FISH CASSEROLE WITH CHARD AND SWEET POTATO

While the kids ate their usual fare, I played around with this New York Times recipe for Halibut, Chard, and Potatoes Casserole. I had all of the key ingredients except my potatoes were sweet –not a good combination with tomato sauce. My mission became: How to replace the tomato sauce with another liquid that would keep the fish from drying out? With the help of Everyone Into the Kitchen, I added white wine and a touch of chicken broth. I also realized that the other antidote to dried-out fish is covering the fillet completely with chard and leeks (or whatever else you may use). The result was a delicate, moist fish cooked with very flavorful veggies. (And I got to read the newspaper while it cooked!)

Ingredients:

1 lb thick white fish (I used black bass because it was available at the Farmer’s Market. You could also use Halibut or Hake)

2 large sweet potatoes, sliced into very thin medallions

2 leeks, diced

1 large bunch of Swiss Chard (I had to subsidize chard with some spinach)

1 to 2 Tbsp of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup white wine

¼ cup chicken stock (or fish stock, if you have it)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil salt, and pepper. Layer on bottom of heavy lidded Dutch Oven. (I tried to lay mine really flat.)

3. Heat up 2 tsp of olive oil in skillet, cook leeks and remove half from pan. (Put them in a bowl, I suppose)

4. Add Swiss Chard and cook until wilted. I often end up adding a little more liquid –in this case chicken stock—and cover the pan. Add a dash of salt and toss.

5. Remove Chard from pan, and let cool. Then chop coarsely.

6. Spread half of Chard mixture over sweet potatoes.

7. Wash, dry, and season fish with salt and pepper. Place fish on bed of Chard. Spread the rest of Chard mixture over fish.

8. Sprinkle remaining leeks on top of the whole thing. Pour in white wine and chicken stock.

9. Cover tightly and bake for one hour.

NOTES:

· Also toyed with sprinkling pine nuts on the top and then baking uncovered for last fifteen minutes. Give it a try and let me know how that played out.

· Served the kids hamburger and hot dogs with the remainder of potatoes and some leftover cauliflower (They wouldn’t touch Chard cooked with fish). I know, I know…you are not supposed to cook two meals. I often do. However, I made it easier by simply roasting potatoes and veggies together. Writing this as they roast.