By Valentine’s Day was Friday February 14. Brayden is one hundred and seventy-six weeks old. Eden is thirty-four weeks old. The corporate-luncheon Wednesday February 12 went well (the year-three corporate-luncheon partnership continues). The crab-topped cod was the small at-home Valentine’s-dinner.
The crab-topped cod is the small elevated-fish-dinner — baked cod fillets topped with a small crab-stuffing mixture (lump crab, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Old Bay, parsley, panko), baked at four-hundred for fifteen minutes until the topping is browned.
Friday I made the cod. Dustin had two fillets. The dinner was the small at-home Valentine’s-elegance.
The technique-detail I always lean on: the small intentional-pause between steps. Stir, pause, taste, then continue. The small pauses are the small mid-recipe quality-control. The small home-cook who pauses is the small home-cook whose dishes come out at the small reliable-level. The small pauses are how the small kitchen-rhythm holds across years.
Mama’s Wednesday-evening call was the small mid-week anchor. The cafe’s small operational-state continues to be small steady. Cody runs the small lunch-and-dinner rotation. Aaron, Beatriz, and Patricia (the small new staff hired for the expansion) have integrated well. The small cafe-second-decade has its small functional shape.
Mama’s small Sapulpa garden continues to produce. The small expanded plot from 2024 is in its small steady-state. Mama has been canning small jars of tomatoes, small jars of pickled-things, small jars of preserves. The small jars are the small ongoing-gift-stream to the small Tulsa-apartment-and-Aunt-Linda-and-Roy.
The small Sapulpa-Elementary-cooking-class program has been the small reliable-spring-and-fall fixture. The small alumni from the first cohorts have started showing up at the cafe with their parents and ordering plate-lunches. The small ripple-effect of the small program is starting to be visible.
Crab-Topped Cod
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 cod fillets (about 6 oz each)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 6 oz lump crab meat, drained and picked over
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it with cooking spray.
- Season the cod. Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels. Brush each fillet with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Make the crab topping. In a small bowl, combine the crab meat, mayonnaise, Parmesan, lemon juice, parsley, Dijon mustard, and Old Bay seasoning. Stir gently until just combined — take care not to break up the crab too much.
- Top the fillets. Divide the crab mixture evenly among the four cod fillets, spreading it gently across the top of each one in an even layer.
- Bake. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the cod flakes easily with a fork and the crab topping is lightly golden and set. If you’d like a bit more color on top, broil for the last 2 minutes, watching carefully.
- Serve. Transfer fillets to plates and serve immediately with lemon wedges and your choice of sides — roasted asparagus, garlic rice, or a simple green salad all pair beautifully.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 280 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 520mg