Cod in a Sack

Name: Cod in a Sack
Ingredients: Parchment paper; 1 pound cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices or florets; 8 anchovy fillets; 4 large garlic cloves, minced; 1/2 cup pitted good-quality black olives, such as kalamata, chopped; 2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 4 portions (buy thick pieces from the center rather than tail-end pieces); Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 4 scallions, chopped; 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful), chopped; Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for generous drizzling; Zest and juice of 1 lemon; Crusty bread, to pass at the table

12 ingredients

16 steps

Ingredients

Parchment paper
1 pound cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices or florets
8 anchovy fillets
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup pitted good-quality black olives, such as kalamata, chopped
2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 4 portions (buy thick pieces from the center rather than tail-end pieces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful), chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for generous drizzling
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Crusty bread, to pass at the table

Directions

1

Preheat the oven to 400F.
2

Rip off 4 sheets of parchment paper, each a little over a foot long.
3

Place one fourth of the cauliflower in the center of each sheet of parchment, then top with 2 anchovy fillets, one fourth of the garlic and chopped olives, and 1 portion of cod.
4

Season the cod with salt and pepper and top with equal amounts of the scallions and parsley.
5

Drizzle EVOO liberally and sprinkle lemon zest and juice evenly over the fish portions.
6

Fold the top and bottom edges of the parchment together and crease several times, then crease up the ends of the packets.
7

Arrange the packets on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the center of the hot oven.
8

Bake the packets for 20 minutes.
9

Serve each packet on a dinner plate and cut open at the table.
10

Pass salad and bread to round out the meal.
11

My mom made this for us as kids.
12

Its really fancy and French in origin.
13

It was her take on fish in parchment.
14

I make mine in parchment, but Mom used a brown paper lunch sack, which I cannot even find in the stores these days.
15

If you brown bag it, brush the bag lightly with vegetable oil to keep it from burning in the oven.
16

Thats what Mama always did.