(AP) - The beauty of haddock fillets is that they require so little effort to taste so good.
While haddock certainly is wonderful after an elaborate battering and deep frying, it is equally good drizzled with oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, baked until flaky and finished with a squeeze of lemon.
Liven up you summer seafood grilling with Grilled Haddock with Green Olive Salsa, shown in this photo. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)
For something in between, try baking fillets at 220 C (425 F) after a quick dredge through a mix of equal parts mayonnaise and mustard and a dusting of breadcrumbs. The mayonnaise can be soy or low-fat without compromising the results.
If you'd prefer to work on top of the stove, do a quick saute of onions and dried cranberries in olive oil in a large skillet. Once the onions just begin to soften, place the haddock fillets on top, cover the pan and cook over medium heat until done.
Food writer Aliza Green, author of the comprehensive "Field Guide to Seafood," says haddock's tender flesh and mild flavour pair well with bacon, butter, thyme and white wine.
So why not combine them all? In a large skillet, cook several slices of bacon. After several minutes, place haddock fillets over the bacon, cover the skillet and cook until the fish flakes and the bacon is crisp.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine 30 ml (2 tbsp) of butter, a healthy splash of white wine and 15 ml (1 tbsp) of fresh thyme leaves. Simmer until reduced. To serve, crumble bacon over the haddock and drizzle with the sauce.
Or try this simple grilled haddock recipe, which tops fillets with an almost effortless cooked salsa. The recipe calls for garlic-stuffed green olives, but any variety would work.
Grilled Haddock With Green Olive Salsa
60 ml (4 tbsp) olive oil, divided
726 g (1 1/2 lb) haddock fillets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small red onion, diced
12 large garlic-stuffed green olives, diced
12 cherry tomatoes
If you have a fish grilling basket, lightly coat it with cooking spray. Otherwise, place a large sheet of foil on the grill grate and coat it lightly with cooking spray. Preheat grill to high.
Use 30 ml (2 tbsp) of the oil to drizzle over both sides of the haddock fillets, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place fillets in the grilling basket or on the foil, close grill cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the fish is opaque through the centre and easily flakes when touched with a fork. There is no need to flip fillets.
While fish cooks, in a small saucepan, combine remaining olive oil, onion, olives and tomatoes. Saute for 7 to 8 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to break down and the onions are just tender.
To serve, spoon some of the olive salsa over each portion of haddock.
Makes 4 servings.
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