Appetites: A Lenten fish recipe beyond the fish fry

It’s still the season of Lent, the traditional time for fish.

There are fish fries a’plenty in Minnesota, but on this week’s “Appetites,” chef Amalia Moreno-Damgaard offered a healthier, more flavorful cod recipe to try.

While the classic recipe uses dried cod, Moreno-Damgaard recommends using fresh cod to cut prep time — and serving with simple white rice.

Moreno-Damgaard is a contestant in the Favorite Chef competition hosted by Carla Hall, benefiting the James Beard Foundation. To vote in the contest, click here.

Bacalao a la Vizcaína- Guatemalan Cod Biscayne

Recipe excerpt from ‘Amalia’s Guatemalan Kitchen - Gourmet Cuisine with a Cultural Flair’ by chef Amalia Moreno-Damgaard

Serves 4 to 6 people

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons finely diced yellow onion

1/3 cup puréed roma tomatoes

1/3 cup puréed red bell pepper

2 bay leaves

3 tablespoons canned crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in 1 1/2 cup hot seafood stock (or water)

1/3 cup jarred roasted red bell peppers, cut in strips

8 to 10 sliced Spanish olives stuffed with pimentos

2 tablespoons Spanish capers

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups sliced Yukon gold potatoes, cooked al dente in salted water

1-1/2 to 2 pounds cod, cut into 6 uniform pieces

Flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions:

Put the olive oil in a deep, wide skillet. Over medium-high heat, sauté the garlic and onion until aromatic (about 2 minutes). Add the tomatoes and bell pepper purée, and sauté 2 minutes. Add the bay leaves, canned tomatoes, tomato paste liquid, bell pepper strips, olives, and capers, and season. Cook for 5 minutes.

Lower the heat, add the potatoes, and immerse the cod in the sauce. Cook until the cod is opaque and flaky (about 5 minutes). Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

Serve the dish garnished with flat-leaf parsley.

Amalia’s Note:

If you use salt cod, soak the cod in cold water in the refrigerator for three straight days prior to cooking it in the sauce. Change the water once a day. The fish’s excessive saltiness will fade with each water change. On the third day, the fish should be only mildly salty.

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