A place for learning about and cooking delicious food!
Birria Queso tacos blew up on the internet in 2021 and for good reason, they’re delicious! Birria is slow cooked beef in a roasted chili sauce. To make the tacos, you dip corn tortillas into the jeux leftover from the meat then fry them and …
These summer fruit popsicles are the perfect treat for a hot day. They whip up super fast and are way healthier than what you can pick up in the store. You can use any fruit or even other ingredients like yogurt or chocolate. My favorite …
If you love fish you definitely have a favorite. Most people tend to go for the classic fish and chips and don’t get me wrong I love a good fried fish, but this parmesan crusted cod with lemon butter sauce beats them all! It’s flaky and buttery fish with a crispy, salty and beautifully herbed crust. The lemon butter sauce adds some great flavor from the fat and wonderful acidity from the lemon.
This recipe was born from a desire to eat healthier but still have the things I loved. As I mentioned before I do love fried fish and this dish kicks the craving I get for that to the curve. Now don’t misunderstand, I said “healthier” not healthy. I realize the butter in the sauce might raise some eyebrows but the dish needs that fat, I’m telling you!
Make sure to pat the fish dry, don’t skip this step or you won’t get that delicious crispy crust. Cod holds a lot of moisture so if you can get it fresh, you’ll have an easier time. If you’re like me and live in a landlocked state, not to worry, you can still use frozen. It’ll just take a few more pats to get all that extra water.
When frying the fish you might be tempted to move them or shift them before it’s time to flip. DON”T! If the crust isn’t fully cooked it will stick to that pan like glue. This also means you shouldn’t cook too many at once in the same pan. I personally wouldn’t cook more than two at a time in a single pan.
When cooking the lemon butter sauce you want to watch your heat. Butter likes to separate so if you cook it too hot you might end up with a broken sauce. It’s also a good idea to keep stirring the butter through every step as much as possible to keep those fat solids inside it happy.
So the cool thing about this parmesan crusted cod is, it doesn’t have to be cod. Really any white fish will work, tilapia, sole etc.. If you use a thinner one, make sure to adjust the heat/time accordingly.
You might have heard that fish and cheese is a no go, but it really depends on the type of cheese in my opinion. Parmesan is salty and nutty which pairs perfectly with fish. I wouldn’t recommend experimenting with the cheese by swapping it in this one though.
Now let’s talk about herbs. I love the fragrant combination of tarragon and rosemary but I understand that one or both of those herbs might not agree with you. Some good substitutions for them are; thyme, oregano, basil and parsley.
In a shallow bowl, stir together panko, salt, pepper, flour, parmesan, rosemary, tarragon, and garlic powder. Set aside In another shallow bowl, lightly whisk the egg.
Pat the fish fillets dry, as needed, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Put the 1/2 cup of flour in a shallow bowl. Coat the fish with flour and shake off the excess.
Dip the fillets, one at a time, in the egg mixture, and then the panko mixture to coat. Set aside.
Lightly coat the bottom of a skillet with a thin layer of vegetable oil, and heat over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot and shiny, add the fish. Fry on each side for approximately 4-5 minutes, until golden brown. The time may vary depending on the thickness of your fish. The fish will be translucent; you want to be sure you don’t overcook it.
If the fish is extra thick, after frying place on a lightly parchment paper lined sheet pan in a 350 degree oven for approximately 5 minutes.
Remove from the skillet and serve with the lemon cream sauce.
Lemon Cream Sauce:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
Pour in heavy cream and bring to a boil. The sauce should thicken a little bit. Make sure to whisk constantly to avoid burning.
Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and season with black pepper and salt to your liking. The reason you turn off the heat before adding the lemon juice is to make sure the acid in it doesn’t break the heavy cream.
Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad
Pan Seared Steak Breakdown Steak can be an intimidating thing to cook for some. It can also cause family feuds when that one person loves their steak well done! There are many different ways to prepare steaks, but this recipe will cover my favorite method, …
I am so excited to share this recipe with you! I got the base of this recipe for Karaage or Japanese Fried Chicken from one of my all time favorite sushi restaurants in Denver, CO. One of my favorite pastimes is sitting at the sushi …
A Dutch baby, also known as a German pancake is a giant American popover. Dutch babies are baked in the oven unlike your typical pancakes. It also contains no leavening ingredients like baking powder. This means that it will deflate as soon as it’s removed from the oven. The texture is a crossover between a thin pancake and a crepe. They can be served savory or sweet and with any toppings/sauces that you prefer. This Chocolate Nutella Dutch Baby is so sweet and delicious I sometimes serve it as a dessert!
The idea for a Dutch baby most likely originated from the German Pfannkuchen. Dutch babies were introduced in the first half of the 1900s at Manca’s Cafe in Seattle. While these pancakes are derived from the German pancake dish, it is said that the name Dutch baby was coined by one of Victor Manca’s daughters, where “Dutch” perhaps was her corruption of the German word deutsch. This dish was Originally served as three small German pancakes with powdered sugar and fresh squeezed lemon juice. This is where the “baby” part of the name was born. Eventually a full size serving, labeled the “Big Dutch Baby” gained popularity. This is the Dutch Baby we know today. The funniest thing about this is if you don’t know what a Dutch Baby is, the name won’t give anything away!
