Boston Cod With An Exotic Twist

Chef Jody Adams had quite a range of culinary options to explore when she took on our Chef on a Shoestring challenge: a three-course meal for four on a budget of $40.

Adams won a place at the top of the competitive Boston restaurant scene by perfecting carefully-researched regional menus that combine New England ingredients with Italian culinary traditions. At her restaurant Rialto, Jody's offerings broadened to include French and Spanish cuisine as well. "The Boston Globe" awarded Rialto four stars, its highest rating, proclaiming that "eating Jody Adams' food at the stunning new Rialto is like stepping into a winter greenhouse just at the moment a spectacular hothouse orchid bursts into bloom, filling the senses."

FOOD FACTS
Dukkah (DOO-kah): An Egyptian spice blend of toasted nuts and seeds ground together into a coarse powder. Traditionally, this is sprinkled on meats and vegetables or mixed with olive oil and used as a dip. Chef Adams mixes her blend of almonds, coriander and cumin seeds with bread crumbs.

Cod: This favorite New England fish is mild-flavored, white, lean and firm. It's available year-round and is reasonably priced. Although Chef Adams is using cod in her recipe, you could use any mild-flavored white fish such as halibut or haddock.

Plum Tomatoes: These oblong tomatoes have fewer seeds than regular tomatoes and more "meat" or solids, making them perfect for sauces and for canning. Off season, they tend to taste better than regular round tomatoes.

RECIPES

ZUCCHINI RIBBONS WITH PEAS & PROSCIUTTO

Ingredients:
1 medium zucchini, about 8 ounces, scrubbed and sliced lengthwise into 1/16-inch thick slices. (A mandoline is very effective for slicing.)
2 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 cups lightly packed arugula, washed and dried
½ cup blanched peas
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto cut into ribbons
2 ounces parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Method:
1.Toss the vegetables together in a large bowl. Drizzle 1 tablespoon vinegar over the salad, add the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss well.
2. Distribute between 4 salad plates. Top with prosciutto and parmesan cheese. Drizzle with the remaining vinegar. Serve.

ROAST COD ON CHARRED TOMATOES WITH DUKKAH CRUMBS

Ingredients:
16 ripe plum tomatoes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 lime skin, finely grated and juice squeezed
4 5-ounce skinless cod fillets
½ cup dry bread crumbs
¾ teaspoon toasted and chopped cumin seeds
½ tablespoons toasted and chopped coriander seeds
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons toasted chopped almonds
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, mint, cilantro, basil, or a combination of these herbs.

Method:
1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Wash the tomatoes and cut in half through the stem. Toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange the tomatoes on a baking pan, skin side up, and cook under the broiler for 10-15 minutes or until the skin is charred and black and the meat of the tomatoes is tender. Cool. Remove the skins and discard. Cut the tomato halves into quarters.

3. Turn the oven to 375ºF.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender.

5. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute or until aromatic.

6. Add the sugar and tomatoes and reduce the heat to low; simmer 10 minutes. Add the hot red pepper flakes, the zest and lime juice. Cook an additional minute or so. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Cool.

7. Put the tomato sauce in a gratin dish. Season the fish with salt and pepper and set in the tomato sauce.

8. Toss the remaining ingredients-except the herbs--together in a bowl with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the fish.

9. Bake 30 minutes, or until the fish is done and the crumbs are toasty and brown.

10. Garnish with herbs.

STRAWBERRY-ALMOND CREAM TART
Makes 1 11-inch tart

Do ahead: Make the dough and pre-bake the crust a couple of hours before assembling the tart. (Recipe follows.)

Ingredients:
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1 11-inch prebaked tart shell in a tin with removable sides
1 pint small strawberries, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
2-3 tablespoons melted currant jelly

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs and sugar until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well. Fold in the almonds.

3. Pour the custard into the tart shell. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the custard is just set. It should still wiggle slightly in the middle.

4. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. When cool, remove the sides of the pan.

5. Arrange the strawberries in concentric circles on the custard. Brush with melted jelly.

BASIC PASTRY DOUGH
Makes about 12 ounces of dough, enough for 1 large piecrust, 10 to 11 inches in diameter, or 1 11-inch tart shell.

Ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose unbleached flour, chilled
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized piece and chilled
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Method:
1. Pour the flour into a mound on a countertop. Add the salt (and sugar, if you're making sweet pastry) and toss well. Work the butter into the flour with the tips of your fingers until the butter is in small pea-size pieces. Add the water, 2 tablespoons at a time, tossing with your fingers to incorporate the water into the dough. The dough should be crumbly. You may not need all the water.

2. Form the dough into a mound and then, using the heel of your hand, push the dough away from you, flattening out the lumps. Continue until all the dough is flat. Form the dough into a mound and repeat the process one more time. Do not work the butter completely into the mixture. The streaks of butter will make the crust flaky.

3. Shape the dough into a cake, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour to allow the dough to rest.

4. Roll out according to recipe.

Pre-Baking Pie Crusts and Tart Shells
Prebaking a piecrust or tart shell without the filling is called "baking blind." By baking the crust ahead of time you avoid the problem of a juicy filling soaking into the raw pastry dough and preventing it from cooking thoroughly.

BASIC PASTRY DOUGH

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°.

2. Place the dough on a floured pastry board, countertop or plastic pastry sheet and roll it out to the desired size and shape. Be sure to roll the dough to an even thickness, or the thin parts will burn.

3. Carefully fold the dough in quarters, transfer to the pie plate or tart pan and unfold. Ease the dough into the corners of the pan; if you stretch it to reach into the pan's corners it will tear. Pull the dough up over the edge of the pie plate or tin so it hangs over by about 1 inch. Then roll it to rest just over the edge and crimp the edge decoratively. The dough will shrink a bit as it bakes so this slight overhang will help it from falling to the bottom. At this point, put the crust into the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 15 minutes. Chilling will help to keep the dough from shrinking.

4. Cover the dough with baker's parchment or foil and then fill the plate with weights so the covering presses down on the raw dough. You can use uncooked beans, rice, ball bearings, loose change or marble-shaped ceramic pie weights designed specifically for this purpose. The point is to fill the pan with something that will hold the dough down when it starts to bake.

5. Bake for 15 minutes in the center of the oven. After 15 minutes, carefully remove the foil and weights. If the edges of the crust have already started to brown, cover them with foil. Continue baking until the crust is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Let the crust cool on a wire rack. As soon as it has cooled you can use it in a pie or tart recipe.