The warm months are finally here, some items in the garden like greens and herbs are already ripe for picking, lot’s of seasonal produce at the local markets looking and tasting good too!

When it gets hot, I like some lighter dishes and fish or seafood do the trick. I like fresh cod as it’s affordable, delicious and easy to cook.

In this dish, I am pairing cod with vlita. Vlita is a wild foraged green that Greeks love it eat. Usually it’s boiled, strained and dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.

Today, I am pairing Vlita with onions and tomato. The sweetness of onions and modest acidity in the tomatoes play well off the iron flavour of the vlita.*

Pan Seared Cod with Vlita Saute

(serves 4)

4 fresh cod fillets (5 oz. each)

olive oil

salt and pepper

Vlita Saute

4 cups boiled Vlita (or other greens like chicory, endive, rapini)**

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 cup diced tomato

salt and pepper

Latholemono sauce

1/4 cup finely chopped chives or scallions

1. Drizzle your fish with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Into a large skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat, scallions, garlic and some salt and pepper. Sweat for 5-6 minutes or until translucent. Add the tomato and stir in, cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add your cooked Vlita, mix to incorporate for 2-3 minutes. Most of the water should be cooked down. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and turn off the heat/keep warm.
4. Place a non-stick large skillet on your stove top over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil into the pan, the cod and cook on one side for 3-4 minutes. Carefully flip your fish and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes. Turn heat off but leave fish in the pan.
5. Divide and plate your Vlita, top with cod, drizzle some Latholemono sauce on the fish, sprinkle chopped chives or scallions and serve.

*Look for vlita at your local Asian market, where it may be labeled as amaranth, red spinach or callaloo.

**How to boil/steam vlita