
Photo/Melissa d’Arabian via AP
From The Asian Reporter, V27, #4 (February 20, 2017), page 13.
Poached cod with papaya gives a tropical twist to
weeknights
By Melissa d’Arabian
The Associated Press
Balancing healthy eating with a crazy weeknight schedule is tricky for
everyone. We all have competing priorities that chip away at our days: kids,
careers, school, home, and family obligations all take time and energy. And
next thing we know, it’s 6:00pm and we haven’t given any thought to dinner.
What we do next is key.
If we swing by the drive-thru or order a pizza on our handy phone app
every time we have a busy weeknight, our health will suffer. A better
strategy: Save the pizza for true cravings and lean on a few recipes in our
hip-pocket that can get us through the mealtime crunch. And then stock up on
the pantry ingredients that make those recipes a breeze to pull together on
a busy night.
One of those pantry items is frozen fish fillets. Yes, I love fresh fish
tossed right on the grill with a tiny bit of lemon, olive oil, salt, and
pepper. But I don’t always have time to head to the fish counter. So, frozen
fish is my plan B. I stock up on some classics like Alaskan cod and wild
salmon that you can usually cook straight from frozen — just add a few
minutes to your cooking time.
Poaching is a perfect cooking method for those frozen fillets because it
takes mere minutes, and leaves your fish an open canvas to showcase whatever
other ingredients you might have on hand. Flavor the water with some acid
and herbs (like lemon juice and fresh thyme branches) or even just a bit of
white wine and some dried herbs will work in a Tuesday-night pinch.
Keep the water at a bare simmer — it should be active like club soda, not
like a rolling boil. And then make a quick relish to top your fish and give
it some freshness and excitement.
Today’s recipe stars papaya because it’s widely available this time of
year, sometimes peeled and cubed if you want to pay an extra dollar or two.
Papaya is full of vitamins and fiber, and raw papaya has enzymes that are
celebrated for helping digestion. But feel free to swap out for another
fruit (even canned peaches work) if you prefer — the tangy lime and apple
cider vinegar will marry most fruit beautifully with the fish, no advanced
planning required.
* * *
Poached Cod with Raw Papaya Relish
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
4 fillets of cod (about 4 to 5 ounces each)
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
Relish:
1 1/4 cups papaya, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons flat-leafed parsley or cilantro, chopped
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Bring wine, thyme, water, and salt to a bare simmer (it should look like
bubbly club soda). Place the cod in the water and keep at a bare simmer and
allow to cook until the fish is cooked through, about four minutes for an
average piece of fish. Remove the fish, then keep on a warm plate.
While the fish is cooking, stir together the relish ingredients in a
small bowl. Spoon the relish on top of each piece of cooked fish, allowing
the heat of the fish to bring out the relish flavors.
Nutrition information per serving: 179 calories (31 calories from fat); 3
g fat (1 g saturated, 0 g trans fats); 61 mg cholesterol; 302 mg sodium; 8 g
carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 26 g protein.
* * *
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