Wheat and Dairy Free Skillet Roasted Cod Fillets (serves 1 – 2)

 

Since my family knows I love to cook, I am the recipient of recipes including cookbooks, hand written copies and those clipped from a print journal which belonged to a family member who no longer cooks. This is how I ended up with a 1933 copy of Better Homes Recipe Book by Marjorie Mills from which I got my “Drop Whole Wheat Biscuits” recipe.

This recipe is a variation of one I received in the collection kept my late Aunt Caroline which she clipped from print journal. Hers didn't specify the amounts of the ingredients, except for this fish, which I'm okay with but in sharing this recipe I felt it critical to specify amounts along with cooking times, size of skillet and a reminder to wrap a towel around the handle of the skillet at the end as I can tell you from personal experience the handle can remain very hot for a good amount of time.

I've used both fresh cod and frozen cod with this recipe as well as fillets of different thicknesses at the same time. My preference is for day boat fresh cod which I realize not everyone has access to. Additionally, day boat fresh cod won't fill your house with a “fishy” smell.

The end result is a fillet which is browned on the outside easily cut with a fork.



Wheat and Dairy Free skillet Roasted Cod Fillets (serves 1-2)

1 pound cod, fresh or frozen which have been thawed
¼ cup canola oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white sugar
1/8 – ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (if you don't like a heavy pepper taste, use the smaller amount)

 
11 – 12 inch skillet which is stovetop and oven safe
spatula large enough to flip fish
dish towel

1) Place oven rack on middle rung.
2) Pre-heat oven to temperature to 425 degrees farenheit.

3) Remove any skin from fish.
4) Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon of salt and sugar on this side of the fish.
5) Sprinkle half the black pepper (1/16 – 1/8 teaspoon) on side of fish just sprinkled with sugar and salt.

6) Sprinkle remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt and sugar on this side of the fish.
7) Sprinkle remaining half the black pepper (1/16 – 1/8 teaspoon) on side of fish just sprinkled with sugar and salt.

8) Pour canola oil into skillet and gently swirl oil around until bottom of skillet is coated in oil.
9) Heat oil over medium-high heat. You'll know the oil is heated when you tilt skillet very slightly and the oil ripples or wave.

10)Place fish in skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 1-5 minutes or until the oil around all fish pieces is browned and the top of the fish begins to “flake”.
11) Flip fish using spatula.

12) Turn off stovetop and place skillet in pre-heated oven for 7-11 minutes. Time in oven will depend upon thickness of fish.

13) Remove skillet from oven and place dish towel around handle.

14) Serve fish. Store any leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator.

Skillet Roasted Cod Fillets ready to serve

Julie's version of Trader Joe's Tahini Dressing or a dipping sauce for apples or carrots

This is a slight variation on the Tahini Salad Dressing found at the Trader Joe's website. The end result is thick enough to be used as a dipping sauce for apples or carrots. Quick to make, it's a nice alternative to Sunflower Seed Olive Oil Dressing. 

 
¼ cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic
¼ cup water

Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic to a small bowl. Combine. Mix water ½ tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.

Add all ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk with a fork until combined.

Serve.

Refrigerate unused portion in an airtight container.

One Banana Oat Cookie

As I noted in my February 2019 Whole Wheat Banana Bread post, it's been a while since a banana in my house has gotten too ripe to eat.  Well, that changed earlier this month when I had one banana that had gotten too ripe to eat.  I thought about freezing it but these days space in my freezer is limited due to all the bell peppers, blueberries and roasted tomatoes from this year's farmers market currently occupying this space.  Lacking the equipment and motivation to make a smoothie with the banana, and not wanting to just throw this in the trash/compost heap, I chose to make a banana oatmeal cookie.  

As anyone who has purchased lots of bananas knows, their size varies which means the amount of banana in the recipe will vary.  If you find yourself under the 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana called for the recipe, I suggest using the 1/8 cup amount of nuts/seeds and raisins/chocolate chips called for in the recipe to keep an appropriate amount of moistness.   

This recipe works great with a toaster or countertop oven and a small 15-16 ounce baking dish, like a CorningWare 15-ounce Oval Baking Dish. 


One Banana Oat Cookie (serves 1 to 2)  

1/3 cup mashed banana (this is about one banana, if you're little over 1/3 cup, that's okay)
1/3 - 1/2 cup quick cook rolled oats 
1/8 - 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds
1/8 - 1/4 cup chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries or shredded coconut 
Non-stick cooking spray if using CorningWare 15-ounce Oval Baking Dish 

1) Place oven rack on middle rung. 
2) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees farenheit. 

3) If using CorningWare 15-ounce Oval Baking Dish, spray dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.  

4) If mashed banana is less than 1/3 cup in a medium size bowl: 
     4a) Combine banana with 1/3 cup oats.
     4b) Mix in 1/8 cup sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds.
     4c) Mix in 1/8 cup chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries or shredded coconut. 
     4d) Go to step 6.

