Pan Roasted Cod with Spicy Sofrito and Micro Basil Salad

Now that the holidays are almost over, I have started thinking about New Years resolutions and the one that always seems to pop up every year is once again at the top of my list; cooking and eating healthier. It seems like for the past two weeks, everywhere I went there were platters of food to be picked at and elaborate meals, and desserts prepared begging me to devour everything in sight; the cold weather doesn’t help. Last night I decided to get a fresh start, which is ironic because the base of my dish is a sofrito; the ’starter’ for many dishes in all types of cuisine.

The only difference is that I used it as a starter and a finisher. In its simplest state, a sofrito is finely diced onions and tomatoes cooked for a long period of time in olive oil. Depending on what country you’re from, other ingredients are added such as bell peppers, chilies, garlic, olives, celery, etc. The sofrito is just a way to slowly develop and layer different flavors which will eventually become the base for more elaborate dishes such as soups, stews, and braises. I figured it would be a great way to make a simple, healthy dish burst with flavor without tons of butter and fat.


Since I wasn’t planning on turning my sofrito into a hearty stew, I wanted to use colorful ingredients with a wide range of different flavors. I chose bell peppers (red, orange, and yellow), onions, jalapenos, garlic, and tomato paste instead of diced tomatoes.

The sweetness of the peppers balanced out the heat from the jalapeno and I added some fresh lime zest to liven it all up. This is such an easy meal to make because once you get all of the prep work done, you just throw it all in a pot and let it cook slowly (about 30 minutes) in some extra virgin olive oil until everything gets soft.

I topped the sofrito with a pan roasted Cod that was light and flaky but still very moist on the inside. In Cuban cuisine, a sofrito is often used to start slow cooked bean dishes so I added some monster white beans and a tiny salad of micro basil dressed with lime juice.

The whole dish was exploding with flavor and I didn’t feel guilty afterwards cleaning my plate. The age old saying is that white wine always goes with fish but I love finding different red varietals that work with seafood. Pinot Noir is the obvious red to turn to because its light and fruity but other reds such as Dolcetto and Grenache make fish come alive in my opinion. I paired this dish with the 2008 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha from Spain; one of my all time favorite great value, everyday reds.


You notice that the wine is extremely young for a red wine (2008) and that’s a good thing because most grenache should be drunken fresh (there are some exceptions). It’s loaded with a ripe, red fruit and floral bouquet and extremely soft and seductive on your tongue. The finish lingers with hints of cracked black pepper and strawberry preserves. Even though it has a little bit more structure and body than a Pinot Noir, it didn’t overpower the fish one bit. Hopefully this uber healthy meal was a good kickstart to a nutritious 2010; and a good kick in the ass to get to the gym.













































