A bright, Pacific Northwest weeknight plate: flaky wild rockfish with a crackly lemon-garlic crust, plus sweet-tender roasted carrots and a quick cabbage slaw for crunch. Citrus is still in its prime in WA in early March, and rockfish is a great-value sustainable pick—especially on sale.
Details
Ingredients
- Rockfish fillet (Wild Caught Fresh) 1 lb $6.99/lb (sale)
- Carrots 1 lb, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch sticks $1.69 (1 lb)
- Green cabbage 1/2 lb, thinly sliced (about 3–4 cups) $1.49/lb
- Kroger® Fresh Lemons Bag 1 lemon (zest + 2 Tbsp juice) $4.99 (2 lb bag)
- Garlic (bulb) 2 cloves, finely chopped (or grated) $1.50 each
- Kroger® Yellow Onion 3 lb Bag 1/4 onion, very thinly sliced (optional but great in slaw) $3.49 (bag)
- Parsley 2 Tbsp chopped (optional) $1.69 each
Instructions
- Prep: Heat oven to 425°F. Line a sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup. Pat 1 lb rockfish fillet dry; cut into 2 portions.
- Prep carrots: Peel and cut 1 lb carrots into 1/2-inch sticks. Toss carrots with 1 Tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Spread on the sheet pan.
- Roast carrots: Roast carrots at 425°F for 15 minutes (they’ll finish while the fish cooks).
- Make lemon-garlic topping: In a small bowl combine zest of 1 lemon, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 Tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper. (Add 2 Tbsp chopped parsley if using.)
- Add fish: Push carrots to one side. Place the 2 portions of rockfish on the other side of the pan. Spoon the lemon-garlic mixture over the fish.
- Finish roasting: Roast 10–12 minutes more, until fish flakes easily and carrots are tender and browned at the edges.
- Quick slaw: While fish roasts, toss 3–4 cups thin-sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 lb) with 1–2 tsp lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and 1 tsp oil. Add very thin-sliced 1/4 onion if using. Taste and adjust salt/acid.
- Serve: Plate fish with roasted carrots and a mound of crunchy slaw. Add an extra squeeze of lemon if you like it bright.
Cook time: 40 minutes
Estimated cost: $12–16
Health notes: ~650–780 calories per serving (depending on oil used). High protein; great omega-3s from wild fish. Add extra cabbage for more fiber with minimal calories; go easy on added oil to keep it lighter.
Drink pairing: A zesty, citrus-driven white will echo the lemon and keep the fish tasting extra clean. If you want something with a little more texture, a lightly oaked style works with the roasted edges and garlic.