Thinly sliced golden browned potatoes create a delicate crust for this delicious fresh Atlantic cod dish.  Oil infused with thyme, garlic, lemon, and fennel seeds add an amazing flavor to the crispy envelope that keeps the cod tender, moist, and flaky. Perfect for entertaining guests or as a family meal, this easy to prepare dish is a real show stopper.

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Potato Crusted Cod

Thinly sliced golden browned potatoes create a delicate crust for this delicious fresh Atlantic cod dish. Oil infused with thyme, garlic, lemon, and fennel seeds add an amazing flavor to the crispy envelope that keeps the cod tender, moist, and flaky.

Course Main Course

Cuisine French, Mediterranean

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Thyme Oil

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 bundle fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
• 1 Tablespoon fennel seed
• Pinch crushed red pepper

Crusted Cod

• 3 Yukon gold potatoes scrubbed
• 4 6 oz. cod fillets – 1 per person
• kosher salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Instructions

Thyme Oil

• Several hours before preparing the fish, place the olive oil in a small heavy-bottom sauce pan.
• Add thyme (I tie it up in a bundle with kitchen string for ease) bay leaves, lemon zest (use a potato peeler to create large pieces), garlic, fennel seed, and red pepper.
• Bring slowly to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and allow to stand for 1 hour before straining for use.

Crusted Cod

• Using a mandoline slicer, slice 1 potato as thin as possible (slices should be thin enough to read through). To prevent the potatoes from turning brown, prepare only one filet at a time. Do not rinse the potatoes, the natural starches will help to hold the potatoes together.
• Lay the potato slices out on a piece of parchment paper, overlapping by about half to make a mat that is roughly 4″ x 6″. Brush the potatoes with the infused olive oil. Lightly salt.
• Lightly sprinkle a fillet with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Place the fish in the center of the mat, and using the parchment paper fold the right side over the filet. Use the paper to lightly press the potatoes on to the fish. Carefully peel back the paper and repeat the process with the left side, pressing to seal the potatoes around the fish.
• Lightly brush the outside with the infused oil.
• Transfer on to a piece of plastic wrap and roll just tight enough to hold everything in place. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cooking.
• When ready to prepare, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the infused oil so that the bottom of the pan is generously coated. When the oil is shimmering, add the fish and cook for about 3 -4 minutes, carefully turn the fish and cook for another 3 – 4 minutes.
• Use a spoon to “baste” the fish with the infused oil as it cooks. This will help to create the crisp “fish scale” crust.
• When potatoes are golden brown, the fish will be ready.
• Transfer to a plate and serve.

Serve

• I would suggest a side salad with a bit of tang or acid to compliment the fish. Enjoy!

Notes

This “make ahead” recipe is perfect for serving guests. With all of the prep work done several hours in advance, all that is required is a quick pass through the skillet and dinner is ready!

Recipe from Chef Anne Burrell

This year I find myself looking at the calendar in amazement wondering where all the time I thought I had before the holidays went. Actually the whole summer and fall have pretty much zip-pity do da-ed right out of my arse. Spring storms this year brought hail and water damage to our home. So in addition to playing general contractor for the already scheduled brick work, I found my self managing a new roof and gutters (thank-you State Farm), as well as the painting of all the exterior trim. The unplanned remodeling of the lower level of our house did offer us new options for finally completing the “man cave” of our dreams (with a giant HD television, amazing sound system, and sexy lighting) however I guess between doing much of the work myself and organizing the rest, I somehow lost a month or two.

Suddenly it was Thanksgiving (didn’t even see that one coming) and now it was time to decorate the house and make holiday treats for family and friends, neighbors, and the caregivers at the home where my mother resides. So I got busy and busted out a dozen of my trusted holiday family favorites and got to work. As I completed the last treat, I felt that I had sifted, creamed, chopped, dusted, and rolled about as much butter, flour, and sugar as I could possible tolerate. Seems to come a point each year where I am just over it, and with company arriving this coming Wednesday (hopefully a bit later in the day than the new furniture and bed are to be delivered, nothing like running a tight schedule) I felt like I had everything taken care of.  Then came the question. “You are going to make Peanut butter balls aren’t you? I don’t see any peanut butter balls. They are my favorite and you always make them. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them”.

So overnight as I lay awake dreading the idea of rolling and dipping yet another item, the thought came to me to simply make them as a bar. The recipe itself is quite simple, so why not just let simple be and make my life the same. Well the experiment worked quite well I must say. I prepared the filling as I normally would for the balls, but instead pressed it into an 8″ x 8″ pan that I had lined with foil and buttered. Then I tempered some chocolate and flooded it over the top of the filling. I allowed the pan to set up overnight, cut the bar into pieces and….. ta da! I did go the extra and melt some peanut butter chips to decorate the tops but that certainly would have not been necessary. I must say they turned out really quite good. I still think I might prefer the rolled ones, but for this holiday, simple is certainly……. simply delicious.

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Peanut Butter Ball Bars

Everyone's favorite chocolate and peanut butter balls made in an easy bar form.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 48 Candies

Ingredients

• 1   cup butter softened
• 1   cup peanut butter smooth or crunchy
• 2   cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3   cups powdered sugar
• 1  12 oz. bag semi-sweet baking chips

Instructions

• Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease with butter
• Mix together butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add graham crackers and mix well. Add powdered sugar and mix until a soft dough forms.
• Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Melt chocolate by tempering either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour melted chocolate over the top of the peanut butter mixture and spread evenly.
• Allow for chocolate to set up before cutting. You can speed up this process by placing pan in the fridge.
• Using the foil lift the bars out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 1" - 1 1/2" squares. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

You can use any recipe for Peanut Butter Balls with this method.

More recipes you might enjoy:

Better Homes and Gardens

Joy of Baking

Sweet Anna’s

Taste of Home

The Girl Who Ate Everything

With all of your busy schedules and long lists of things to accomplish before the holidays, it is nice to find something that will not add to your frustration. These delicious and easy to make turtles require only three ingredients and about 20 minutes to make. They are the perfect way to round out your holiday cookies and candy list without any hassle, and are a great idea for any last-minute gifts too!

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Rolo Turtles

Salty and sweet, these delicious and easy to make turtles require only three ingredients and about 20 minutes to make.

Course Candy, Dessert

Cuisine American, Christmas

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2 Dozen

Ingredients

• 24 waffle style pretzels
• 24 Rolo candies
• 24 pecan halves toasted

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pecans stirring often. Toast until the nuts pick up a nice color.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
• Arrange the pretzels on the pan, and center a Rolo on each.
• Place in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Carefully push a pecan half into the Rolo (take care, the caramel it hot).
• Allow to cool completely before removing from pan.

Notes

Unwrapping the candy is the most time-consuming part of this treat. I later found that the ones that come in a bag are not wrapped, and also some stores carry them in the bulk section.