Cooking your own fish recipes can be a fun and rewarding experience. It saves a lot of money and gives you the leeway of customizing meals to make it your own. Fish is a very easy ingredient to work with. It cooks quickly and it’s not very complicated. For first timers too, it can get overwhelming. Before reaching for that can of sloppy joe or dialing pizza, there is a healthier and easier option to still be able to cook even when you don’t have the perfect skills of a gourmet chef. Just like in learning a new sport or skill, there is a beginner step, namely easy cooking recipes to do, that not only is quick but won’t take much effort or rack as much neurons. To kick things off this season, I thought I'd begin with a wonderfully luscious make ahead casserole featuring fish. White fish filets are baked with tender baby spinach, a luxurious creamy lemon herb sauce, and topped with golden, fluffy, mashed potatoes
making this the perfect casserole after a long day of Christmas shopping or the Christmas Eve table for families who observe the Catholic tradition of eating fish on that wonderful night. This recipe is featured at kitchenwitchmaven.com, be sure to check out the blog! Fish Florentine Casserole Ingredients 4 large white fish filets like halibut, haddock, Pacific cod, catfish, or basa 2 tsp lemon herb salt, divided (Visit recipe here: Lemon Herb Salt ) 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme 1 clove minced garlic 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock 1/2 cup Philadelphia Cream Cheese
6 cups raw spinach cooked and well drained 6 medium russet potatoes (about 2 lbs) 3 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces 1/4 cups milk 1 large egg yolk Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (200 degrees C). 2. Combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and chicken stock in a medium sauce pan and heat almost to the boil. Add the cup of cream cheese and stir to make a cream sauce. Stir in the fresh thyme. Set aside. 3. Boil the potatoes until they’re soft and tender. 4. Lightly mash and add the butter, milk, and 1 tsp of lemon herb salt. Let cool slightly and then add the egg yolk. Continue to mash until they are completely fluffy with no lumps (I use my immersion blender with the whipper attachment).
5. Arrange the fish filets in the bottom of a 2 quart rectangular baking dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle the fish with the second tsp of the lemon herb salt and 1 tsp of pepper. 6. Cover with the spinach and pour the lemon cream sauce over all. 7. Spoon the mashed potato mixture over the top and spread evenly with a fork. Use the tines to make a pattern in the top. (Note: the recipe can be covered and stored in the refrigerator at this point for up to 8 hours. Make certain if not baking right away that the cream sauce and potatoes are completely cooled). 8. Bake uncovered 45 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned. 9. Cover with tinfoil and let rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Recipe from kitchenwitchmaven.com