Calling all cooks! Please help me make a great cod dish for dinner tonight!
We make salmon, mahi mahi, and grouper quite a bit (baked, grilled, or pan seared/sauteed), but my cod dishes always seem to be a bust. I've tried fish tacos (I think the kids weren't really fond of taco seasoning), grilled, topped with salsa...all received with not much enthusiasm. I have a whole bunch of cod that we need to get through, and I would really like to find a "winning" recipe! I don't think it's the texture since the other fish we eat has similar texture, and I think cod is less "fishy" than salmon or grouper.
What works for you and your family?
Thanks for the ideas so far - keep 'em coming! I guess I should have noted that our "taco seasoning" is homemade - salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, and a little dried oregano and dried parsley (although with the kids I usually use less of the chili and paprika).
How about an Italian Bacala over pasta. Google a recipe. I know it's for salt cod but once you get the salt out, it's a normal piece of cod.
My recent white fish (cod included) recipe, is making a Spinach Dip, or buying the Spinach Dip from Costco, and spooning that over the fish. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. The dip is divine when hot and served over rice.
With cod or haddock (or even tilapia) I use plain fillets (not breaded or coated with anything).
I put them in a glass dish that I can cover with cling wrap.
I add a few pats of butter, a light sprinkle of salt, a good squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle some garlic powder over it all.
Then I put the cling wrap over it and just poke a few holes in it.
I microwave it till the fillets are cooked and flaky.
Then everyone gets some with some veggies on the side.
My whole family loves it cooked that way.
Except for the little bit of butter it's relatively low fat.
You may want to try the fish tacos again. I have never made them with taco seasoning (that doesn't sound good at all!) I do a little salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin. It doesn't take much seasoning because you serve it with salsa, guacamole and whatever other toppings you/your kids like.
Beyond that, we like different kinds of fish with sauteed or oven roasted vegetables and brown rice, or risotto.
Cod is a lovely white fish and very versatile. You can cook it like I did some tilapia a couple of nights ago. My kids both devoured it and BEGGED for more.
Place aluminum foil on the bbq grill and spray it will a light layer of olive oil cooking spray to keep fish from sticking. Heat gas grill on medium heat. Season fish lightly with Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. http://shop.tonychachere.com/original-creole-seasoning-8-...
Put fish on the foil and close the grill. Heat about 4 minutes per side per inch of meat, or until it flakes apart and fish is no longer transluscent. When you turn it, spray the top of the fish with your olive oil spray so it doesn't stick.
Be careful with how much seasoning you use. It's a little spicy, but my 10 and 12 year old LOVE it. I served it with green beans and chicken flavored rice. Awesome.
Fish tacos do not include taco seasoning. Yikes! I bet that was not a favorite.
Fish tacos generally are lightly seasoned (garlic salt and black ground pepper) freshly fried fish strips with taco toppings.. including hot sauce.
Fish tacos that can be a baked breaded fish in tacos with fresh hot sauce. lettuce.... Or your grilled fish in tacos. (peeled shrimpp is aldso ecellent in tacos, just use a bit of fajita seasoning.
Our favorite is to grill the cod and, season with "Krazy Salt" and serve over blanched, lemon, spinach or sauteed greens.. like Kale with a bit of soy sauce.
FYI, we are Hispanic and my mom has written a family cook book.. we eat a tremendous amount of seafood, even though we are landlocked. I am jealous that you have access to excellent seafood.
OK probably not the healthiest in the world, but it's so good.
http://southernfood.about.com/od/moreseafood/r/bl30105c.htm
I do cream of celery soup.
