Baked Cod or Salmon With Capers and Olives

Jar of Capers

By Cat, April 27, 2017 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)

I love using capers and olives for flavor and texture, and fish is my favorite meat, and this recipe includes all of these!

The original recipe includes a long list of the types of fish can be used in this recipe; I selected the ones least contaminated with toxic heavy metals: cod,  and salmon. The others, that are more likely to be high in toxic heavy metals are: halibut, swordfish, sea bass, haddock, snapper, grouper fillets. See Sustainable and Healthful Seafood (originally posted  on The EssentiaList for : Dietary fish & seafood: Which are/are not healthful – and why (2)) more information.

See also: 1. Mediterranean Menu; 2. Fish and Seafood Menu; 3. Sustainable and Healthful Seafood

Baked Cod or Salmon With Capers and Olives

This recipe is adapted from one by Daniel Neman, originally in the St. Louis Dispatch and reprinted in our local Daily Inter Lake. (1) Mr. Neman attributes the recipe to The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook,” by Nancy Harmon-Jenkins.

Be sure to use authentic olive oil – so much of commercial olive oil is diluted with seed oils such as corn or soy. If buying oil from overseas, buy one that indicates the name of the orchard on the bottle; otherwise, most California olive oils can be trusted. See my article: Olive Oil: The Real Deal, or Adulterated/Fake for more about this issue.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients & Equipment

• 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 lb boneless wild-caught cod, or salmon steaks
• 1 cup very ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, or 1 cup drained imported canned tomatoes
• ½ tsp granulated Rapadura or white cane sugar
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp drained capers, rinsed
• ¼ cup chopped pitted and brined green olives, preferably large Italian olives or Greek Olive mix
• Unrefined sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
• Equipment:
• baking dish large enough to hold all the fish in one layer

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub 1 tsp of oil on the inside of a baking dish; add the fish in a single layer.
2. Prep: Chop tomatoes and mix with sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Add capers and olives and mix again. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as desired.
3. Pile the tomato mix on top of the fish pieces.
4. Distribute bread crumbs over the top and drizzle on the remaining 3 tsp (1 Tbsp) olive oil.
5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the fish is thoroughly cooked and the sauce is very bubbly and browned.

Testing

Testing, Oct 11, 2017: Made 1 serving as written, with 6 oz fresh cod, ½ ripe tomato, ¼ tsp lemon juice, ⅛ tsp Rapadura sugar, 1 tsp capers, and 2 brined green olives. Topped with 1 Tbsp bread crumbs drizzled with olive oil. Baked 35 min at 400°F. Delicious!

References:

1. St Louis Dispatch: Mediterranean Diet article and recipes, stltoday.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/mediterranean-diet-is-healthy—-but-is-it/article_5a98ee2f-709b-518e-8668-54251146f32a.html; Fish recipe: stltoday.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/recipes/baked-fish-with-capers-and-olives/article_11ec35b3-4ecf-5ded-a2b2-cc699c0c6a36.html

2. The EssentiaList posting: Dietary fish & seafood: Which are/are not healthful – and why (essentialstuff.org/index.php/2017/01/08/Cat/dietary-fish-seafood-which-areare-not-healthful-and-why/)