Skip to main content

Chilled Cajun Cod Nicoise Salad



Thus begins part two of our "It is hotter than Hades" food series. :) Today was so hot and humid I would have gladly spent part of it locked in a freezer. I hate cooking on days like this, but we've gotta eat. Since I also did not feel like getting in the car that has no air conditioning in order to go to the grocery store, I also had to play "let's experiment with weird random stuff in the fridge/freezer." Thus, I give you "Chilled Cajun Cod Nicoise Salad" which bears no real resemblance to Nicoise except for the green beans (which started off purple--see below).


INGREDIENTS (serves 2)
  • 2.5. filets cod or other flaky fish (I used frozen cod, but fresh would be better!)
  • 1 Granny Smith apple
  • purple green beans (incidentally, purple beans just turn green when you cook 'em, so don't bother unless you plan on eating them raw)
  • red-leaf lettuce
  • cajun spice (I used Penzey's, but you could also make your own)
  • salt (enough for a rub--1 tsp should do it)
  • 1 tablespoon of butter (can substitute olive oil)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • juice of half lemon
  • 2 tsp champagne vinegar
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • white pepper
DIRECTIONS
  • rub both sides of cod filets with kosher salt and cajun seasoning (to taste) and set aside
  • blanch purple green beans, being sure to transfer them to an ice water bath
  • slice granny smith apple into thin slices
  • once green beans are cool, put in a plastic container along with the apple slices
  • drizzle lemon juice, champagne vinegar, olive oil and white pepper over the apple/bean mixture (I like to use a plastic container with a lid and then just shake it up to coat everything).
  • refrigerate apple/bean mixture
  • heat butter in frying pan over medium heat
  • pan fry each side of the filets for approx 2 minutes, setting in the spices
  • pour fresh lime juice over the filets, cover pan, and poach for approx. 5 min over low heat (add water if necessary)--Cooking time may be less for fresh cod
  • when cooked (it should flake apart), drain cod, and put in a container for refrigeration and chill for approx. 1 hr
  • when ready to serve, wash and tear red leaf lettuce and place on plates. Arrange apples, beans and cod in a design of your liking, pour residual dressing from the apple/bean mixture over entire salad.
  • SERVE!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Winter Farmers Market: Sautéed Scallops and Herbed Rice

Somerville, MA is a great city. I love living here, and this year's new Winter Farmer's Market just added to my joy. It runs between now and March, and it has been inspiring to see people trudging out in the cold, ice and snow, to the Armory (yes, the market is inside). This past Saturday, I stocked up on locally grown leeks and potatoes, grabbed some hot Italian sausage from Stillman's , and then ventured upstairs to buy some FRESH FISH from Jordan Brothers Seafood. Yes, that's right: haddock from Gloucester, and scallops from Maine. Not frozen--fresh. When she showed me the scallops I might have cried, just a little. Oh, and I picked up a baguette, brioche, and potato bread. Scallops don't require a lot of fuss, but are easy to overcook. I pulled out my San Juan Classics Cookbook (San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest, not Puerto Rico) and went straight to the shellfish section where I found a recipe for "Sautéed Prawns or Scallops" from Thibert...
3 comments
Read more

Miscellanea: Sicilian Caramelized Onions and Homemade Pita Chips

Last month, my family came to visit. My father, who has recently been getting back in touch with his Sicilian roots, is a wonderful cook and I'll admit that I've always been a little daunted cooking for people who cook really well. At any rate, we decided to have a barbeque, invited a few close friends, and I cooked...for three days. This was certainly the most cooking in which I have ever engaged for a single event. Because the attendees to our barbeque ran the gamut of dietary concerns and preferences, I wanted variety. And variety there was. The menu (aside from the meat, which we left to my dad to grill): homemade roasted peppers Sicilian caramelized onions homemade pita chips tabbouleh Amish slaw Chorizo salad watermelon and fresh mint salad To keep this blog post short and sweet, I'll only blog two recipes (the ones that are hyperlinked have been blogged before). First, the pita chips. My dad wanted to help me in the kitchen (something toward which I am usuall...
2 comments
Read more

Quinoa Pilaf with Artichokes, Leeks and Sugar Snap Peas

More Quinoa!  This was healthy, easy, and, "a way I actually *like* quinoa" as reported by my husband.  The recipe is here , and I made the following notes: stir the quinoa in the oil and leeks for 2-3 minutes before adding the broth definitely use low-sodium chicken broth---quinoa absorbs salt very well and I found that the regular chicken broth was too salty.  If you are using homemade stock or veggie broth, you are probably fine. I will add the snap peas last next time (with the artichoke hearts). I like my peas to retain their "snap." This is really a terrific meal for summer or to bring to a potluck.
2 comments
Read more