Inspired by thoughts of a missed trip to Greece, the table is set but what food to serve remains the question. Get past hummus and stuffed grape leaves and I have no idea what is typical.
Looking at a map of Greece, I saw that it is surrounded by water, a good indication that fish must be plentiful just as it is in Maine. A fish market is minutes away from our house and is always a good source for whatever is fresh and local. There I found cod, a firm white fish that lends itself to a variety of preparations.
Now I don’t know whether or not the subsequent preparation is traditional Greek, but from previous effort I knew that tomato based sauce loaded with aromatic herbs worked well with fish. Only someone more knowledgeable about Greek cuisine than I can pass judgement on this concoction!
Fake Greek Fish
1 1/4 c. Olive oil
1 large can of diced tomatoes (3 cups of fresh chopped tomatoes like heirloom would also be great. )
2-3 thinly sliced onions
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1-2 teaspoons each dill, mint, parsley, celery including leaves
8 cod steaks
Juice of 1-2 lemons
Sauté onions in heated olive oil until they are softened. Add tomatoes, garlic, sugar and herbs with 1 1/2 cups of water, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by 1/3. Arrange the cod steaks on top of the mixture and cook for about 12 minutes or until the fish flakes when gently forked. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. Let the fish sit for a few minutes to absorb all the flavors before serving in a shallow dish.
There was plenty of juice for dipping with crusty Greek bread made from a recipe found on the internet. It was not difficult and made 3 loaves which meant some could be saved for another day.
Another day came quickly as there was sauce left over from the fish. My thought was that it would be perfect for preparing mussels for a quick and easy meal with more of that bread. Both were equally good the second time around!