5) If mashed banana is 1/3 cup or more in a medium size bowl: 
    5a) Combine banana with 1/3 cup oats.
    5b) Mix in 1/8 cup sunflower seeds or chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds.
    5c) Mix in 1/8 cup chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries or shredded coconut.
    5d) Go to step 6. 

6) If using CorningWare 15-ounce Oval Baking Dish, scoop batter from bowl into prepared baking dish.  Go to step 8. 

7) If using non-stick cookie sheet, scoop batter from bowl on to cookie sheet and shape into one large cookie.  Go to step 8. 

8) Bake for 15 minutes. 
9) Remove from oven and cool 2-3 minutes.  
10) Serve and store any leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator.  

 

 One Banana Oat Cookie 

with raisins and walnuts

ready to serve

Almond Stuffed Date Bacon Wraps

I've found pot luck meals a great way to learn and try new recipes. This is how I came across this one. The combination of sweet and salty with the crunch of almond can make these very addictive.

If possible, used pitted dates as it eliminates this task.

8 oz. bacon
16 dates, pitted
16 whole almonds or enough slivered almonds to stuff 16 dates (roasted and unsalted recommended)
16 toothpicks
Non-stick broiler pan

1) Place oven rack on middle rung.
2) Pre-heat oven to temperature for baking bacon as instructed on bacon package.
3) Cut bacon slices in half.

4) If dates are not pitted, slice date lengthwise and remove pit.
5) Open pitted date along pre-made slice used to pit date, insert a whole almond or 2-4 pieces of slivered almonds.
6) Close date.
7) Wrap one slice of bacon around almond stuffed date.
8) Push toothpick through bacon and date to hold this together.
9) Place almond stuffed bacon wrap on broiler pan.
10) Repeats steps 4 – 9 as many times as needed.

11) Bake as instructed on bacon package.

12) Remove from oven. Cool 1 -3 minutes. Serve.

Slow Roast Roma (Italian Plum) Tomatoes

The end of every summer here in New England also means the end to the abundance of local tomatoes.  The ability to slow roast or “sun dry” local tomatoes was first presented to me at a winter farmer’s market several years ago.  Every September since then, I have researched and experimented with how to slow roast tomatoes in my oven for enjoyment over winter.  While the thought of building my own solar oven to roast these tomatoes has crossed my mind multiple times I have as of yet to actually do this.  

 

This is a variation on Alton Brown’s Slow-Roast Tomatoes from his book, “I’m Just Here for the Food:  Version 2.0”.  From many years of trying this, I advise using Roma or Italian Plum if possible as they have a lower water content and can be quickly de-seeded.  If you’re unable to find these tomatoes and want to try this recipe anyway just keep in mind that roasting time will be a little bit longer.  I also advise putting the tomatoes on a rack to allow heat to as much of the tomato as possible.  I have a cooling rack which fits perfectly on one of my cookie sheets which I use for this.  If you don’t have such equipment, a non-stick broiler pan can be substituted or the tomatoes can be put on bamboo skewers prior to placing on cookie sheet or in baking pan using their own weight to limit how much tomato touches cooking surface.  Once again keep in mind these alternatives may increase cooking time.   

 

The only limits I’ve found with this recipe thus far are the number of tomatoes I can roast at one time as well as the number which actually make it from the oven to the freezer to be enjoyed at a later date.  Don’t be surprised if by the end of the roasting process you want to put these on a fresh piece of bread or eat as is.  Double the recipe if your oven has the capacity to do so and you want to.  

 

For the tomatoes which don’t get eaten immediately from the oven, I place them in freezer-safe bags where they’ll keep in a freezer for six months. To thaw, I let the tomatoes sit on the countertop for a few minutes if the bag is small enough or remove the tomatoes from the bag in warm up in the oven.  They’re great with just about anything you would add tomato sauce to like pasta, gnocchi, roasted vegetables, pizza.  

 

10 Roma (Italian Plum) tomatoes  

¼ cup olive oil 

1 tablespoon sugar 

Dried basil 

Dried rosemary 

Dried thyme 

Black pepper 

½ tablespoon kosher salt 

Non-stick cooking spray 

 

1)Place oven rack on middle rung.  

2)Pre-heat oven temperature to 200 degrees farenheit.  

3)If using a cooling rack or other type of rack, spray rack with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.  

 

4)Wash and dry tomatoes.  Remove any blemishes or stems.  

5a)If using Roma or Italian Plum tomatoes slice in half lengthwise and then slice these halves in half lengthwise.  Remove seeds.  

5b)If not using Roma or Italian Plum tomatoes slice tomato in half crosswise or through the middle so you have a “top” and a “bottom”.  

6)In a medium to large bowl, coat tomatoes with olive oil.  

 

7)Transfer tomatoes from bowl to rack/skewers or whatever pan/tray is being used for roasting.  

8)Sprinkle tomatoes with sugar. 

9)Sprinkle tomatoes with dried basil, dried rosemary, dried thyme and black pepper to taste.   

10)Sprinkle tomatoes with kosher salt.  

 

11)Place tomatoes in oven and cook for about 10 hours or until tomatoes reach desired texture.  

12)Let tomatoes cool completely before placing in freezer safe bar or container to be refrigerated or frozen for later use.