One Pan, Two Plates (32 page)

1 tbsp white miso

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar (not seasoned)

Salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 2 tsp

Two 6-oz/170-g cod fillets

Freshly ground black pepper

1.
Preheat the broiler with the rack on the second position from the top.

2.
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrot, apple, half of the green onions, the cilantro, serrano, and peanuts and toss to mix well. Set the slaw aside.

3.
In a small bowl, combine the wine, miso, 1 tsp of the brown sugar, and the soy sauce and stir well with a fork to make a glaze. Set aside. In another small bowl, stir together the remaining 1 tsp brown sugar, the rice vinegar, ½ tsp salt, and 1 tbsp vegetable oil to make a dressing for the slaw. Set the dressing aside.

4.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add the 2 tsp vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, add the cod fillets to the pan. Cook the fish for 2 minutes without moving them, then carefully spoon the miso glaze over the top of the fish, being careful not to spill any on the bottom of the pan (it will burn). Transfer the pan to the broiler and broil the fish until it is cooked through and the top is golden and glazed, about 5 minutes.

5.
Transfer the fish to two warmed plates and return the pan to the heat. Add the slaw dressing and bring to a boil. Quickly pour the hot dressing over the cabbage slaw and toss it for about 1 minute to thoroughly combine the flavors. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired. For a spicier dish, add the reserved serrano seeds a pinch at a time until you have the heat you want. Mound the slaw alongside the fillets, sprinkle the remaining green onion over the top, and serve hot.

it’s that easy:
Dense cabbage and carrot usually need some time in the vinegary dressing to tenderize, but heating up the dressing helps it to penetrate the crunchy vegetables and flavor them more quickly. If the slaw doesn’t wilt a little when tossed with the hot dressing, just remember to cut everything a little thinner the next time.

extra hungry?
Add microwave steam-in-the-bag rice, either brown or white, on those hungrier-than-usual nights.

in the glass:
Look for a lean, crisp Pinot Gris from Oregon. You might be more familiar with its Italian cousin, Pinot Grigio, but a bottle from Oregon’s King Estate or Eyrie Vinyards will satisfy with apple, pear, and melon flavors—perfect with the slaw.

Black Cod Fillets

poached in
FIVE-SPICE BROTH
with
BABY BOK CHOY
and
UDON

I could eat a meal like this almost every night. It’s light and fresh, with vegetables and flaky fish poached in a perfumed broth. Five-spice powder is a Chinese spice blend combining equal parts cinnamon, star anise, clove, fennel, and Szechuan peppercorns, and can be found these days in most well-stocked grocery stores. A spa meal without the sacrifice, the chewy udon noodles and bok choy soak up that brothy flavor and round out this quick meal perfectly. Who said eating well was hard work?

........

START TO FINISH
25 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
20 minutes

...

serves 2

........

Two 6-oz/170-g black cod fillets

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1¾ cups/420 ml chicken broth

1 tbsp dry sherry

1 tsp soy sauce, plus more if needed

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp five-spice powder

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 heads baby bok choy, cored and thinly sliced on the diagonal (see “It’s that easy”), leaves separated from stalks

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced on the diagonal (see “It’s that easy”)

1 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger

3 oz/85 g udon noodles

1 green onion, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal (see “It’s that easy”)

2 tsp minced fresh cilantro

1 tsp sesame seeds

1.
Pat the fillets dry and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.

2.
In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, sherry, soy sauce, sugar, five-spice powder, and sesame oil. Set aside.

3.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm skillet with a lid over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, add the bok choy stems, carrot, and ginger and sauté until the bok choy turns bright green and the ginger is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the broth mixture and bring to a simmer. Add the noodles and give them a stir to keep them from sticking. When the broth returns to a simmer, top the noodles and veggies with the fish, bok choy leaves, and green onion. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the noodles and fish are tender and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Taste and add more soy sauce or pepper if the mix needs it.

4.
Divide the noodles and fish between two warmed shallow bowls and ladle the broth and vegetables over. Garnish with the cilantro and sesame seeds and serve hot.

variation:
If you can’t find black cod, don’t despair. This dish is delicious using cod or tilapia as well.

it’s that easy:
Cutting vegetables on the diagonal is an Asian technique that exposes more cut surface to heat, helping the vegetables to cook faster. They also look prettier cut that way. Just angle your knife and slice away. You’ll get the hang of it in no time.

extra hungry?
Serve a bigger piece offish. About 8 oz/225 g should do it.

in the glass:
Try a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, such as Kim Crawford or Pomelo for tropical fruit and a zesty finish.

Baked Halibut

with
WARM FENNEL-ZUCCHINI CHOPPED SALAD

Because of its firm, meaty texture, I think of halibut as the strip steak of fish. Its light fresh taste is perfectly delicious in this, one of my favorite incarnations—cooked over a bed of browned potatoes with a shower of herbed, lemony vegetables steaming on top. The “salad” of lemon, capers, fennel, and zucchini releases flavorful juices and perfumes the fish and potatoes as they steam in a hot, hot oven.

........

START TO FINISH
45 minutes

...

HANDS-ON TIME
20 minutes

...

serves 2

........

Two 6-oz/170-g halibut fillets, (see “It’s that easy”)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and thinly sliced

1 small zucchini, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise

8 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

1 tsp capers, rinsed, patted dry, and roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves

2 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus zest of ½ lemon, plus more for garnish (optional)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 new potatoes, scrubbed, halved, and very thinly sliced

1.
Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C/gas 8. Pat the fillets dry and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.

2.
In a medium bowl, combine the fennel, zucchini, olives, capers, garlic, thyme, lemon juice and zest, 1 tbsp of the olive oil, ¼ tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Toss the vegetables to combine the flavors. Set aside.

3.
Heat a 12-in/30.5-cm ovenproof skillet with a lid over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the potatoes to the pan and spread in a single layer. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper and cook until crispy on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the potatoes with a thin-edged spatula and top them with the halibut fillets. Pour the marinated
vegetable mixture over the top and spread it in an even layer (the liquid accumulated in the bowl will make the pan spatter). Cover and cook for about 3 minutes, then transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 15 minutes.

4.
Divide the fish and vegetables between two warmed plates. Sprinkle with the extra lemon zest, if desired, and serve hot.

variation:
Utilize other vegetables you may have on hand—maybe some thinly sliced carrots or cauliflower, or chopped grape tomatoes or broccoli. Remember that the fish cooks very quickly, so cut the vegetables into thin or small pieces to ensure that they’ll be tender when the fish is done. Other fish to substitute are salmon, cod, tilapia, or trout. And please freely swap out other herbs such as basil, rosemary, or tarragon.

it’s that easy:
When choosing fish for dinner, I like to check the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch,
www.montereybayaquarium.org
for help in making healthful choices for dinner and for our oceans. It contains information about what fish to avoid (because of overfishing, PCBs, how they are caught) and healthful alternatives to that particular fish. Check it out. You’ll learn lots.

extra hungry?
The best loaf of bread you can find, a plate of extra-virgin olive oil, French gray sea salt, and a few grinds of pepper would make this meal even more heavenly.

in the glass:
I’ve had a white Côtes du Rhône with this meal and enjoyed it very much. Look for an affordable white like the Parallèle 45 Côtes du Rhône Villages from Jaboulet for balance and fresh acidity.