Is the cod back?

As a longtime fan of the Fisheries Broadcast on the CBC, I notice lately a hint of optimism about the state of the cod fishery.

Naturally we are bemoaning markets and there’s no break from the constant bickering between harvesters and processors, but I’m allowing a tiny ray of sunshine to creep into my normally stormy view of our industry.

Whether you believe there’s a chance we could return to the glory days, or you enjoy the food fishery’s bounty for the moment it’s on your table, there are many ways to prepare cod that we haven’t explored.

Today I’d like to share a couple of recipes that you may not have tried.

Count on these to deliver huge flavour and make the absolute most of whatever fish you’re lucky enough to procure.

Cod in chili and coconut sauce

There’s no doubt cod is a delicate fish, both in texture and flavour, but it can hold up to spices when cooked exactly right. This recipe is a little on the hot side, although that’s easy to adjust by reducing the amount of chili flakes you use. But it celebrates the snowy white flesh of fresh cod.

This makes six regular servings but I promise all the fish lovers in your house will go back for more. 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1 tsp. ground coriander 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes (more or less to taste) 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup canned coconut milk, regular or low-fat 2 lb. fresh cod, cut into serving-sized pieces 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven. Fry onion over high heat until just starting to brown at the edges. Reduce the heat and add garlic, coriander, cumin and chili flakes. Cook, stirring, for a moment or two, until the mixture is fragrant. Add tomatoes and salt and cook together another minute.

If you use full-fat coconut milk, when you open the can you will find a solid ring at the top. Dump it out into a large bowl and whisk to combine the solids with the liquid underneath. Don’t try to get it completely homogenous — the lumps will disappear as you cook the sauce. If you choose a low-fat variety, then there probably won’t be any solids in the can and you can add it as is.

Stir in coconut milk and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for five minutes.

Carefully drop the cod pieces into the simmering coconut mixture. Simmer about five minutes then turn them over; simmer another few minutes, just until the fish begins to flake.

Carefully lift the cod out of the sauce and set it aside, keeping it warm. Stir cilantro, lime juice and black pepper into the pot. Taste and add a little salt if needed. Pour the sauce over the cod and serve with lots of jasmine, basmati or other fragrant rice.

Cod with bacon and peas

If I know I have a piece of cod in my future and there’s a bit of bacon in my present, then I keep the fat because nothing puts a better taste on a bit of fried fish. This recipe goes one step further to make the most of a flavour marriage made in heaven.

This amount of fish will serve four people, but if you have more, go ahead and fry it up. 1/2 lb. thick-cut bacon, diced 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper 1-1/2 lbs. fresh cod fillet 4 cups frozen peas Fry bacon in a large non-stick pan until crisp. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Remove all but about two tbsp. of the bacon fat but don’t discard it yet.

Whisk together flour, salt and pepper. Dry cod thoroughly with paper towels and dredge in seasoned flour; shake off the excess and carefully place in hot bacon fat. Fry until golden on one side, flip and brown on the other. Cook only until the fish flakes with some resistance when tested with a fork at the thickest point. Remove cod from pan and keep warm. If the pan is dry add a little more of the bacon fat. Add peas to hot pan and fry, stirring, until they are heated through — it won’t take long but they might be spitting at you if they are still frozen. Pour peas over cod and sprinkle bacon bits on top. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Cod with buttery tomato sauce

I’m almost embarrassed to call this a recipe. Almost. This dish is deceptively simple but incredibly delicious. Don’t skip the fresh parsley — there are so few ingredients here each one must be the best possible quality.

Allow a fillet per person, but I always have seconds in reserve, just in case. 1/4 cup unsalted butter, no other 2 large shallots, minced 2 fat cloves garlic, thinly sliced 2 large ripe tomatoes, the freshest and reddest you can find 1 tsp. firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 fresh cod fillets 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley Melt butter in a large frying pan. Cook shallots until soft but not brown. Add garlic and tomatoes and cook until tomatoes collapse and mixture is tender — it won’t take long, especially if the tomatoes are ripe. Stir in brown sugar, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, a few minutes.

Rub cod fillets with oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 F for eight to 10 minutes or until fish flakes at the thickest point. Place fish on a warm serving platter.

Stir parsley into tomato mixture and spoon over fish.

This goes beautifully with just about any side dishes you can come up with, although crispy potato wedges spring to mind as being just about perfect.