Spanish Fish in a Sack

Ingredients

• Parchment paper
• 1 pound ready-trimmed green beans, available in produce department, halved on an angle across
• 8 anchovy fillets, optional
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 16 strips thinly sliced pimientos or roasted red pepper
• 1/2 cup pitted chopped good quality black olives, such as kalamata
• 2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 4 portions (get thick pieces from the center cuts rather than tail-end pieces) or, 4 red snapper fillets, 8 ounces each
• Salt and pepper
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, a generous handful, chopped
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for generous drizzling
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• Potatoes with Chorizo and Onions, recipe follows
• Crusty bread, to pass at table

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Rip off 4 sheets of parchment paper, each a little over a foot long.

Place 1/4 of the green beans in the center of each sheet then top with 2 anchovy fillets -- optional, 1/4 of the garlic, 1/4 of the pimiento or roasted pepper strips, chopped olives and cod or snapper portions. Season the fish with salt and pepper and top with equal amounts of the scallions and parsley. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil liberally and equally along with lemon zest and juice evenly over the fish portions. Fold the top and bottom edges together and crease several times then crease up the ends of the packets, making a sack for each fish to cook in. Arrange the sacks on the baking sheet and place in the center of the hot oven.

Bake packets 20 minutes. Serve a packet per dinner plate and cut open at table. Pass salad or Potatoes with Chorizo and Onions or even simply some good, chewy bread to round out the meal.

Potatoes with Chorizo and Onions:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan

3/4 pound, 1 package, chorizo, very thinly sliced on an angle, pull away any loose casings

6 small Yukon gold potatoes, very thinly sliced

1 medium onion, very thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, a generous 1 or 2 handfuls

Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, and the chorizo. Cook sausage 2 minutes, flip cook another minute then add potatoes and onions to the pan in an even layer over the sausage. Season the potatoes and onions with salt, pepper and paprika then turn sections of the potatoes using a spatula so that the chorizo is on top and potatoes and onions are on the bottom. Place a smaller skillet on top and press down. Weight the skillet with a few heavy cans. Cook 10 to 12 minutes. Remove weight and turn again to combine all ingredients. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes then add parsley, remove from heat and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes

Cook Time: 17 to 18 minutes

Ease of preparation: easy