Mustard Roasted Fish

Its been a while since I've updated this blog and I have no excuse except to say that I got lazy as the days became sunnier and sunnier. Its Ramadan now, however, and I definitely feel more prone to writing about food. It might seem odd that I've chosen a time where I can't eat food for most of the day to write about it. But thats just it, when you can't eat, all you think about is what you're going to eat, when you can eat. Does that make sense?

The last thing I want to do when I'm fasting is to spend hours in the kitchen cooking food but I do want a nice home cooked meal which is easy, fast, and simple to prepare with gourmet results. While watching the food network, I saw Ina Garten preparing a mustard roasted fish with dill baby potatoes that made my mouth water. She said that while she was visiting France, the woman who checked in her coat at her hotel shared one of her favorite quick French recipes. It entailed putting a few slices of fish in a baking pan, whisking together a bit of mustard with creme fraiche, capers, some shallots, salt, and pepper, and then pouring the entire mixture over the fish before baking it for 15-20 mins in the oven. And voila! A fish that was absolutely delicieux!

I've cooked this fish several times now and it comes out perfectly every time. The creamy sauce with the kick from the mustard and tanginess from the capers is a flavorful complement to almost any fish. Its a great party dish because it looks impressive without the hours of preparation. Its also a good alternative to omelette dinners when you don't feel like really cooking. Yes, we've all been there...

Definitely try out this recipe. Creme fraiche, as I discovered, is available in most grocery stores. Sometimes its hidden with the cheeses rather than the creams, but it is there. Hope you enjoy. Bon appetit!

Recipe for Mustard Roasted Fish (by Ina Garten)

Ingredients

• 4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper (or any other fish you prefer such as cod, tilapia, etc)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces creme fraiche
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard (not necessary but a nice addition if you have on hand)
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons drained capers

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) I usually cook it for 20 mins at 400 degrees but as the recipe says, it really depends on the fish so keep a close eye. Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.