Recipe: Baked cod with tomato-fennel sauce

Fresh tilapia fillets would be a good substitute for the cod. To keep with our resolutions, Richard and I are eating this with spinach and whole grain bread. I have an orange handy so will grate some zest over the dish, though that is not essential. Think this quickie recipe is still too lengthy? Note half of the ingredients are optional. Leave them out and you'll still have a tasty catch.

Yield: 4 servings
Active Time using fennel: 12 minutes
Active Time w/out fennel: 5 minutes
Bake Time: 25 minutes
Cost: apx. $12.50 (using Busch's ad item cod fillets)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2-2 pounds cod fillets
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small fennel bulb, cored and sliced, optional
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine or lemon juice
• 1 (14oz.) can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil plus extra sprig for garnish, optional
• Seasoned Italian Bread crumbs or panko (Japanese bread flakes), optional
• Orange zest, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. If using fennel, in a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and sauté fennel, with a pinch of kosher salt until just tender, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Select a baking dish large enough to accommodate the fish, tomatoes and fennel. Place the fish, skinned side down, in dish and brush with olive oil. Lightly season with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and sprinkle with wine.
3. Evenly spread fennel and pour canned tomatoes, including their liquid, over the fish. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs, if using. Bake on middle rack of oven until fish is cooked, about 25 minutes. Fish is done when flesh is opaque and separates easily into flakes when tested with a fork.

This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Jan. 5, 2010.