Pan-fried Cod with Colcannon Sauce

This pan-fried cod with colcannon sauce is the perfect meal to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The creamy sauce is super rich, perfect with the tender cod.

I came across a version of this recipe on the (formerly BBC) Good Food website while searching for Irish recipes to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. They were serving the colcannon sauce with steamed back bacon cut in thick steaks, something I cannot get here in Houston.

But that sauce immediately struck me as something that would be delightful spooned over cooked cod which is a rather bland white fish and could use a little bump in flavor. It was a great decision! 

Pan-fried Cod with Colcannon Sauce

Ideally, use the darker green outer leaves of the cabbage for color and contrast. Sadly, mine were rather pale. This is going to make more sauce than you need for the four servings of cod. Leftovers can be warmed gently over a low heat. 

Ingredients

For the colcannon sauce:

1/4 cup or 56g butter

3-4 cabbages leaves (mine weighed 4 oz or 115g whole)

2-3 green onions, plus extra for garnish

1 potato (my russet weighed 8.5 oz or 240g after peeling)

1/3 cup or 80ml white wine

1 cup or 240ml heavy cream

Fine sea salt

Ground white pepper

For the cod:

1 lb or 450g cod loin 

Fine sea salt

Ground white pepper

1 tablespoon butter

Optional for garnish:

Crispy bacon bits

Method

Cut the hard spines out of your cabbage leaves then roll them up tightly. With a sharp knife, slice them as thinly as possible. Then cut the spirals a couple of times across to shorten the strands. 

Peel and dice your potato. Slice the green onions.

Season the cod with the sea salt and white pepper and cut it into four reasonably even pieces. Set aside.

Melt half the butter in a pan and add the cabbage, potato and green onions. 

Cook over a medium low heat for 10 mins, covered, stirring often.

Pour in the white wine and cook till the white wine has all but evaporated and the potatoes start breaking down. 

You can speed this process along with a potato masher or fork. 

Add the cream and cook for just a few minutes until it is warmed through and starts to thicken. 

Season to taste with salt and pepper then remove from the heat. 

Stir the rest of the butter into the sauce and keep it warm until ready to serve.

To cook the cod, heat the butter in the pan until it just about starts browning, then put the cod in. 

Cook on one side until browned, then turn gently and cook the other side. Depending on the thickness of your cod, this could take from just a couple of minutes to as many as seven minutes. 

As you can see, one of my pieces from the end of the loin was much thinner than the others. I took it out first then left the rest until just cooked through. If you have an instant read thermometer, you are looking for an internal temperature of 145°F or 63°C.

Plate up the cod with a generous helping of colcannon sauce on top then garnish with green onions and some crispy bacon bits, if desired.

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes for your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Many thanks to our host, Camilla of Culinary Cam. Check out the links below. 

• Colcannon, Ham Soup With Dumplings by Sneha's Recipe
• Easy Pretzel Ring with Beer Cheese Dip by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Irish Beef Guinness Stew by Culinary Cam
• Pan-fried Cod with Colcannon Sauce by Food Lust People Love
• St. Patrick’s Day Brownie Bites Amy's Cooking Adventures

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Dip

These fresh tuna meatballs are easy to make, delicious and healthy! Serve them with the creamy avocado dip for an extra special appetizer. 

While I love canned tuna fish, it is a completely different ingredient from fresh tuna steaks. Fresh tuna shouldn’t smell fishy at all. Like all fresh fish, it should have a nice clean smell and a nice clean taste. If you aren’t a fan of the canned stuff, consider giving fresh tuna a chance. 

If you are willing, look for bright pink flesh and choose the tuna steak with the least amount of white filaments running through it. Sushi grade tuna has none or almost none but who can find/afford that? 

We have a couple of ways we like eating fresh tuna. Most often, we like it sliced relatively thinly as sashimi. (Pop it in the freezer till it's almost firm and easier to slice.) A little wasabi and soy sauce for dipping purposes is all you need to make that fresh tuna a meal. But it’s also great packed with spices and seared on the outside, still a lovely pink on the inside. I serve it on a bed of greens. Delightful. 

The third way is in meatballs! 

Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Dip

These are really meaty so you can simmer them in a rich tomato sauce after baking to serve over pasta but they also make a great appetizer as below. This makes about 20 meatballs. 

