ARTICHOKE PERCH BAKE
A freshwater fish twist on a classic comfort food dish
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RECIPE & PHOTO BY CAMERON TAIT
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Everyone loves comfort food, and nothing warms the heart and soul quite like a classic artichoke and spinach bake with crab or lobster. But why not substitute the shellfish with your next catch of yellow perch? Don’t let the simplicity of this one-pan dish fool you—it’s almost guaranteed to have your guests pleading for more. Serves 6
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 14 oz tin canned artichokes, cut in quarters
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1 tbsp diced jalapeno, seeds removed
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 6 oz white cheddar cheese, grated
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup frozen spinach, drained well
- 6 perch fillets, cut into thin slices
- 2 tbsp flour
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 2 oz grated Swiss cheese
- Toasted baguette slices
- Pre-heat oven to 375°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and mayonnaise, stirring well.
- Add the artichokes, red pepper, jalapeno, green onions, cheddar, Parmesan and spinach, and stir well. Then add the perch strips, flour, salt, pepper and lemon zest, combining gently.
- Place the entire mixture in a 12-inch oven-proof dish, sprinkle with the Swiss cheese and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until it’s lightly bubbling. Serve with the baguette slices.
FOR THE GLASS
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Served well-chilled, Ontario’s Trius Sauvignon Blanc VQA makes a crisp accompaniment for this fish and cheese dish with its refreshing floral notes of gooseberry and passion fruit, and hints of herbs and nuts.