Asian garlic-ginger cod
Serves 4. Preparation time: about 50 mins. Estimated cost: $10
1 lb. Cod fish fillets (may substitute another white fish, like Tilapia or Red Snapper)
1 cup milk
6 large cloves fresh garlic, peeled and crushed
3 oz. fresh ginger (one very fat thumb of ginger root), peeled and finely minced into a paste
4 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce (I like the low sodium kind)
1 Tbsp dark toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard (your choice...I like the hot kind)
Soak cod fillets in milk for 30 mins or more (this removes the strong fishy smell), while preheating an oven to 375 F. Process the ginger and garlic, and mix in all other sauces and seasonings to make a thick and juicy paste (smell it, it's so good). Rinse off cod fillets and pat with a paper towel to remove moisture. Lay fillets close together on a cookie sheet or baking dish, and thickly coat with sauce mixture. Bake for 15 mins or so, then broil on 'high' to get a nice caramel crust on the surface.
A note from the chef: It's best to guard against overcooking the fish, as it might turn out dry and chewy. If your fish is reasonably fresh, you won't have to worry about it being a little rare. You could pull it out and test both the thick and thin ends of the fillets during cooking to see if they're cooked enough for your taste.