Recipe: Baked Cod With Spinach and Rice

This light fish dish is not only good for you, it also looks beautiful on the plate. You’ll use a parchment pouch containing spinach. Adapt this recipe if you like to use other types of fish or your favorite herbs and vegetables.

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Ingredients

One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 scallions, white parts and 2 inches of green, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
Olive oil cooking spray
1 pound skinless cod fillet, cut into 4 pieces
2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, optional
Chives to garnish

Directions

Cook the spinach in the microwave following package directions. Allow to cool, drain off all liquid, and wring out in a towel. Place in a bowl. Add the rice, scallions, garlic and broth. Mix well and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Take four 12 X 16-inch sheets of parchment paper or aluminum foil and fold each one in half, crosswise. Draw half a heart outline, beginning and ending at the folded edge, and cut along the outline. Repeat to make 4 packets. Open each heart and lay flat. Coat with cooking spray.
Place an equal portion of the rice-spinach mixture near one side of each heart at the fold line. Place a cod fillet on top. Top each piece with a quarter of the tomatoes, mushrooms, chives lemon zest and juice, pepper and salt (if using). Fold the opposite side of the heart over the cod and, beginning at the top of each heart, make a series of tight narrow overlapping folds to seal the edges. Transfer the packets to the baking sheet. The packages can be make 2 hours in advance and refrigerated until cooked.
Bake for 20 minutes. The fish will be opaque and flake easily with done. Cut open the packet carefully as the steam will be very hot. Garnish with chives and serve immediately.