Tag: Scrod

Reito de morue

Natalie Hanson

This kind of stew brought back from Greece by the Phocaeans is one of the traditional provençal dishes for “le gros souper”, a meal served just before going to the midnight Mass on Christmas.

2 lb of Scrod (cut in 2 inch cubes)
1 large onion
Olive oil (enough to fry the onion and the cod)
1 Tbsp of flour + 1 cup to roll in the fish pieces
2 cups of red port or wine + 2 cups of water
2 cloves of garlic
Bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf and parsley)
1 Tbsp of tomato paste
2 Tbsp of cornichons, chopped (capers can be substituted)
Salt and pepper to taste

Dried, salted cod is traditionally used for this dish.  It should be soaked in water a day ahead with 3 or 4 changes of water and cooked in water for 1/2 hour.  Then follow the recipe below.

  • Brown the sliced onion in olive oil.
  • Add the flour and cook slightly.
  • Slowly add the wine or port and bring to a boil.
  • Add the water.
  • Cook gently for 1 hour with the bouquet garni, garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
  • Meantime, roll the pieces of fish in the flour and fry them in olive oil until gold on all sides.
  • Add the pieces to the wine sauce along with the cornichons and cook gently for an additional 15 minutes.

Fish provençal

Natalie Hanson

2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 leek (white part only) cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 rib of celery, thinly sliced
1 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of fish stock
1 Tbsp of tomato paste
2 lb of fish (scrod, ocean cat fish, monk fish) cut in 2 inch pieces.
18 oil-cured olives, pitted
1 cup slivered sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp of herbes de Provence
Salt, pepper
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the leek and celery.
  • Sauté over low heat, covered, until soft (about 10 minutes).
  • Stir in the wine, the tomato sauce, stock and sun-dried tomatoes, add the garlic and herbs.
  • Raise the heat to medium.
  • Add the fish, the salt and pepper and cook until tender.
  • Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
  • One way to keep the fish pieces from falling apart is to cook them, coated in flour, in olive oil.
  • Gently warm them in the sauce before serving.