So, the last few days I have been posting mainly recipes associated with the holidays and/or cold weather. This recipe for baked fish however is a lot more versatile. It can be served any old time and for any occasion, be it fancy or down home. Winter, summer, for two or more people, a gang of people, or just for yourself. And it is so stinkin’ easy to build. A few simple ingredients to assemble, a bit of time in your oven, and your main dish is ready to serve. It even comes with its own sauce; no tartar or aioli required. Add a simple side dish and veggie or salad and dinner is on the table in no time flat.

And the most important part. It’s fish! We are trying to include more fish in our diet. It’s good for us and frankly, I will almost always choose something from the sea rather than from a farm. (OK, once in a while I crave a big ol’ honkin’ rare steak, but most of the time I prefer seafood to beef.)

Now I’m sure you’ve already noticed that this is not a low calorie dish. But in my defense, it’s not deep fat fried with a side of French fries either. So when I serve this dish, I make sure my sides are very simply prepared. (I try to be good, I really do!)

So next time you crave seafood (the kind with fins), give this recipe a try. And no, I see no reason why this dish wouldn’t be just as marvelous with salmon, halibut, catfish, tilapia, etc. Just make sure it is a fairly firm-fleshed sea critter. And check for bones. Nothing spoils the enjoyment of a delicious seafood dish faster than trying to work your way around bones. BTW, I use a pair of tweezers for removing fish bones. And no, I do not pluck my eyebrows with the same pair. I keep a dedicated pair of tweezers in the kitchen just for dealing with pesky bone removal. And yes you can run them through your dishwasher.

Well I think I have covered everything I needed to say about this dish. Mr. C. has just delivered a beautiful martini to me, so that must mean it is time for me to get going with dinner. And of course I am trying out a new recipe tonight. I’m calling it Roasted Honey-Mustard Chicken Breasts. If it works, I’ll be sharing the recipe with you in the next few days. If it doesn’t work, you’ll never hear about it again. Cheers!

¾ c. grated Parmesan cheese

½ tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. paprika

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper (not too much)

zest from ½ of a large lemon

1 T. chopped Italian parsley

3 T. unsalted butter

2 T. drained capers

4 cod fillets (total of about 1½ pounds), de-boned and patted dry 

4 lemon wedges

Combine the Parmesan cheese, granulated garlic, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and parsley in a shallow pan. Lightly butter a baking dish large enough to accommodate the fish in a single layer.

Melt the butter in a medium fry pan. Remove from heat and stir in the capers. Dip both sides of the fish in the butter, then in the cheese mixture, coating both sides as well as possible.

Place in the prepared pan and pat the remaining topping onto the cod as much as possible. (If you have leftover caper butter, pour over the unbaked fish.)

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until the fish is easily flaked with a fork. Serve each piece with a lemon wedge.