Now that you've had a chance to think about my 12 ingredients, I want to introduce this week's challenge. Using the 12 ingredients plus any common things we may have in our pantry or fridge (for example: eggs, olive oil and spices), we have to make a 20-minute dinner. Remember each of our dishes has to be nutritionally balanced, featuring foods across all groups -- grains, vegetable and fruits, protein, and dairy -- and we will share photos and comments from our respective families. I will be sharing my three recipes and a real mom tester will be doing the same, along with photos.
Before that, I have to tell you that in our house, the cooking never stops. Whether I'm creating recipes for TV, developing a new product or cooking one of our various meals, it's perpetual. My husband is my official taster and we fondly joke that he is a professional eater. To say that he is opinionated (and spoiled when it comes to meals) is an understatement! He's used to having a chef cook for him all the time. My cousin, who may be a gentler sort of judge, will also be reviewing my work.
20 Minute Dinner
Pan Roasted Fillet of Cod with Roasted Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese
Main Ingredients Used:
•Fish
•Chickpeas
•Broccoli
•Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients List:
•4 pieces cod fillet 180 g each (5-6 oz.)
•Grated zest of 1 lemon
•¼ cup (60 mL) fresh chopped dill 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
•1 small can (540 mL) chick peas, drained and rinsed
•1 red pepper, cut into strips
•½ cup (125 mL) grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
•3 green onions, sliced
•1 lemon, juiced
•1 head broccoli, stems removed, cut into florets
•2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil
•¼ cup (60 mL) grated cheddar cheese
•Pinch of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
•A pinch of chili powder
Preparation: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meanwhile, season the cod with salt and pepper, sprinkle with dill and lemon zest. Drizzle rectangular or oval baking dish with half the olive oil. Place in fish fillets. Ensure that fillets are not touching so they will cook quickly. To the same dish, add the chickpeas, red pepper, tomatoes, and green onion. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and lemon juice over fish and roast in bottom rack of oven at 200 degrees C (400 F) for about 17 minutes or until fish is golden and firm.
Meanwhile, in a large baking sheet, toss the broccoli with olive oil and chili. Roast for 13 minutes at 200 C (400 F) on a separate rack. Sprinkle with Cheddar and continue to roast until tender (about 2-3 minutes).
Makes 4 servings
The Verdict: After the first couple of bites, my husband started saying things like "What's the point of this? Are you purposely trying to keep the veggies raw?" Then: "This doesn't taste like your food." To prevent a full scale mutiny, I changed the recipe and instead roasted the broccoli and added a touch of cheddar cheese to give it more flavour. Then I put the chick peas in with the fish so they would absorb those juices while roasting together. Remember what I said at the beginning of this challenge: balance and nutrition are supposed to taste great not make your family want to walk the plank to avoid it.
This dinner was a hit, and I'm excited to see how our home chef fared!
