I returned this week from a cruise vacation, feeling rather…large. Too many calories, too much salt. I may have over-indulged my love of creme brulée. Let’s just call it “aversion therapy,” shall we? I know, you feel so sorry for me, don’t you? We did have a lovely time. Warm weather, the sound and smell of the ocean, superb service, and the best variety & quality of live music we’ve ever had on a cruise ship (Celebrity Equinox, if you’re interested). The food was, as is usual for Celebrity, quite good. The sole exception to this was a vegetarian entrée (I was trying to be a little healthy that night) that they called “Moroccan Toasted Couscous.” It was, to be kind, a bit bland. Everything else was excellent. I had intended to keep track of things so I could make them when I got home, but the table conversation was quite lively & I forgot. I do recall some delicious cold soups (strawberry, pear, & watermelon gazpacho), prime rib cooked just right, a really tasty pasta with shrimp, and lobster. I love lobster! One night there was a really sinful chocolate lava cake, and another night a delicious Sachertorte. And did I mention the creme brulée?

I didn’t freeze quite as many meals beforehand as I usually do, so I needed something for dinner last night. Fish made sense, since I’d overdosed on red meat last week. I did feel a little cheated out of Moroccan seasoning that one night, and remembered this old favorite recipe. It’s quick, easy, healthy, and tasty. Haddock was on sale for $5.99 a pound, so it’s inexpensive, too! And, since fresh haddock is a mild fish, it doesn’t stink up my kitchen like some fish does (I desperately need a better vent hood.) The seasoning is mild enough that you still know you’re eating fish, but interesting enough that you’re not eating just fish. It all blends together beautifully.

The first time I made this, so long ago that I have no idea where I found the recipe or how much I’ve tweaked it, I went with their recommendation of one filet per person. Either the author has a minuscule stomach, or their haddock were huge, because with the filets I bought today that would mean an entrée with fewer than 200 calories! So when you cook this, it might look like a lot of food. But remember that haddock filets are thin, so two is a very reasonable serving size. 

I like to use fresh bread crumbs for this. A slice of bread, a few quick pulses in the food processor, and you have your crumbs. I happened to have the end of a loaf of Easy Sprouted Wheat Bread (check back this Tuesday for the recipe), so I used a slice of that. You could probably substitute grocery store bread crumbs, though I’ve never tried it. If you do, leave me a comment on how it worked out! And if anyone from Morocco happens to read this, I’m open to suggestions for improvement!

Do play with the amount of cayenne, depending on your own heat preferences. Using ⅛ tsp is enough to make your mouth hum, but I wouldn’t call it hot or spicy. If you prefer things mild, cut the amount of cayenne in half. 

You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients:

4 haddock filets (about a pound total)

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

¼ tsp salt

¼ freshly ground black pepper

1 slice whole wheat bread

½ small yellow onion, minced (about 2½ oz, or about ⅓ cup)

⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp lemon zest

¼ tsp cardamom

¼ tsp cumin

a pinch to ⅛ tsp ground cayenne

Preparation:

1.) Preheat your oven to 425°F. Place the fillets on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2.) Roughly tear the bread slice in 4 or more pieces. Pulse until crumbs are fairly uniform. Mince the onion and chop the cilantro. Grate 1 tsp zest from the lemon, then cut into wedges.

3.) Combine the bread crumbs, onion, cilantro, lemon zest, cumin, cardamom, and red pepper in a small bowl. Stir in remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil.

4). Divide the mixture over the top of the fish fillets. Bake until fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork, about 12 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.