may look like a hot mess but believe me it is yummy!

 

 

 

In the meantime, saute the mirepoix (fancy name for diced carrot, onion, and celery) in butter until softened and transparent.

 

 

Add the rice and stir until rice is coated with butter.

Add the chicken broth (or water,) bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice has absorbed the liquid and can be fluffed with a fork.

 

 

 

 

Dinner is served

 

 

 

Recipes

Rock Cod With Tomatoes and Black Olives

1-1/2-2 lbs fresh Rock Cod fillets
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced black olives
2 Tblsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Spray a baking pan with cooking spray or line with foil.
Remove any bones from the fish. Season with salt and pepper and lay the fish in the prepared pan. Cover fish with diced tomatoes and  sprinkle with sliced olives and parsley. Bake for 20 minutes or until fish flakes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve.



Royal Blend Rice Pilaf

1 Tblsp. butter
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 large onion, diced
1 cup Royal Blend rice
1-1/12 cups chicken broth (or water)
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
Melt 1 Tblsp. butter in a medium saucepan and saute the mirepoix (fancy name for diced carrot, onion and celery) until soft and transparent. Add 1 cup Royal Blend rice mixture and stir until the grains of rice are coated with butter. Add 1-1/2 cups chicken broth (or water) and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat  and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice has absorbed all the liquied and can be fluffed with a fork. Serves 2-4.