Ingredients

For the fresh tuna meatballs:

1 1/4 lb or 560 fresh tuna fillets

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Zest 1 lemon

Olive oil for brushing on the meatballs before baking

For the creamy avocado sauce:

1 ripe avocado

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Water (to thin, if needed)

Method

Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. 

Cut the tuna into small chunks.

In a food processor, pulse about 2/3 of the tuna along with the egg, minced garlic, parsley, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon zest until the tuna is finely chopped but not pureed.

Add in the reserved tuna and pulse again briefly.

You want to have some nice pink bits still showing. 

Take about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and form it into a patty.

 Pan fry until just cooked through and taste it for salt and pepper. 

Add more and mix through thoroughly, if needed. 

With damp hands, form the mixture into small meatballs (about 1 inch in diameter) and place them on the prepared baking sheet. I use a small scoop to measure them out, then use my damp hands to roll them in to smoother balls. Brush with a little olive oil. 

Bake in your preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly golden on the outside. You can use the broiler to add a little extra color if you’d like but you don’t want to overcook them or the tuna meatballs can become dry. 

While the meatballs are baking, combine the avocado, garlic, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor. 

Blend until smooth. Add water a little at a time to reach your desired dipping consistency.

Serve the baked fresh tuna meatballs with the creamy avocado dip and some toothpicks to facilitate dipping. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are all sharing meatball recipes. Many thanks to our host, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm. Check out our WELL-ROUNDED (get it? I do crack myself up) list below.

• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Meatballs 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Coconut-Ginger Turkey Meatballs 
• Food Lust People Love: Fresh Tuna Meatballs with Creamy Avocado Dip 
• Sneha's Recipe: Keto Pan Fried Pork Meatballs 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Swedish Meatballs 
• Culinary Cam: Zuppa Maritata, a Misinterpreted Italian Wedding Soup 

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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 with Creamy Avocado Dip!

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Homemade Golden Mushroom Soup

So much better than the canned stuff from Campbell’s, this homemade golden mushroom soup is made with loads of mushrooms, beef stock, milk and a touch of tomato.

When I was growing up, my mom never failed to have a few cans of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup in the cupboard because it was so useful in a lot of recipes back then. The hey-day of casseroles. But we also just loved opening a can, diluting it with milk and sipping it nice and hot out of a big mug. 

It wasn’t until I was much, much older and doing my own shopping that I discovered their golden mushroom soup which, in my opinion is much richer in flavor since it’s made with beef stock. Whether I’d have liked it as a child, who can tell? 

The sherry I add in at the end is optional but I discovered what a huge improvement in flavor it gave when I first made Anthony Bourdain’s mushroom soup. It’s only 1 tablespoon in the whole pan but the sherry lifts the soup into gourmet territory. It’s that good. Try adding it and see if you agree! 

Homemade Golden Mushroom Soup

This soup is easily made gluten and dairy free by using a gluten free flour mix, non-dairy butter and almond milk. A good friend of mine uses those to make regular cream of mushroom soup for her grandbabies and they love it!

Ingredients

1.5 lb or 680g baby bella or swiss brown mushrooms

1/4 cup or 57g butter or dairy free butter

2 cloves garlic 

1 medium onion (approx. weight 5 3/4 oz or 163g)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

3/4 cup or 96g all-purpose flour or gluten free flour mix

4 cups or 960ml beef stock

2 cups or 480ml milk (I use 2%/semi-skimmed) or almond milk

Fine sea salt

1 tablespoon sherry, optional

Optional for garnish:

Reserved small mushrooms, from amount for soup (see note in Method below)

Drizzle olive oil

Chopped parsley

Method

Puree the garlic and onion in a small food processor. Set aside. 

This step is optional: Set aside and slice a few small mushrooms to pan fry and use as garnish.

Trim any hard stem ends off of the mushrooms and discard. Chop the rest of the mushrooms into small pieces. 

In large saucepan, sauté the chopped mushrooms in the butter over a medium high heat until they have released their liquid, it has evaporated and the mushrooms have turned a lovely golden brown. 

Add in the pureed onion/garlic and the tomato paste. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the onion is cooked. A good indication is when the onion aroma has turned mellow instead of sharp.

Remove the pan from the heat and sift the flour over mushrooms to coat, stirring well between each addition until all of the flour has been added. 

