Wasabi Fish Bake

My husband is a wasabi freak, so I had clipped this recipe out of a magazine because I figured he would love it. I was right!

I had some cod in the freezer that came from SLO Fresh Catch through SLO Veg, so I defrosted two half-pound packages in a bowl of cold water and got set for cooking. First I started 2 cups of brown rice in 5 cups of chicken broth in the rice steamer. I like using broth to flavor the rice, because then you don't need any other seasonings. Brown rice takes a good 45 minutes to cook thoroughly, and I made double of what I would need for this meal so we could have more rice throughout the week.

Next I mixed up a small amount of wasabi powder with a dash of water to make a green paste of wasabi, just enough for this recipe. That was mixed with mayo and lemon juice and put into the frig to blend flavors.

The green beans got the ends trimmed off and strings pulled out. I left them long, figuring they'd make a good green substitute for french fries. I brought them to a boil in a saucepan onthe stovetop, simmered for 5 minutes, then drained off the water. Later they could share the oven with the fish and crisp up a bit.

What we ended up with was a hot, flavorful dinner that was healthy and satisfying at the same time.

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Wasabi Fish Bake
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp wasabi paste

1 lb. Cod
Fresh ground pepper and coarse sea salt
Olive oil
1/2 lbs green beans, trimmed
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Mix sauce ingredients together and let flavors blend for 15 minutes or so. Season fish with coarse salt and pepper and place in an oiled baking dish. Spread wasabi mayo on top of fish and sprinkle with a coating of panko bread crumbs. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring green beans to a boil in a saucepan of salted water. Simmer for 5 minutes, drain. Lay green beans on a baking sheet and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and panko. Bake with fish for 10 minutes. Serve with brown rice.