I made a simple fish dish for my son Danny and me this week.  I am experimenting with fish, and I am determined to cook fish at least 3 times a week to improve our diet.  I bought haddock fillets, which were unbelievably fresh, at my supermarket for only $5.99/lb.  I try to buy whatever is freshest and cheapest, normally.  Why not?  What is so great is that I can get this gourmet meal on the table in no time at all with such simple preparation.  I served the fish with fresh corn on the cob and a simple salad using prewashed fresh spinach and baby romaine, sliced strawberries, walnuts, and my own lemon vinaigrette. (You can find my recipe for this vinaigrette right on this web site.)  What an amazing light, healthy, and flavorful dinner!

for two people:

1 pound fish fillets (I buy whatever is on sale and absolutely fresh!)

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, butter, or margarine

2 tablespoons slivered raw almonds

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cover a half sheet pan with aluminum foil.  Lightly grease foil with oil. Place fish on foil.  Sprinkle  with salt and pepper, then liberally with lemon zest, then with thyme leaves, then with almonds, then dot with butter or margarine or drizzle with olive oil.  Roast for 7-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.  If you like, you can then place fish under the broiler for a minute or two at this point to just brown the almonds.  Be careful, if you do this, not to burn the fish or the nuts.  Serve with lemon wedges.

I developed this brownie recipe for Passover because I believed that it was possible to bake Passover brownies that would be just as delicious as regular brownies.  I took one of my regular brownie recipes, and then I just played with it, using Kosher for Passover ingredients, until it was perfect.  This recipe is so beloved by my children, family, and friends, that I actually use it all year round.  These brownies are so delicious that when I serve them for Passover, noone believes they are actually Kosher for Passover brownies.  I love to serve these brownies restaurant style - warm out of the oven with vanilla ice cream and my homemade hot fudge.  Serving them this way transforms an ordinary dessert into a spectacular dessert that everyone loves.

• 3/4 cup matzo cake flour, sifted (I use Manischewitz)- sift first, then measure
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large or extra large eggs at room temperature
• 4 ounces or squares of unsweetened chocolate (I use Baker’s or Nestle’s)
• 1 ounce (1 square) semi-sweet chocolate (I use Baker’s or Nestle’s)
• 2 sticks butter or margarine (I usually use Fleischmann’s salted margarine)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• optional 1/4 teaspoon instant coffee granules (this is absolutely not essential to use, but it does intensify the flavor of the chocolate)
• optional, 1 - 1 1/4 cups roughly chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13 pan with butter or margarine.  Sift the cake flour, and then measure it and set it aside.

In a double boiler or in a saucepan over a very low heat, start to melt the margarine.  Then add the squares of chocolate.  Keep moving the chocolate around so that it doesn’t burn.  When the chocolate and the margarine are totally melted, take them off the heat.  Throw the sugar into the pan, and mix with a rubber spatula to blend.  Crack in the eggs, and mix them in one at a time just until blended. Mix in the vanilla. If you are adding the instant coffee granules, then crush them with your fingers, and add at this time.    Then add the cake flour and the salt, and fold it in with a rubber spatula, just until it is blended.  Add optional nuts.  Do not over-mix.  Spread the batter in prepared pan.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs attached or clean.  The brownies will also feel firm to the touch and will have started to separate from the sides of the pan.  Serve warm immediately, or at room temperature.

Note:  You can prepare the batter, put it in the baking pan, and refrigerate it until you are ready to bake it.  When I bring these to a friend’s or family member’s house, I prepare the batter that day or a day in advance, put it in the prepared cake pan, cover it with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until I leave my house.   Then I put them in the oven 30 minutes or so before I want to serve them.  This way, I can serve them warm out of the oven with some vanilla ice cream and my homemade hot fudge.