Baked Cod with Ritz Cracker Topping from simple recipes

Any white, lean fish will work with this recipe. In New England, cod, haddock, pollock and hake are traditional, but walleye, catfish, bass, snapper, Pacific rock cod, striped bass or Gulf Coast redfish will all work.

  • 2 pounds skinless cod fillets
  • Salt
  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (about 34 crackers)
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Lemon and parsley for garnish, optional
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F:Grease a small baking pan or casserole pan with butter or a little oil.
  2. Prepare the fish:Rinse off the fish fillets with cold water, pat dry. Use long nose pliers to remove any pin bones from the fillets.
  3. Place the fillets in bottom of dish:If you want, cut the fillets into large serving pieces. Place the fillets at the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with salt.Elise BauerElise Bauer
  4. Top the fish with cracker and butter mixture:Melt the butter. Crush the Ritz crackers and place in a bowl; they should look like coarse breadcrumbs. Mix the melted butter with the breadcrumbs. Pack the crumb mixture over the top and sides of the fish fillets.
  5. Bake:Place in the 350°F oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily. (Thin fillets may take less time, very thick fillets may take longer.)

Italian Zucchini Crescent Pie

  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • red pepper flakes, to taste 
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 tsp oregano leaves, chopped
  • 2 eggs, well beaten
  • 8 oz (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8 oz can crescent dinner rolls (refrigerated)
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard
  • In a skillet, cook zucchini and onion in butter until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley and seasonings. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl, blend eggs and cheese. Add zucchini mixture to the eggs and cheese and stir.
  • Separate crescent dough into 8 triangles, roll them thinner and place in an ungreased quiche pan or 12×8″ baking dish. Press over the bottoms and up the sides.
  • Spread crust with mustard. Pour zucchini mixture evenly into the crust. 
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6-8 servings!

Lentil Soup from Yeung Man

2 cups red lentils
2 large russet potatoes
1 carrot
1 onion
3 pieces garlic
1 tomato
7 cups water
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
lemon wedges to serve
few sprigs parsley
zaa’tar to taste
pepper to taste

1. Rinse and drain the red lentils and set aside. Peel the russet potatoes and chop into small cubes.
2. Finely chop the carrot, onion, and garlic. Dice the tomato
3. Use a kettle and bring the 7 cups of water to boil
4. Heat up a stock pot to medium heat. Add the olive oil followed by the onions. Sauté for 3-4min 5. Add the carrots and sauté for 2min. Add the garlic and sauté for 1min
6. Add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Sauté for another minute. Then, add in the red lentils and tomato. Sauté for another minute
7. Add the potatoes and pour in the hot water. Give the pot a good stir
8. Bring the soup to a boil, then cover and cook on medium for 20 min
9. Transfer 3-4 cups of the soup to a blender. Blend on medium low for a few seconds. Then, pour the soup back into the pot and give it a good stir to combine
10. Plate the soup and garnish with fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of zaa’tar, and fresh cracked pepper to taste

oven-baked cod with bread crumbs from allrecipes.com

  • ½ cup warm water 
  • ½ fish bouillon cube 
  • ¾ cup dry bread crumbs 
  • ¼ cup butter, cut into small chunks 
  • 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped 
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 
  • 2 teaspoons dried tarragon

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lay cod fillets in a baking dish and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Combine water and fish bouillon cube in a bowl. Stir to combine and pour over cod.
  • Mix bread crumbs, butter, parsley, dill, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a bowl with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over cod.
    Bake in the preheated oven until fish flakes easily with a fork and the crust is golden and crunchy, about 20 minutes.

Cauliflower, Pumpkin Seeds, Breadcrumbs from splendid table

  • vegetable stock 2 cups/480ml
  • cauliflower 2 lb 2 oz/1kg
  • olive oil
  • fresh white breadcrumbs
  • ⅔ cup/50g
  • parsley leaves ½ cup/10g
  • pumpkin seeds 3 tablespoons
  • fresh horseradish 1 tablespoon

Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Trim the cauliflower, then cut into “steaks” about ¾ inch/2cm thick. Lower these into the boiling stock, then decrease the heat so that the stock simmers. Partially cover the pan with a lid and let cook till the cauliflower is soft enough to pierce effortlessly with a skewer — a matter of fifteen minutes or so.

While the cauliflower cooks, warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pan, then add the breadcrumbs and cook till golden, constantly stirring and tossing so they color evenly. Roughly chop the parsley and pumpkin seeds, and fold into the breadcrumbs with the horseradish. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Blend half the cauliflower steaks to a smooth cream in a blender or food processor with approximately half the hot stock, seasoning as you go.

Warm a glug or two of olive oil in a frying pan, lower in the reserved, cooked cauliflower slices, carefully drained, and fry till golden. Gently turn and cook the other side till lightly crisp around the edges. They may fall apart a little, no matter. Divide the cauliflower purée between two plates, slip the fried cauliflower on top, then season with the crumbs and seeds.

