Lemon Herb Rockfish with Roasted Delicata & Cabbage
A bright Pacific Northwest-friendly dinner that leans into early-March WA seasonality: sweet roasted delicata squash, crisp-tender cabbage, and flaky sale-priced rockfish with lemon and herbs. It tastes fresh, light, and a little elegant without being fussy.
Back to full listIngredients
- Fresh rockfish fillet 1 lb $6.99/lb sale
- Delicata squash 1 lb $1.49/lb
- Green cabbage 1/2 lb $1.49/lb
- Jumbo yellow onion 1/2 lb $1.49/lb
- Garlic 2 cloves $1.50 each
- Fresh lemon 1 lemon or 2 tablespoons lemon juice $1.69 each organic lemon or use bottled lemon juice at $2.50 sale
- Parsley 2 tablespoons chopped $1.69 each
- Olive oil 3 tablespoons pantry
- Salt to taste pantry
- Black pepper to taste pantry
Instructions
- Prep 1 pound delicata squash ($1.49/lb) by halving it lengthwise, scooping out the seeds, and slicing into 1/2-inch half-moons. Thinly slice 1/2 pound green cabbage (about half a small head, from $1.49/lb), thinly slice 1/2 pound jumbo yellow onion (from $1.49/lb), mince 2 cloves garlic (from 1 garlic bulb at $1.50 each), and chop 2 tablespoons parsley ($1.69 each bunch). Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Toss the 1 pound sliced delicata squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper on a sheet pan. Roast for 10 minutes.
- After the squash has roasted 10 minutes, add the 1/2 pound sliced cabbage and 1/2 pound sliced onion to the pan with another 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Toss carefully and spread back out. Roast 15 minutes more, until the vegetables are caramelized at the edges and the squash is tender.
- While the vegetables roast, pat dry 1 pound fresh rockfish fillet ($6.99/lb sale). Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the minced 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice from 1 lemon ($1.69 each) or bottled lemon juice ($2.50 sale), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
- Push the roasted vegetables to the sides of the pan or transfer them to a platter. Add the seasoned 1 pound rockfish fillet to the pan and roast at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Finish the fish and vegetables with the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Taste the cabbage and squash and add another pinch of salt if needed.
- Serve the roasted rockfish over the warm cabbage-onion mixture with the delicata squash alongside. Pour any pan juices over the top.
Cook time: 40 minutes
Estimated cost: $14-17
Health notes: About 450-520 calories per serving. High in protein, rich in fiber from cabbage and squash, and lighter in saturated fat than many meat-based dinners. Rockfish is a lean protein, and roasting keeps added fat moderate.
Drink pairing: A crisp Sauvignon Blanc or an unoaked Chardonnay works beautifully. The Sauvignon Blanc echoes the lemon and herbs, while the Chardonnay is great if you want a slightly rounder match for the roasted squash.