Herb-broiled cod with citrus coriander romaine salad

Serves 1
1      ruby grapefruit                              
1      romaine heart, separated into leaves & chopped
1      orange                                                       
1      6-oz cod filet, a thick one
A few paper-thin slices of red onion (shaved on a mandoline)
1   T  seasoned butter (see below)*                 
2   T  extra-virgin olive oil     
1   t   coriander seeds, lightly toasted & coarsely 
        ground       

With a sharp paring knife, peel the grape-fruit and the orange, removing all the zest and the white pith. Working over a small bowl to catch the juice, cut the segments of the fruit away from the connective membranes. Place the segments in a salad bowl. After all the segments have been cut, squeeze any remaining juice from the membranes into a small bowl.

Season the cod with salt and white pepper. Place the fish on a lightly oiled sizzle platter or in a small cast-iron skillet. Spoon some seasoned butter on top of the fish*.

Broil the cod 6 inches from the heat until a skewer pushed straight down through the middle of the fish offers no resistance and the flesh flakes easily, about 7 minutes.

While the fish is under the broiler, mix the vinaigrette: Whisk the oil into the bowl of citrus juice and add the coriander; season with salt and pepper and set aside. Add the romaine and red onion to the salad bowl, add a little of the vinaigrette, and toss to coat. Mount the salad on a plate, and place the hot fish on top. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the cod.

*Seasoned Butter
Flavoring a fish can be as easy as softening some butter and mashing in minced herbs, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a few cracks of good white pepper. But you can also prepare a big batch of seasoned butter in advance, keeping it in the fridge or freezer and slicing off a few tablespoons whenever you need it. Cream a half pound of room-temperature unsalted butter in a mixing bowl. Mix in a handful of chopped parsley (or sage or chives or whatever), a few tablespoons of lemon juice, some minced shallots, and freshly ground pepper. Scoop the seasoned butter onto a large sheet of wax paper to shape the butter into a log as you wrap it; twist the ends closed. Store in an extra layer of foil, and refrigerate/freeze until needed.

Photo: Bill Milne