Sea treasures

Everyday Kitchen -

We're a week or so into the food fishery and I'm hearing lots of success stories. If you have a passion for this sweet summer harvest, these dishes are all yours. If you're on the water for sport read on - you might just exchange one passion for two. It's not about masking the flavour of old frozen fish today. It's about the delicate yet fabulous taste of fresh cod. These recipes serve four, but choose the fillet or fish size to match the appetites at your table.

Cod florentine with bacon

I don't understand why people turn up their noses at spinach. It is delicate and delicious and a perfect foil for fresh fish. The amount of bacon in this dish won't add a huge amount of fat or calories, just flavour, but substitute a little olive oil if you prefer.

2 strips bacon

1 small onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bag baby spinach, well washed and lightly drained

1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper (divided)

pinch each freshly grated nutmeg and cayenne pepper

2 tsp. olive or vegetable oil

4 fresh cod fillets

squeeze fresh lemon juice

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, drain on a paper towel and crumble into small pieces; set aside. Fry onion in bacon fat until soft then add garlic and spinach-there should be enough water left on the leaves from washing to cook it. Fry over medium-high until spinach is wilted but not totally soft. Add about half the salt and pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Cook together another minute; remove from pan and set aside in a colander to drain. Add oil to pan. Sprinkle cod with remaining salt and pepper and place in hot oil. Fry on both sides until opaque but not overly browned. Lay fillets on top of spinach and sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.

Stuffed baked fresh cod

If you were fortunate enough to capture or be gifted with a fresh round cod it is a mortal sin not to dress and bake it. This stuffing is just about the same as what you'd put in a chicken or turkey, but lightened up a little so as not to overpower the fish.

3 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 each small stalk celery, medium carrot and medium onion, finely chopped

2 tsp. dried savory

1/2 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups fresh coarse bread crumbs

1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley

1 medium fresh round cod, head on, fins removed

1 fresh lemon, thinly sliced

4 slices salt pork

Heat butter in a non-stick frying pan and add celery, carrot, onion, and savory. Fry over medium heat until vegetables soften but do not brown. Stir in salt, pepper, bread crumbs and parsley; mix well. Wash and dry cod and stuff with bread crumb mixture. Secure with twine or skewers. Place lemon slices in the bottom of a large roasting pan and lay stuffed cod on top. Place salt pork all over cod and bake at 350 degrees one hour or until fish flakes along the backbone at the thickest spot. Serve with more fresh lemon wedges on the side. Discard or eat the salt pork, as your conscience dictates.

Good luck and safe journey to everyone on the water.

Cynthia Stone is a writer, editor and teacher in St. John's. Questions may be sent to her c/o The Telegram, P.O. Box 5970, St. John's, NL, A1C 5X7.