French Cooking: Cabillaud à la provençale

Cod is called le roi de la mer (king of the sea) in France, and is the country’s top-selling fish. It has been enjoyed since the Middle Ages in Europe. Preservation techniques, including salting, smoking and drying, were used and this allowed it to be easily transported and stored.  Fishing boats leave a number of west coast French seaports, including Dunkerque and La Rochelle, toward the North Atlantic waters in search of cabillaud. It is a fish that migrates in schools in very cold salty waters. Unfortunately today, French boats no longer have access to the traditional waters of Canada and St. Pierre and Miquelon. But besides the North Atlantic, cod can be found in the Golfe de Gascogne, the White Sea the Baltic Sea as well as the North Pacific Ocean.  Cod is a lean, tender and sweet fish. It is an excellent source of vitamins, proteins and minerals. As with any seafood, it is best to purchase cod from a reputable fish store. My poissonnière, Le Capitaine, has them nicely displayed—the whole cod buried in ice and the steaks and fillets on top of the ice. It should never smell “fishy” and the eyes should appear bright and clear. After buying, refrigerate immediately. I suggest using the fish within a day or two after purchasing.  In French, fresh cod is called cabillaud, and dried cod is morue. I am featuring in this week’s “French Cooking without a Fuss” a recipe for fresh cod with provençale style vegetables.  Cabillaud à la provençaleProvençale style CodFor 4 personsCooking time: 30 minutes   5 tbsp. Olive oil 2 onions, peeled and sliced 3 zucchini, washed and cut lengthwise in 3” strips 1 red pepper, washed and seeded, cut into wide strips 1 green pepper, washed and seeded, cut into wide strips 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp. herbes de Provence or Italian herbs 12 black olives salt and pepper, to taste 4 x 6 oz. cod steaks 2 tbsp. flour  In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp. of the olive oil and add the onions. Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the zucchini, peppers, garlic, herbes de provence, olives, salt and pepper. Lower heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Dust the cod steaks with flour. In another skillet over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil. Add the cod steaks and cook for approximately 3 minutes on each side. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Serve immediately with the vegetable medley.  Et voilà!—April Paute moved to France over 10 years ago with her husband Jean Michel and 2 Siamese cats. Armed with only a dictionary and hand signals, she took on the challenge of requesting the local boucher decapitate a chicken for her. After living in Paris and Antibes, April & co. have settled in Toulouse, where she draws inspiration from her herb garden.  Suggestions, comments or questions please contact: [email protected]