A bright Pacific Northwest dinner that leans into Washington’s March produce: sale-priced wild rockfish roasted until flaky, with sweet roasted butternut squash and a crisp cabbage-cilantro slaw for contrast.
Details
Ingredients
- Rockfish fillet (wild caught fresh) 1 lb $6.99/lb sale
- Butternut squash 1 lb, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes $1.49/lb
- Green cabbage 1/2 lb, thinly shredded $1.49/lb
- Organic cilantro 1/2 bunch, chopped $1.99
- Fresh large ripe avocado 1, sliced $1.50 sale each
- Fresh lemon 1 not listed individually in data
- Garlic 2 cloves, minced $1.50 each bulb
- Jumbo yellow onion 1/2 lb, cut into wedges $1.49/lb
- Olive oil 2 tablespoons pantry
- Salt and black pepper to taste pantry
Instructions
- Prep 1 lb sale rockfish fillet, pat it dry, and cut if needed into 2 equal portions. Peel and cube 1 lb butternut squash. Thinly shred 1/2 lb green cabbage, chop 1/2 bunch organic cilantro, mince 2 garlic cloves, slice 1 sale avocado, and cut 1/2 lb yellow onion into wedges. Heat the oven to 425°F.
- Toss the 1 lb cubed butternut squash and 1/2 lb yellow onion wedges with 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper on a sheet pan. Roast for 15 minutes.
- While the vegetables start roasting, make the slaw by tossing 1/2 lb shredded green cabbage with the chopped 1/2 bunch cilantro, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Set aside so it softens slightly.
- After the squash has roasted 15 minutes, push the vegetables to the sides of the pan. Place the 1 lb rockfish fillet in the center, rub with the remaining minced garlic, 1 teaspoon olive oil, juice from the other 1/2 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper.
- Return the pan to the 425°F oven and roast 10 to 12 minutes more, until the rockfish flakes easily and the squash is tender and caramelized.
- Serve the roasted rockfish with the butternut squash and onion, plus a heap of cabbage-cilantro slaw and the sliced sale avocado on the side.
- Wine note: pour a Sauvignon Blanc for the lemon and herbs, or choose Pinot Gris if you want something rounder and gentler with the fish.
Cook time: 35 minutes
Estimated cost: $13-17
Health notes: About 430-520 calories per serving. High in lean protein, rich in vitamin A from butternut squash, and full of fiber from cabbage. Keep oil moderate and go heavy on herbs and citrus for a lighter meal.
Drink pairing: A zesty Sauvignon Blanc is ideal for the citrusy fish and herbal slaw; Pinot Gris also works beautifully with the mild rockfish and sweet squash.