EASIEST BAKED GARLIC-PEPPER FISH

Mahi-mahi with boiled potato and green beans.

Garlic and freshly ground black pepper add oomph to this simple dish that has Russian roots. When the fish bakes, the garlic smell is intense, but once roasted, garlic is not ‘garlicky’ but sweet-tasting.  Doesn’t leave garlic breath either but you can kiss someone to check it out.

Utensils:  glass baking dish 8 X 8

for 1 pound fish, serves 2

2  ½-pound thick fish fillets

   I retested the recipe with cod and mahi-mahi. 

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped (minced)

1 teaspoon olive oil

kosher salt

24 twists of a pepper mill

  Approximately  2 teaspoons of pepper

lemon wedges

1.      Rinse the fish quickly under cold running water.  Pat dry.

2.      Mix the minced garlic cloves with the olive oil. Spread mixture evenly over top surface (one side only) of fish. Lightly salt, then liberally grind on black pepper.

3.      Bake in a preheated 375-400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

EASIEST FLAT BREAD (LAVASH) PIZZA

The blog has put me in my Betty Crocker mode.  The mythical Crocker was invented in 1921, by General Mills.  So, I should be ‘lavashed’ out, but I, as the fictional ‘Betty’ really enjoyed testing and eating this soft ‘matza’.

I must have always liked small, thin bread-like things with toppings because in The New Cook’s Cookbook  I have a recipe for ‘Baby Pizzas’ made on melba rounds and broiled—I had to smile at my youthful initiative. In The Easiest Cookbook is a recipe for Crostini (means little toast,)  a lovely appetizer, but the truth is I never could get the bread slices to brown on the bottom and it was a p-i-t-a (pain in the ass) to turn them over.

Today, with flat bread available, one can bake many different toppings on it, and the bread needs no turning.

Utensils:  cookie sheet, pizza slices or kitchen shears, pastry brush

1.      Brush the cookie sheet with a scant amount of olive oil.

  2.  For  a pepperoni pizza, brush on ¾ cup tomato or pizza sauce. Place on mozzarella cheese slices, then top with the  pepperoni  rounds.  To avoid too much fat from the sausage oozing onto the bread, nuke the slices, in one layer for about 10 seconds. The pepperoni brand is Boar's Head.

3.      For my favorite, Mushroom and Anchovy Pizza, over the tomato sauce, I place  canned whole  button mushrooms, patted dry with a paper towel and sliced in half.  I also pat dry the canned, flat,anchovies, about ½ tin, or to taste.

4.      How crisp do you want your flat bread?  I fiddled around and 15 minutes at preheated 375 degrees works with my oven, but you may have to fiddle, too.  Check after 10 minutes.

  5.  Slice and serve as soon as possible. 

 I made this one smaller, with feta cheese and Kalamata olives.

All photos by Carol Guilford.