Tips and tricks: 

  • Keeping the slices of cauliflower on the thick side will help the slices hold together. The pieces that stand proud in the stock and cook in the steam are the ones to fry. Those that cook under the liquid are the ones to purée. They will absorb some of the flavors of your stock.
  • Snippets of crisp bacon, pancetta, or pork crackling could be introduced to the breadcrumb and parsley crumble. A trickle of cream and a handful of grated Pecorino would be a worthwhile addition to the cauliflower purée. The sauce, topped with a little grated Parmesan, could be spooned over the cauliflower and broiled, to create a toasted crust.

Roasted Zucchini With Garlicky Bread Crumbs and Mozzarella, melissa clark

  •  Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 4 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks
  •  Fine sea salt
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan
  • 4 anchovy fillets, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated or mashed to a paste
  • ½ teaspoon herbes de Provence or dried oregano
  •  Pinch of red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
  • 4 ounces mozzarella, grated (about 1 cup)
  •  Black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chopped, pitted black or green olives
  • 2 tablespoons torn basil or parsley leaves
  •  Lemon wedges, for serving
  1. Heat broiler. Brush a rimmed sheet pan with olive oil, then lay the zucchini out in an even layer. Brush zucchini with more oil and sprinkle generously with salt.
  2. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and broil until golden in spots, 4 to 6 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss together bread crumbs, Parmesan, anchovies, garlic, herbes de Provence or oregano, red-pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 2 tablespoons oil and use your fingers to rub oil, garlic and anchovies into the crumbs.
  4. When zucchini is browned on both sides, turn off broiler and set oven to 500 degrees. Sprinkle zucchini with mozzarella, then bread crumb mixture; generously drizzle with oil. Bake until cheese melts and bread crumbs turn golden, about 4 minutes.
  5. Grind black pepper over top and drizzle with more oil, if needed. Top zucchini with olives, basil and additional red-pepper flakes, if desired, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

vegan meatloaf by Jill McKeever

1 1/2 cups Soy Curls™ dust and small crumbles
1 1/4 cup veggie broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
10-oz. extra-firm tofu, drained
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
2 tablespoons organic ketchup, plus more for topping
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried cracked rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large mixing bowl, soak curl dust and crumbles in veggie broth, soy sauce, and liquid smoke for 8 minutes.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook garlic, celery, and onion for 3 minutes, then add 1/4 cup water to prevent browning, cook another 3 minutes, until onion is translucent. OR sauté in olive oil, do not add water if you do this. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Once curls are rehydrated, crumble tofu over them; stir in oats, mustard, ketchup. Add spices and cooked veggies. With a clean hand, mash, squeeze and stir until well mixed. Spread meatloaf evenly into a silicone 8×4-inch loaf pan.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven; drizzle top with as much ketchup as you like. Return to oven. Continue baking another 25 minutes. Allow cooling 15 minutes before cutting into it. This loaf is moist after baking. A night in the fridge firms it up perfectly. If you have the time, make it a day ahead. Slice it up and reheat it either in the microwave or toaster oven.

Cold leftover meatloaf is excellent! Hopefully, you will have leftovers to enjoy the next day.

Makes 6 servings

NOTE: I used 14 oz tofu that had been frozen

tomato and corn pie from smitten kitchen.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipe’s suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if you’re using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

slice tomatoes crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired, place on towel and sprinkle with salt.  let sit for 30 min or more. Spread 1 tbsp dijon on crust.  Spread a small amount of cheese on crust then Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, basil, chives, salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.

An idea: Want to slab pie this and serve it to a crowd? I agree, it would be brilliant. This is how I’d approach it: Make 1 1/2 batches of the crust (slab pies require more crust for the same amount of filling) and arrange the filling in one layer instead of two in a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch pan. Increase the amount of butter you brush the top with to a tablespoon or two and the baking time to about 45 minutes (this is an estimate, you should take it out when it is golden and the filling is bubbling). Be sure to remove the tomato seeds; that extra wetness could make for a slab pie mess.

Eggplant Tomato Pie from loversrecipes.com

  • 1 eggplant
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1  tablespoon pesto
  • Cheddar cheese, shredded
  • Fresh parsley

Peel and cube eggplant, note do not boil, sautee,boil until soft and tender, then drain water and mash. Add diced onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, melted butter and pesto to the mash; mix well. Grease a pie pan. Slice one tomato and layer on bottom of pan. Add the eggplant mixture. Slice the remaining tomato and layer on top of eggplant mixture. Add shredded cheddar cheese and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

 

sweet corn and zucchini pie from pinchofyum.com


4 tablespoons butter
half of a yellow onion, diced
2 ears sweet corn
2 large zucchini, sliced very thinly (about 4 cups)
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces shredded cheese (I used Mozzarella, cheddar and romano)
4 eggs, beaten
1-2 tbsp seasoned bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions, zucchini, and mushrooms. While the veggies saute, cut the corn kernels off the cob. Add them to the pan and continue to saute until the veggies are soft, 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Once the mixture has cooled for a few minutes, stir in the basil, oregano, salt, cheese, bread crumbs and the beaten egg. Line a pie pan (9-inch or larger) with parchment paper or just grease a pan with nonstick spray. Transfer the mixture to the pan. Arrange the top so the zucchini slices lay flat and look nice. Top with a little extra cheese for looks, cover with greased foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes to brown the top. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before cutting into slices.

It will bubble up a little bit as it bakes, so put a pan under to catch drips if it’s really full. sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve