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One pot meals are so good to make for there simplicity. My One Pot Braised Cod & Orzo has tons of flavor all developed in one pot.
Jump to RecipeI do not often braise fish but have started to use this method more and more. It is such a forgiving method to cook fish. It is all but impossible to dry out the fish. I also like it for the texture you can obtain. When it is good just right, the fish cuts like butter. The fish is so tender. Contrasted to grilling or sauteing seafood though, you definitely need to work on developing flavors in the preparation.
There are a number of interesting things going on with this recipe. First, part of the process is that the orzo goes in dry and is cooked in the braising liquid. In addition to the spices used for flavor, olives are added to create some brininess. Lastly, the dish is finished off with feta cheese. I don’t normally think cheese and fish go together but they sure do in this dish.
Combining all these ingredients and cooking methodology really imparts lots of flavor into this recipe. Sometimes I think one pot meals can lack flavor but not at all in this one. One bit of advice I would share in making this one pot dish is to have the right size vessel for the cooking. You need a pot that has a bowl like shape so that you can do a shallow braise. I recently bought the pot you see in the picture from Staub and I absolutely love it.
The cast of characters.
Developing the recipe.
The One Pot Braised Cod & Orzo plated.
One Pot Braised Cod & Orzo
Creating recipes that you can do in one pot makes for quick dishes, easy clean up and lots of flavor like this One Pot Braised Cod & Orzo
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Cups Orzo
- 1/2 Whole Red onion diced
- 8 Ounces Feta crumbled
- 2 Lbs Cod cut in 6+ inch filets
- 1 Tbsp Turkish oregano
- 1 Tbsp Lemon herb
- 2 Tsp Sea salt
- 2 Tsp Fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 28 Ounces Crushed tomatoes
- 8 Ounces Black olives
- 1 Cup Water
Instructions
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Begin by seasoning the cod and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil on medium high heat. Once shimmering, add the onions and cook for 3 – 4 minutes. Next, add the orzo and toast for 1 – 2 minutes (this the same thing you do for risotto). Add the crushed followed by the water and olives. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring from time to time for about 8–10 minutes.. The sauce will thicken as the orzo releases its starch.
Take the seasoned cod and place it throughout the skillet so it looks bathed in the tomato sauce. Spread the feta throughout the pot, and simmer for 6 – 8 minutes. Move to your broiler, on low broil, for 3 or 4 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Grace Parisi of Sitka Salmon – httpss://sitkasalmonshares.com/blogs/recipes/one-pan-greek-cod-with-orzo-feta-and-olives
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