Stir in the beef stock a little at a time mixing well until all the flour dissolves. Add the pepper. 

Return the pan to the stove and bring the soup to a boil, stirring often until it  thickens, about 7 minutes.

Reduce the heat and whisk in the milk. Cook over a low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat as soon as soup reaches your desired thickness. 

Taste for salt and add a little, if needed. Depending on the saltiness of the beef stock you used, you might not need any.

If you set aside a few small mushrooms and sliced them for garnish, fry them till almost crispy in a nonstick skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. 

Stir the sherry into the soup. 

Garnish each bowl with some chopped parsley and a few of the fried mushroom slices.

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today I’m hosting. I chose soup recipes for our theme because, and y’all probably know this, January is National Soup Month! If you have not been celebrating, fear not. It is followed quickly on by National Soup Day on  February 4th.  Check out the lovely soups my blogger friends are sharing: 

• Bacon Cheeseburger Soup from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Cabbage Roll Soup from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chicken and Dumplings Soup from Palatable Pastime
• Chicken Enchilada Soup from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Homemade Golden Mushroom Soup from Food Lust People Love
• Keto Broccoli & Tomato Soup from Sneha's Recipe

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

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Roasted Asparagus Soup

Creamy and rich, this roasted asparagus soup is made with potatoes, celery and shallots. It's full of flavor, topped with sour cream and crispy prosciutto. 

I had a completely different plan for this post but when I saw the skinny little asparagus on offer at my local supermarket, I had to pivot. The little guys wouldn’t have made a great baked dish – my original intention - but I did think they would add a lot of flavor to a soup, especially if I roasted them.

And since I was preparing this as part of our New Year’s Eve menu, a dollop of sour cream and some leftover prosciutto from Christmas seemed like a good addition to fancy it up. 

Roasted Asparagus Soup

This recipe is adapted from one on Food52. It makes four servings. If you don't have white pepper, by all means sprinkle in some cayenne or black pepper. The soup won't be as purely green but taste matters more!

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb or 450g green asparagus, trimmed

2-3 pinches flakey sea salt

8 oz or 225g waxy potatoes (like Yukon golds)

1 stalk celery

1 clove garlic

1 small shallot

2 tablespoons butter

4 cups or almost 1 L chicken or vegetable stock

White pepper, to taste

Optional garnishes:

Sour cream

Prosciutto or bacon, fried till crispy with a drizzle of olive oil

Method

Heat the oven to 400°F or 200°F. Drizzle the asparagus with the olive oil, using a basting brush to make sure they are coated all over with the oil. 

Sprinkle with flakey sea salt then roast for 15 minutes. 

While the asparagus are roasting, peel and cut your potatoes in pieces. Mince the garlic and finely chop the celery. Thinly slice the shallot.

When the asparagus are done, leave them to cool a bit, then cut into pieces, setting aside 8 tips to use later for garnish when you serve. 

In a large pot that will hold all of your ingredients, melt the butter and cook the shallots, celery and garlic over a low heat, until soft.

Stir in the potatoes and stock. 

Turn up the heat, bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the asparagus.

Process in a blender, in batches, or with a stick blender in the pot until smooth. 

I used a stick blender and noticed that some of the more fibrous bits of asparagus were getting caught on the blades. I decided, in the interest of making this a smooth soup, to strain it. I poured it through a small colander first and then put it through a fine strainer, mashed all of the liquid out and discarded the fibers. If you don’t mind the bits in your soup, you can skip this step. 

Season to taste with the salt and white pepper. 

Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a few crispy bits of prosciutto or bacon, if desired. Put two crossed asparagus tips on top of each serving.

Enjoy!

Happy New Year and here we go again, starting at A for the 2025 rendition of the Alphabet Challenge! Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the great A recipes in the links below. 

• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Aglio e Olio Pasta
• Sneha’s Recipe: Aloo Phulkopir Dalna 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Apple Latkes 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Apples and Greens with Apple Vinaigrette 
• Blogghetti: Apple Pie Tacos 
• Magical Ingredients : Artichoke Baby Greens Dip 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Avocado, Bean & Mango Salad 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Creamy Parmesan Acini di Pepe with Potatoes 
• A Messy Kitchen: Dianna’s Almond Cake 
• Food Lust People Love: Roasted Asparagus Soup 

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