This recipe comes to us from our friend The Sardinfluencer Harrison Weinfeld. We tasked Harrison with coming up with some interesting recipes for our cod. Here is what he has to say about the recipe:
One of the tricks to getting the most out of your Pacific cod is not letting it dry out when cooking. Because the window between not quite done and over cooked is narrower than less delicate fishes, most of the time, this means nailing the cook time. A great hack to widen this window of tolerance is to marinade it in a fatty yogurt. This adds flavor and helps keep the cod’s moisture locked inside. The following recipe comes together very fast and is genuinely light on labor. The cumin and smoked paprika-spiked Greek yogurt tenderizes the fish and offers a rich counterpunch to the bright and briny bed of tapenade down below.
INGREDIENTS
· 4 pieces Pacific cod (thawed under refrigeration)
· 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt
· Zest of 1 lemon
· Juice of ½ lemon
· 1 tsp ground cumin
· ¼ tsp smoked paprika
· 1 can artichoke hearts in water (drained of liquid)
· 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
· ½ bunch mint
· ½ bunch cilantro
· ¼ cup sliced pepperoncini
· 1 large clove garlic
· 1 tbsp pepperoncini brine (plus more to taste)
· 2 tbsp EVOO
· 1 tsp high smoke point neutral oil
· Kosher salt to taste
· Flaky salt to taste
· 4 wooden kebab skewers
METHOD
1. Fill a shallow tray or platter with a thin later of water and soak your skewers.
2. Remove the cod and pat dry with paper towels, gently squeezing the pieces to remove a bit more liquid moisture. Cut the fish into small chunks, about 1x1 inch. Add to a medium sized bowl and season with kosher salt, and gently toss.
3. Add the yogurt, 1 tbsp of EVOO, nearly all of the lemon zest, the lemon juice, cumin, and smoked paprika. Mix with your hands until the yogurt marinade is well combined and uniformly coats the fish. Cover and place in the fridge for no less than 20 minutes and no more than 1 hour.
4. In a food processor, add the drained artichoke hearts, the olives, the mint, cilantro, garlic, and pepperoncini. Pulse to process it, stopping to push the sides down as needed. Add the pepperoncini brine, a generous pinch of kosher salt and pulse again, drizzling the remaining EVOO. Taste it and add more EVOO, pepperoncini brine and kosher salt, until it reaches the desired consistency and seasoning. TIP: is should stick to a fork and be the thickness of a dip, not a sauce.
5. When the fish has been marinating for at least 15 minutes, put your oven rack to the highest level and turn the broiler on high. Prepare a sheet pan with aluminum foil and brush on the neutral oil to coat the foil.
6. Skewer the fish to create four uniform kebabs. You want to pack the fish tightly enough so they won’t rotate while cooking but not so tight they are fighting for space on the stick. Leave enough room on the end so you can hold and maneuver them while cooking.
7. Place the skewers on the tray with the wooden end hanging off a little bit so the end is as clear of the broiler’s burn zone as possible. Broil the fish for 4 minutes or until they start to take on color. Remove the fish and flip the skewers, brush with more yogurt mixture and broil for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the thickest part reaches 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the tray and gently tent the fish on a cutting board to stay warm.
8. Spoon a generous portion of the tapenade onto your favorite plate and smooth it out to create a nice circular layer. Lay the kebabs on top, drizzle with EVOO, and finish with remaining lemon zest and some flaky salt.
Serves two as a main and four as an appetizer.
*This recipe will also work with our lingcod.
