Poached saffron cod with burst tomatoes and white beans

This cod poached in saffron broth is crazy delicious!  It's light but full of flavor, tasting like a fish stew you'd order at a restaurant and can't believe you actually made yourself at home (that's my reaction, anyway)!  It's not hard to make and you get a big reward for your effort.  If you want to cook more fish at home, this is one to try.  It tastes better than it looks.

I'm feeling pretty productive these days...at the beginning of the year, I started getting a little more organized.  Nothing fancy - I got a dedicated notebook and started jotting down my meal plan for each week.  I love making lists (and checking them off) so it was no real burden but as it turns out, the simple act of sitting down for a few minutes, sketching out meal plans, noting recipes I wanted to try out and actually putting them on the schedule, made them happen!!  So many of those recipes ripped out of magazine pages and stuffed into a folder, or pinned/bookmarked for cooking/baking at "some point" have actually been happening.  I'm amazed when I look at my "recipes I'd like to make" pin board and see that I've actually made a good number of them.

This recipe is an example of that.  I saw it in the May 2014 issue of Rachael Ray magazine - that's this May, practically real time!  Normally, there'd be something like a 2-year lag time between seeing a recipe and trying it out (if I get to it at all) so I essentially made this dish two whole years early thanks to a little planning and organization!  ; )  

I took a few liberties with the recipe.  I skipped the gremolata topping but added an anchovy in the poaching broth to boost the flavor (I love how an anchovy or two does that so well).  The all-important poaching broth is also made up of chicken stock, white wine, onions, garlic, and saffron, which needs no introduction and is essential to this dish.  All of that, with the tomatoes, makes for an incredibly flavorful base for the fish to infuse in (and add even more flavor to).  It's savory and full of the flavors of the sea.

The original recipe doesn't include beans but I decided to add some cannellini beans to bulk it up.  I made a little extra broth and my husband took advantage of some leftover brown rice to sop it all up. I just made use of my spoon because you really shouldn't waste any of that aromatic, flavorful broth. Some crusty bread would be great to have nearby.  And finally, to let you know how do-able this is, I have to tell you...I used frozen cod fillets (thanks, Trader Joe's!) and it worked beautifully.  Now that's convenience!  

In the magazine, this dish is called "Sicilian-Style Saffron Cod with Burst Tomatoes"; you can see the original recipe here if you'd like to compare it with the changes I made and see what you'd like to do yourself.

It may have been my love of Tuscan food (which I think of as simple and rustic yet delicious) that made me add the cannellini beans.  But truly, I'm a big fan of any and all Italian food and I'm certainly a big fan of this particular Sicilian fish dish right here!

I have cod at the ready in my freezer for the next time I get a craving for this.  Needless to say, fresh fillets would be even better but it's great to know there are options, and for me, convenience is really important.


Recipe:

Poached Saffron Cod with Burst Tomatoes and White Beans
Adapted from Rachael Ray (recipe appeared in May 2014 issue of Rachael Ray Magazine)

- Serves 4 - 
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
Generous pinch of saffron threads
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 anchovy filet
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 fresh bay leaf (or 2 dry bay leaves)
Salt and pepper (optional: red pepper flakes)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes 
Generous 1/2 cup dry white wine
4 pieces (about 6 oz. each) skinless cod or black bass fillets 
1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Chopped parsley, to garnish

Place chicken stock in a small saucepan and add the saffron threads.  Let steep over medium-low heat while you work on the next steps.

In a large skillet or pan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high.  Add anchovy filet and break it up with a wooden spoon, letting it meld into the oil.  Add onion, garlic, and bay leaf.  Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using).  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes until onions begin to soften.  Add tomatoes.  Cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until tomatoes burst, about 10 minutes.  If there are any remaining tomatoes that have not burst, break them with a wooden spoon.  Stir in wine and the saffron stock.  Simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Season fish with some salt and pepper.  Add to the pan.  Scatter the cannellini beans around the pan.  Cover and poach until fish is cooked through, approximately 6-7 minutes.  

Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.  Remove bay leaf.  Plate onto serving bowls and garnish with parsley.  Serve immediately.