CURRY-RUBBED COD WITH SUMMER VEGGIES
The summery flavors featured in this dish pair well with a kick of curry powder in this quick and simple tray bake. Sweet summer corn needs just a few minutes in the oven, which is also all you need for zucchini that is tender but retains a little bite. Dressing sweet cherry tomatoes with a dash of lime juice, and leaving them raw, gives the dish an extra boost of acidity and a nice textural contrast.
We’re not generally fans of super soft zucchini. A quick cook time in a hot oven works to achieve our preferred texture, but as a little extra insurance against a mushy texture you can also take the extra step of salting the zucchini after chopping it. Place the chopped, salted zucchini in a strainer or a colander set over a bowl for 10-15 minutes so that some of the moisture is drawn out, then lightly rinse the zucchini and pat it very dry before proceeding with cooking.
For frugal cooks like us, a favorite trick is to save the corncobs after cutting off the kernels to make a light, lovely stock. Cover the cobs with water and gently simmer them for 20-30 minutes, then strain. The stock will be subtle in flavor but is a nice addition to summery soup, or added in place of water or stock in other dishes.
Curry-rubbed Cod with Corn, Summer Squash Saute and Tangy Cherry Tomatoes
Serves 2 ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
2 cod fillets
2 teaspoons of your favorite curry powder Zest of 1 lime (reserve juice for dressing the tomatoes) 1 tablespoon melted butter (or your favorite oil) ¼ teaspoon salt Corn kernels cut from 2 ears of corn 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved Lime juice, salt and oil to dress tomatoes Oil for lightly drizzling the pan Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Line sheet tray with foil and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Spread the thinly sliced red onions on the sheet tray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and place the sheet tray in the oven (this way the onions get a head start as the oven preheats).
While the oven is preheating, make a seasoning paste by stirring together the melted butter, curry powder, lime zest and salt. Rinse the cod fillets and pat them dry. Spread half the curry paste on the top of each fillet. Set aside. When the oven is hot, move the onions to the side and place the seasoned cod fillets on the tray. Toss the corn and zucchini with the onions. Season everything on the
tray to your taste with salt and pepper.
Bake for about 15 minutes until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily. If you like you can turn on the broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end for a little extra color. While the fish and vegetables are baking, halve the cherry tomatoes and toss them with lime juice, salt and oil to taste. Set aside.
Top fish, corn and zucchini with seasoned cherry tomatoes and serve immediately. San Francisco food writers Stacie Dong and Simran Singh’s blog, A Little Yumminess (alittleyum.com), focuses on family food adventures and recipes with global flavors.