Cod In A Sack Food

MEDITERRANEAN COD PACKETS

Steps:

• Toss the potatoes, onion and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Put the cod on a plate; drizzle with the lemon juice and season with salt, pepper and the thyme.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Tear off four 16-inch sheets of parchment paper. Make the packets (see photo gallery): Arrange about one-quarter of the potato mixture on one sheet of parchment; top with a cod fillet and about one-quarter each of the olives and tomatoes (along with some liquid from the can). Drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Seal as directed. Repeat to make 3 more packets; divide between 2 baking sheets.
• Transfer to the oven and bake until the parchment puffs and the liquid is bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before opening.
• Meanwhile, mix the butter, chives, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Carefully open the packets; top with the chive butter.

COD IN A SACK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Rip off 4 sheets of parchment paper, each a little over a foot long. Place one fourth of the cauliflower in the center of each sheet of parchment, then top with 2 anchovy fillets, one fourth of the garlic and chopped olives, and 1 portion of cod. Season the cod with salt and pepper and top with equal amounts of the scallions and parsley. Drizzle EVOO liberally and sprinkle lemon zest and juice evenly over the fish portions. Fold the top and bottom edges of the parchment together and crease several times, then crease up the ends of the packets. Arrange the packets on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the center of the hot oven.
• Bake the packets for 20 minutes. Serve each packet on a dinner plate and cut open at the table. Pass salad and bread to round out the meal.
• My mom made this for us as kids. It's really fancy and French in origin. It was her take on fish in parchment. I make mine in parchment, but Mom used a brown paper lunch sack, which I cannot even find in the stores these days. If you "brown bag it," brush the bag lightly with vegetable oil to keep it from burning in the oven. That's what Mama always did.

SPANISH FISH IN A SACK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Rip off 4 sheets of parchment paper, each a little over a foot long.
• Place 1/4 of the green beans in the center of each sheet then top with 2 anchovy fillets -- optional, 1/4 of the garlic, 1/4 of the pimiento or roasted pepper strips, chopped olives and cod or snapper portions. Season the fish with salt and pepper and top with equal amounts of the scallions and parsley. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil liberally and equally along with lemon zest and juice evenly over the fish portions. Fold the top and bottom edges together and crease several times then crease up the ends of the packets, making a sack for each fish to cook in. Arrange the sacks on the baking sheet and place in the center of the hot oven.
• Bake packets 20 minutes. Serve a packet per dinner plate and cut open at table. Pass salad or Potatoes with Chorizo and Onions or even simply some good, chewy bread to round out the meal.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and the chorizo. Cook sausage 2 minutes, flip cook another minute then add potatoes and onions to the pan in an even layer over the sausage. Season the potatoes and onions with salt, pepper and paprika then turn sections of the potatoes using a spatula so that the chorizo is on top and potatoes and onions are on the bottom. Place a smaller skillet on top and press down. Weight the skillet with a few heavy cans. Cook 10 to 12 minutes. Remove weight and turn again to combine all ingredients. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes then add parsley, remove from heat and serve.