Fish with Sautéed Vegetables and Rice: Monday Meal

This Monday Meal should actually be called “Monday and Tuesday Meal” since it is actually two recipes in one. You basically double the amount of food you make for the first meal and fancy-it-up a bit for a meal the next day. I’m a huge fan of putting in more effort on one day in the kitchen so I can basically not do so much the next day. So, to me, this Monday Meal is nothing short of brilliant.

•  Spicy Fish with Sautéed Vegetables and Rice (Recipe 1)
• Adapted from Sandra Lee

• -1½ pounds fish fillets (flounder, trout, tilapia or cod*)
• -3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• -4 stalks of celery, chopped
• -1 large yellow onion, chopped
• -1 handful of parsley, finely chopped
• -Juice of 1-2 lemons
• -2 cups of uncooked rice (I like to use brown rice or basmati rice)
• -2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• -Salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste
• -A “spicy” seasoning such as Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, paprika or chili powder to taste
• -Your own homemade spice blend of: 1 part salt, 1-1½ parts pepper, 2 parts garlic powder and 1-2 parts spicy seasoning. Taste and adjust levels as needed.

*The cooking method for the fish will change depending on the type of fish you use. If you are using cod, heat the oven to 400° before beginning the recipe.  There is no need to pre-heat the oven if you are cooking any of the other fish.

• Part 1: Cook the rice:
• Start the rice. Cook it according to the directions on the package and set aside.

• Part 2: Prepare the Vegetables:
• Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic clove for a minute then add the onion and a pinch of salt and stir. Sauté the onions and garlic for around 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery and a few pinches of your homemade spice mixture. Stir and sauté for around 4-5 minutes until the carrots begin to soften. Add in the chopped parsley and lime juice and stir. Let cook for around 1 more minute and taste. Adjust seasoning as needed. Turn off the heat and let the mixture sit while you cook the fish.

• Part 3, Option 1: Grilling the fish (for flounder, trout or tilapia fillets):
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle one side of each fish fillet with your spice mixture. Spray the grill pan lightly with cooking spray and put the fish, spiced side down onto the grill and cook for around 3-4 minutes. Don’t overcrowd the grill. I typically cook the fish in two batches, depending on how many fillets I’m using. While the fish cooks, sprinkle the spice mixture over the top of the fillets. Flip the fillets after 3-4 minutes and cook again for around 3-4 minutes. Transfer the cooked fillets to a plate and repeat if needed with the rest of your fillets.

• Part 3, Option 2: Baking the fish (For use with cod fillets):
• Pour ½ tablespoon olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish. On both sides of the fish put: olive oil, the juice of 1 lime, and the spice mixture to taste. Bake for 12-17 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.

• Part 4: Mix the vegetables and rice:
• Transfer the cooked rice into the saucepan where you cooked the vegetables. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper as well as some of the spice mixture. Mix together, taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Spoon some rice and vegetables onto a plate and serve alongside a fish filet.

And for the next night:

• Dirty Rice with Fish (Recipe 2)
• Adapted from Sandra Lee

• -Left over cooked fish fillets (2 fillets or ¾ pounds)
• -Remaining rice and vegetable mixture from the previous day
• -¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
• -Juice of 1-2 limes
• -1 can of kidney beans or cannellini beans rinsed and drained
• -Salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil to taste
• -The homemade spice blend you used for the Spicy Fish with Sautéed Vegetables
• -Olive oil, to taste

• Part 1: Reheat the rice and vegetables:
• Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Pour the rice and vegetable mixture into the pan, add the beans and heat through for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Part 2: Reheat the fish:
• Place the leftover fillets on a large plate and heat in the microwave for around 25-30 seconds or until heated through. Break up the fillets into bite-sized pieces with a fork.

• Part 3: Put it all together and serve:
• Add the fish to the rice mixture and add the lime juice, a few pinches of the spice blend and parsley as well. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Plate and serve.

And the usual question: Did Eliana like it? Eliana loved it! She really likes fish so she is very happy every time I make it for dinner or lunch.

Happy Cooking!