The
amazing, unusually warm weather San Francisco has been experiencing the past
few weeks has primed my palate for a summer dish. I crave something sweet,
tangy and not too heavy when it’s sunny outside. This dish combines everything
I love about summer: bright colors and something to keep me bikini ready : )
It’s getting scarily close to the I need
to tan and tone season, but my True Cod with citrus-avocado salad will give
you energy for hours, make your waistline thank you and satisfy those taste
buds!
The
protein and healthy fats in this dish will keep you full and the avocado in the
dish not only offers up some good-for-you fats, but also vitamin C that rivals
the citrus in this salad. A
California girl, born and raised, avocados are a staple in my diet, but I
really fell in love with this fruit shortly after I met my boyfriend. His
parents have an acre of avocado trees and after tasting the freshly picked
avocados they grow in their backyard I appreciated avocados on whole new level.
I just wish we weren’t 300 miles away from their tantalizing garden! You will
read countless tales and recipes that highlight my obsession with avocados, but
I’ll save those for later… on to the cooking!
Citrus-Avocado
Salad
2
large grapefruits
1
blood orange
1
orange
1 meyer lemon
1/3
cup chives, diced
3
large avocados (or as many as you like), cut into bite-size pieces
1
tbsp champagne vinegar
1
tbsp walnut oil
¼
tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Sea
salt and black pepper to taste
Use
a paring knife to peel the citrus, making sure to remove as much pith (the
white soft layer under the peel) as possible. I work over a large bowl to
capture any juice from the fruit as I peel them. Gently slice in between the
veins of each fruit to loosen the segments of the orange/grapefruit/lemon and
place the segments in the large bowl (again working over the bowl to capture
the juices). Cut any large segments in half to make them bite-size. Add the
avocado, chives and red pepper flakes. Gently toss in the champagne vinegar and
walnut oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Voila! Another element of
this dish I really enjoy is how simple, quick and versatile it is. This recipe also makes a great salsa;
add a finely chopped jalapeno, some lime zest and chop the ingredients a bit
smaller and you have a citrus salsa perfect for entertaining.
While
you let the flavors of the salad meld you can prepare the fish.
Pan
Seared True Cod
1
to 2 filets True Cod (about 1.5 pounds to serve 4 people), about two fingers
thick
4
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2
cloves garlic, crushed
¾
tsp celery seed
Kosher
salt and pepper
Aside
from being a good source of relatively lean protein, True Cod can contain just
as many omega-3 fatty acids as salmon and vitamin B12. For those of us concerned with
sustainability ratings, the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, rates True
Cod from the US caught by jig or bottom long-line as “Best Choice” when it
comes to purchasing your fish.
In
keeping with our simplicity theme for this post, this recipe takes less than 15
minutes from start to finish! Coat the filets with the 2 tablespoons of olive
oil, celery seed, salt and pepper. Let the fish rest while you heat the
remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and smashed garlic cloves in a large
heavy skillet over medium-high heat. The fragrance of the garlic warming in the
kitchen is heavenly and everyone within smelling distance of your kitchen will
want a bite of whatever you’re making! Once the oil is hot remove the garlic
cloves (I use a small pair of tongs to do this) and place the cod filets in the
pan. Be careful as the oil will splatter. Turn down the heat just slightly and
after 3 minutes flip the filet. Let cook another 3-4 minutes and then remove
from the heat. Make sure to keep an eye on the fish as its cooking. It can
easily cook faster (or slower) depending on the thickness of the filets.
Plate
a couple heaping spoonfuls of the citrus-avocado salad and layer the filet on
top. Enjoy and savor sinlessly!
