Yellow and Red Cod with Pomegranate-Mango Salad

This is one of my signature cod dishes – a colorful celebration of the many possibilities of the wonderful codfish. I serve it with an exotic mango and pomegranate salad.

INGREDIENTS:

Number of servings

Serves 4

List of ingredients

Four ½-pound cod steaks with skin on

1 tablespoon salt

2 stalks lemongrass, quartered lengthwise or parsley stalks

1 teaspoon turmeric

A pinch of saffron threads or saffron powder

1 pomegranate

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch chunks

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARATION:

• Preheat the oven to 400 °F / 175 C.

• Soak the fish in ice water for 15 to 20 minutes, or place it in a colander in the sink under cold running water for 15 to 20 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub with the salt.

• Crisscross the lemongrass stalks on a baking pan, making a rack for the fish, or use the parsley stalks to do the same. Place the fish on top of the lemongrass. Rub the right side of each steak with the turmeric and the left side with the saffron, so one half is bright yellow, the other orange-red. Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the flesh flakes easily.

• Meanwhile, cut each pomegranate in half and remove the juicy seeds. In a large bowl, combine the pomegranate seeds, mangoes, shallots, and cilantro.

• Place one slice of cod on top of the pomegranate and mango salad.