Eastern Oklahoma Catholic July/August 2012 : Page 25
Basque-inspired grilled cod with peppers and saffron rice • 4 cod fillets • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced • 1 red pepper, thinly sliced • 1 yellow or orange pepper, thinly sliced • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced • 1 teaspoon dried, crushed red pepper • 2 cloves minced garlic • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus extra for fish • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar • Salt and pepper to taste • 1 ½ cups long grain white rice • 3 cups chicken broth • ½ cup onion, finely chopped • Generous pinch of Spanish saffron • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste Prepare the rice. In a medium saucepan, sauté the onions until they are transparent. Add saffron; pinch between fingers to a finer consistency over the cooked onions. Add salt, pepper and rice. Stir until combined and then add chicken broth. Cover with a lid and bring to a rapid boil. Give it one more stir, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high heat. Combine sliced peppers, onions, crushed red pepper, minced garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a large zip-seal freezer bag. Seal bag and give it a few shakes until well combined. Empty contents of bag in the center of a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil and cover with another sheet of foil the same size. Fold and seal edges all around veggies to create a pouch. Throw on one side of the grill. Lightly brush fish with olive oil and add salt and pepper to both sides. Wait until peppers have cooked for at least 10 minutes. Flip pouch and gently place cod fillets on the grill. Cook until fish is opaque and flakes with a fork. Serve the cod and peppers over the cooked rice. of the markings of a Holly-wood movie. So much so, it makes one wonder why Hol-lywood goes to such lengths to fabricate fictional heroes. The romance, the drama and the glory of a young knight out to conquer the world is something intriguing to us all, as it was to Ignatius, himself. But as he later found, and as we are called to learn, a life of holiness leads us to even greater nobility that can be as romantic and world altering as any storybook ever written. I can only dream of the beautiful landscapes of the Basque country of northern Spain and the culture and times into which this noble saint was born. And I can’t The man, who was once a soldier on the battlefield, will become a soldier for Christ. He will go on to become the foremost expert in spiritual direction and form the order known as the Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. This amazing human being is St. Ignatius of Loyola. think of a better way to mark his feast day on July 31 than to share some of the region’s cui-sine. The flavorful yet simple ingredients of Basque country cooking are wonderful and the following recipe is reminiscent of the time St. Ignatius lived. I enjoy preparing it and ponder-ing the man who forfeited his worldly desire for glory, for a more humble life in service to God – a life that ultimately im-mortalized his name far more than could have ever been achieved on a battlefield. St. Ignatius of Loyola Photography by Philip Shippert 25
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