FISH AND RICE IN ROMERTOPF

This just couldn’t be any easier.  This is a basic recipe that you zhuhz up with chopped tomatoes, herbs, mushrooms, you name it.  I was in the mood for something simple.  What wowed me was that the rice was fluffy and the fish was cooked through yet moist.  The locally sourced drum I picked up at Dorignac’s was a delicacy.  And I used this Texmati rice and it was nutty and perfectly cooked.  This was exactly what I was in the mood for.  Maybe next time I’ll get fancy and make a lemon beurre blanc but on a Thursday night when I was tired, this felt healthy and satisfying.

I LIKED HIS DISH SO MUCH I MADE IT AGAIN.  THIS TIME I SAUTEED CHOPPED ONIONS, GARLIC AND YELLOW BELL PEPPERS THAT I ADDED TO MY RICE.  GOLDEN RAISINS WERE ADDED LAST. THE COOK TIME FOR THE RICE WAS ONE HOUR.  THEN I TOOK THE CLAY POT FROM THE OVEN AND LAID THE FISH FILETS ON THE RICE.  I MADE A SORT OF COMPOUND BUTTER WITH ONION POWDER, A PINCH OF SUMAC, A PINCH OF CINNAMON, A PINCH OF TURMERIC, THE ZEST OF TWO LEMONS AND SOME WHITE PEPPER AND SALT.  THE BUTTER WAS SHMEARED ON THE FISH.  SLICED ALMONDS WERE SPRINKLED ALL OVER EVERYTHING AND THEN THE CLAY POT WENT BACK INTO THE OVEN FOR THIRTY MORE MINUTES.  WHEN IT CAME OUT, I DUSTED THE TOP WITH CHOPPED CILANTRO AND LEMON WEDGES.  THIS WAS SOOOOO GOOD.  THE RICE CAME OUT FLUFFY BUT KIND OF CRUNCHY AROUND THE EDGES (SMELLED LIKE POPCORN, DELICIOUS!)  AND THE FISH WAS PERFECTLY COOKED.  THE STEAMED SUGAR SNAP PEAS ON THE SIDE WERE PERFECT.  THIS WAS SO DELICIOUS AND SATISFYING BUT NOT OVERWHELMING OR HEAVY.  THE ROMERTOPF IS MY NEW FAVORITE WAY TO “FIX” AN EASY BUT SPECIAL DINNER.