While my personal palette mostly prefers savory I wanted to create a “sweet” version of a Dutch baby that I hadn’t really seen before. The classic Dutch baby is usually served sweet with butter, lemon and syrup. I decided to change it with two of the best ingredients in the world, chocolate and its evolved form, the chocolate hazelnut spread Nutella.
I was inspired by the classic crepe combo of strawberry and Nutella. But I also wanted to see if I could make a “chocolate” pancake as well. It turned out rich, decadent and delicious. The only downside is because of the fat in the Nutella and the dryness of the cocoa powder this Dutch baby doesn’t rise as much as its savory counterpart. So it loses a little of its wow factor but no one in my house seems to mind too much. However, if you want to try my favorite savory version of the recipe it’s the:
Bacon Egg and Cheese Dutch Baby
While I am from a German family and even grew up around a town of German immigrants, I didn’t have my first Dutch Baby till college. I went to a restaurant that was famous for them and laughed at the name for a bit. However, once I actually ate one I was an instant fan.
I started making them at home and was so surprised how easy it was to do. They use very few ingredients and it’s as simple as mixing them all together and pouring them in a hot, buttered cast iron pan. Put the pan in the oven and leave it to do its own thing. The result looks so decadent but with very little effort.
Preheat the oven to 420 degrees F. Sift together the flour and cocoa powder.
In a blender, add the flour, cocoa powder, both sugars, salt, eggs, milk, Nutella and vanilla together. Blend for about 30 seconds on high, till the batter is completely smooth.
Once the oven is preheated, add the butter to the cast iron skillet and heat in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes. Swirl the butter to make sure it evenly distributed.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes, until the pancake is set. Do not open the oven during this time. Because of the chocolate and Nutella, this pancake won’t rise as much as a regular Dutch baby.
Place your Nutella in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 15-20 seconds, to make it easier to work with. Drizzle over your pancake and serve with the sliced strawberries and powdered sugar, if desired.
What is a Dutch Baby? A Dutch baby, also known as a German pancake is a giant American popover. Dutch babies are baked in the oven, unlike your typical pancakes. It also contains no leavening ingredients like baking powder. This means that it will deflate …
About this recipe: You can ask anyone who knows me and then will all agree; I will take any excuse to eat potatoes. Mashed, fried, roasted, baked, there are so many ways you can eat this delicious spud. So needless to say I’ve made MANY …
This braised chicken takes a little bit of time to cook but the outcome is so worth it. You will impress your whole family with this elegant comfort food. This braised chicken and bacon cream sauce is inspired by french techniques and ingredients but it’s not a difficult recipe. It is also made in only one pan!
I use chicken legs in this braised chicken recipe. I personally love how easy it is to eat them, but you can use thighs as well. It does have to be bone in however and bone in is always better anyway!
Braising is a two part cooking technique that starts off with a sear/crust and ends with the meat being slow cooked in a liquid (usually a stock with wine). The difference between braising and boiling is two key things. The heat on braising is always a slow simmer and is often done in the oven. Second, the meat is not fully submerged but the liquid usually covers about half the meat. The result is a super tender meat and a flavorful crust!
Braising is one of my all time ways to cook chicken. The “sauce” that is created is rich and flavorful. I decided to take it one step further by turning it into a cream sauce. Think of the best gravy you’ve ever had and then double the flavor and you have the bacon cream sauce in this recipe!
This sauce is best served with potatoes or another heavy starch. My favorite recipes to pair with this are:
Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350.F (175.C)
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. In a straight-sided 10 or 11-inch ovenproof sauté pan with a lid, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken in the pan (you may have to do this in batches for even browning),and cook until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook until the other sides are deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes more.
Transfer the chicken to a plate. Next add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook until browned, season with a little salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and discard any remaining oil.
Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crispy, then add in the shallot and carrot and cook for about 5 minutes more.
Add the wine and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Boil until the wine has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and return to a boil.
Return the chicken pieces to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, and cover. Transfer to the oven and braise until the chicken is fork-tender and the drumstick meat starts to come away from the bone, 45 to 50 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a serving dish and keep warm by covering the dish loosely with foil. Strain the onions, bacon, carrots, and mushrooms into a bowl using a fine mesh strainer and discard the thyme sprigs. Return the liquid to the sauté pan and skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.
Bring the sauce to a boil over medium high heat, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, skimming off any skin that forms on top for about 5 minutes. Add in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard and fresh thyme leaves and bring back to a simmer. Once thickened, season to taste with pepper (the sauce should be nicely salted at this point). Add the veggies and bacon back into the sauce.
Pour the cream sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley, and serve. Serve over mashed potatoes, or any side of your choice.
About this recipe: Gnocchi are small dumplings made from potato, semolina, or flour, usually served with a sauce, but my personal favorite are the pan fried crispy gnocchi with herbs, oil and parmesan. But, most importantly, you should try gnocchi because it is delicious and …