The Codfish Caper
The idea of how to eat in a healthy way is certainly nothing new. Those who lived near water ate fish in every conceivable form from time immemorial.
Ancient fish market, a painting by Joachim Beuckelaer
Capers, and caper berries were used to season fish and other foods from the time of the ancient Greeks, who not only ate the berries, but also pickled the leaves and put them into salads.
The natural anticarcinogenic effect of the caper – leaves, roots, and berries, were believed to prevent cancer. The roots were made into a tea against rheumatism.
capers
But for us, we know the magical combination of fish and capers for its fabulous flavor combination.
It is true that a number of fish have the highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids and should be included in the diet 2-3 times a week. Choose wild caught Atlantic salmon, halibut, tuna, oysters, snapper, shark, trout, or grouper. Crayfish, oysters, calamari and cod fish are other good choices. Black caviar is known to be loaded with omega-3’s.
Here’s a quick and easy dinner entrée that goes together in under twenty minutes and does everything: tastes great, give plenty of health supporting benefits, and is satisfying beyond measure.
Codfish with a Caper Sauce
codfish with capers and citrus
Makes 2 servings
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil OR organic butter (or a mixture of both)
¾ pound cod fish fillet (thick)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons capers with their vinegar
Juice and zest of ½ lemon
Chopped parsley and black olives for garnish
Heat the oven to 200°F. Place a clean ovenproof platter inside.
Heat oil and/or butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season fish to taste with salt and pepper, then sauté, undisturbed. Peek under after four minutes or so. Once the fish has a golden crust, flip it over and cook the second side. Transfer to the platter in the oven.
Splash a bit more oil/butter in the pan, add wine and reduce by half. Add capers and juice and boil a bit more. Pour over the fish, then finish with lemon juice, zest, black olives and chopped parsley. Serve at once.
codfish cooked with capers. add a splash of black olives if you wish
