No need to turn to rich sauces — a tapenade is perhaps the easiest way to perk up roasted fish fillets. Here, the forthright flavors of this quick-cook tapenade, reminiscent of the Mediterranean, match well with cod. You could also serve this simple condiment with grilled chicken or pork.
The low-fat recipe for cod with tapenade is from the October-November issue of EatingWell magazine. A note in the magazine about cod as an ingredient points out: "Overfishing and trawling have drastically reduced the number of cod in the Atlantic Ocean and destroyed its sea floor. A better choice is Pacific cod (a k a Alaska cod); it is more sustainably fished and has a larger, more stable population." The source of this information is given as the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.
ROASTED COD WITH WARM TOMATO-OLIVE-CAPER TAPENADE
(Start to finish 25 minutes)
1 pound cod fillet
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cured olives
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 450 F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Rub cod with 2 teaspoons oil. Sprinkle with pepper. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until beginning to soften, about 20 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add olives and capers; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more. Stir in oregano and vinegar; remove from heat. Spoon the sauce over the cod to serve. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 168 cal., 8 g fat (1 g saturated), 43 mg chol., 4 g carbo., 19 g pro., 1 g fiber, 373 mg sodium.
For more information on Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, log on to www.mbayaq.org/cr/seafoodwatch.asp