Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Spinach Stuffed Cod with Mushroom and Feta Cheese

I had some really thick cod fillets sitting in my freezer the other day. So, I decided to try out this new recipe that I downloaded off the Internet. The recipe was actually for spinach stuffed flounder, so I made a few changes to it and made it my own. It turned out to be really yummy, so I have decided to share it with all of you.
Start off by heating some olive oil in a pan. Then, add in some minced garlic and saute until it turns to a light shade of brown. As soon as it starts to change color, add in some sliced Crimini mushrooms (also known as baby bella mushrooms). Mix the mushrooms with the minced garlic and allow it to cook.
Once the mushrooms have soften, add in a few big bunches of spinach. Be very careful when you do this. As soon as the wet spinach hits the very hot oil, it's bound to splatter! Stir fry the spinach with the mushrooms and garlic until it's wilted.
Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle some crumbled feta cheese onto the spinach mixture. Gently stir in the feta cheese and your stuffing mixture is done!
Now, it's time to prep the fish. I premarinated my cod fillets with some of Chef Paul Prudhomme's Magic Seafood Seasoning Blend a few hours before. You can pretty much use any seafood seasoning that you like or just some old fashioned salt and pepper. It is important that you use a thick fillet, so that you can butterfly the fillet in the middle. Then, place it onto a lightly greased baking pan.
Then, stuff your cod fillet with the spinach stuffing that we made earlier. Cover the stuffing with the top half of the fillet. Gently poke a few toothpicks all the way through the fillets. This is to prevent the top part of the fillet from popping up while it's in the oven. Then, squeeze some fresh lemon juice onto your fillets and it's ready to go into the oven.
Pop it into a preheated 375F oven and allow it to bake for about 25-30 mins (depending on your oven). Remember not to over cook your fillets. After 25 minutes, use a fork to check and see if it's done. If it flakes, it's done. Allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. I served my stuffed cod with some dirty rice and steamed vegetables. Mmmm mmm mmmm, a healthy (not to mention yummy) dinner that is so easy to make!

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