A fish recipe that will have you beg for more

JENNIFER STEMPEL

NEW YORK

Pictured: Sheet pan chimichurri* cod with potatoes and squash.

PHOTOGRAPH: JENNIFER STEMPEL

This love of farm-to-table delicacies doesn’t end in the garden, either. Some of my fondest and earliest memories are of our family fishing trips. We’d each have our own special fishing chairs, and our rods would line the lake like sabre arches, saluting the swimming fish. In the evening, dinner always included the catch of the day.

Fortunately I married someone whose family traditions also included spending quality time with a fishing rod in hand, though he grew up clear across the country. My husband often shares stories about his experiences fishing with his grandfather.

My dad and husband have travelled to Alaska together for salmon fishing and often go to a local fishing club for a fun and lazy Sunday. Of course, when they return with their loot in tow, they turn to me to transform the scaly catch into something delicious.

I love to utilise as much fresh produce in my cooking as is seasonally possible. As a young mother, I am always looking for shortcuts and time savers at dinnertime.

A recent favourite meal in my home has become my “Sheet Pan Chimichurri Cod with Potatoes and Squash”. The fresh and pungent flavours of the herbed chimichurri sauce traditionally found on grilled Argentine steaks heightens the mild flavour of the cod filets, while the new potatoes and the zucchini slices mellow any heat that travels from the chillies in the dish.

Chimichurri* cod with potatoes and squash

*Chimichurri is an Argentine condiment used to accompany grilled steak and other meats; it is a pesto-like sauce made from onions, garlic, parsley, dried oregano, salt, cayenne pepper, oil and vinegar.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chimichurri sauce, divided (recipe below)
1 pound (about half a kilogram) thick-cut cod loin, cut into 3 large pieces
1/2 pound (about a quarter kilogram) new potatoes (any colour), sliced into 1/4-inch (6,35 mm) rounds
1 small zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch (12,7 mm) rounds
1 small yellow squash, sliced into 1/2-inch (12,7 mm) rounds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Chimichurri sauce:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 small serrano chilli, finely chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh oregano
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Add cod pieces and 1/4 cup of chimichurri sauce to a zip-top plastic bag; seal to close. Massage the bag to coat the fish with the sauce. Let sit in refrigerator to marinate while you proceed with recipe.

Cover a sheet pan in heavy duty foil (for easy clean-up), spray with cooking spray, and add the potatoes, zucchini and yellow squash. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Toss to coat, and bake in oven for 15 minutes.

Remove sheet pan from oven and stir the vegetables. Add the marinated fish pieces on top of the vegetables and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and flaky.

Serve with additional chimichurri sauce.

For the chimichurri sauce:

In a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, black pepper, garlic, shallot and chilli. Stir to combine and let sit for 10 minutes. Add the parsley and oregano, and whisk in the olive oil. (The Nosher via JTA)

Jennifer Stempel is a TV development executive who lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son. She enjoys teaching cooking classes and blogs about her experiments in the