Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post
This Chard-Wrapped Cod with Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade is a fresh way to cook a white flakey fish fillet: wrap it in a Swiss chard (or kale) leaf — it not only makes for an attractive presentation but also protects the fish, so it cooks more gently and stays moist. A smear of easy-to-make sun-dried-tomato tapenade adds a layer of bold flavor and color.
Chard-Wrapped Cod with Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade
Ingredients
For the tapenade
12 sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed; 1.4 ounces total)
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 small clove garlic
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
For the fish
2 large Swiss chard leaves (2.5 ounces total)
4 skinless 1-inch thick cod fillets (4 to 5 ounces each)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
For the tapenade: Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a medium bowl; cover with boiling water and let them soak for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 6 tablespoons of the soaking water.
Transfer the drained tomatoes to a food processor, along with the cheese, garlic, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the vinegar, salt, pepper and the reserved soaking water. Puree to form a smooth paste; the yield is about 1 cup. (You won’t be using all of it.)
For the fish: Cut out and discard the chard stems, so that only the leaves remain. Lay out the leaves, shiny (top) sides facing down.
Season the fish with the salt and pepper on both sides. Spread a generous tablespoon of the tapenade on top of each fillet. Invert the fillets, centering them on each chard leaf. Fold/wrap the leaves to form 4 fish parcels, turning them seam side down. (The fish will not be completely covered.)
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the fish parcels, seam side down. Cook for 3 minutes; the tapenade will bubble at the edges of the leaves a bit, the leaves will soften and turn bright green, and the fish will begin to turn opaque. Use two thin spatulas to turn over each fish parcel. Cook for 3 minutes, until the fish is opaque and just cooked through.
Serve warm.
Makes 4 servings
Per serving: Calories: 150; Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 1g); Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 230mg; Total Carbohydrates 2g; Dietary Fiber 0g; Protein: 21g
