Cod with Tomato-Bacon vinaigrette
Ok, as far as our family is concerned anything you add bacon to has got to be good… Spinach cooked with Bacon – yum. Pasta with bacon – mmm, mmm. Pizza with bacon – you bet. Ok, maybe not ice cream. This is based on a recipe that was in the Boston Globe magazine a few weeks ago.
Roasted Cod with Tomato-Bacon Vinaigrette
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
6 or so slices of bacon
1 dried hot pepper, crushed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar (red wine, or cider)
2Tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
1.5lb cod fillets
1/2 cup bread crumbs – I used panko
Mix the tomatoes with salt, pepper and sugar and let rest a few minutes to draw out the juices. Meanwhile, fry the bacon until the fat is rendered and the bacon is golden and crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to drain, and break into pieces when it’s cooled. Add 1-2 Tbsp of the bacon fat to the tomatoes, and discard the rest. To the tomato mixture add the cumin, garlic, vinegar and more salt and pepper to taste. Mix those ingredients, then stir in 2 Tbsp olive oil. Now it’s time to get the fish ready.
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Brush the fish fillets with a little melted butter or olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and then bake until cooked through (about 10 minutes per inch of thickness). I think our cod took about 10 minutes.
At the last minute stir the vinaigrette to recombine and add the bacon – if you add the bacon earlier it gets soggy. Serve the cod with some of the tomato-bacon vinaigrette over the top.
Since I was going to have the oven nice and hot I took the opportunity to roast potatoes and beets (separately not together) as side dishes. Toss the veggies in olive oil along with some fresh herbs, sliced onions, salt and pepper then roast at 425 for 35-45 minutes.
