I made this for dinner last Thursday. Originally I had meatloaf planned for that night, but the rainy warmth called out to me for something less 'cold-weather hearty'. Plus, the man was feeling bloated, he said, and we really haven't been eating as much fish as I like to.
This couldn't have been more simple. I approached the fish counter at Whole Foods and asked for a couple fillets of cod. As I was perusing the selection of seasoned panko crumbs next to the seafood case, the fish guy said that the mustard variety went well with cod. But they were out of that flavor, and I already had the pistachio panko in my hands. He said a customer reported that the pistachio crumbs went especially well on fish with a layer of pesto underneath, so our dinner fate was sealed in that instant.
It could not have been more simple. I simply placed the cod in a foil-lined baking sheet, salted and peppered it lightly, then spread it with a thin layer of store-bought pesto, and sprinkled with the crumbs. Into the oven it went - convection set to 375 - until it looked done. (Sorry about that, maybe 20 minutes? I use my senses and not the clock to cook.)
Meanwhile, I made a pot of brown rice. I sauteed garlic, a shallot, and a jalapeno in some olive oil until it started to brown ever so slightly. I then added a splash of cider vinegar, some home-made chicken stock, and the brown rice. This simmered away for a while, and when it was almost done I threw in a drained and rinsed can of black beans.
The broccoli was simply steamed.
This entire meal was ready in well under a half hour with minimal prep work. It was light but filling, and the leftovers tasted great the following day!
I can't take full credit for the pesto-pistachio combo, but that's what it's all about - the give and take of bits and pieces that lead to the creation of your own thing - in cooking and in life!
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