Steamed Cod with Sweet Potato Mash

This is a delicious meal, packed full of nutrients and is ready to serve in 25 minutes! Sweet potatoes are some of the most nutritious vegetables around. Its flesh can be yellow or orange, and its thin skin may either be white, yellow, orange, red or purple. They are an excellent source of vitamin A (beta-carotene) and a very good source of vitamin C. Both beta-carotene and vitamin C are very powerful antioxidants that work in the body to eliminate free radicals. Free radicals are chemicals that damage cells and cell membranes and are associated with the development of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, and colon cancer.

Serves 2
recipe adapted from Woman & Home
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1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 plum tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 basil leaves, finely chopped
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon half-fat crème fraiche
grating of nutmeg
2 x 175f (6oz.) cod fillets, skin on

Combine shallot, garlic, tomatoes and lemon zest in a small bowl. Stir in the olive oil, basil and season. Place sweet potatoes in a steamer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until soft. Mash the potatoes, stir in the crème fraiche and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Keep warm while you cook the cod.

Season the cod, place in the steamer and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until the fillets turn opaque. To plate up, place a spoonful of mash in the center of 2 plates, top with the fish and drizzle over the tomato salsa.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: If you can’t find cod with the skin on, place parchment paper under each fillet otherwise the cod will fall apart (like mine did!). If cod isn’t a fish you enjoy to eat, try substituting it for a firm white fish. Sweet potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark and well-ventilated place, where they will keep fresh for up to ten days. Avoid those that are displayed in the refrigerated section of the produce department since cold temperature negatively alters their taste.

By the Glass Tasting Note: There’s no surprise pairing here. The creamy texture, natural sweetness and spice component of the sweet potato are begging for the sweet, toasty, spicy notes of a oak influenced Chardonnay from the New World. In this case where the fish has been steamed there is a danger of overpowering the dish with over lumbered wine. Thankfully, winemakers in all corners of the world are trying to strike that balance between oaky complexity, textural richness and vibrant fruit flavours and acidity. A good route to go is ask at your local wine shop for a Chardonnay that has been barrel fermented rather than barrel aged. You are likely to return with a bottle with the subtle oak tones we are looking for here.