Pair that fresh Alaska cod with big, bold flavors

‘Tis the season for fresh Alaska cod. Mild, with large flakes, it holds up to big, bold flavors, including deep umami bursts of tomato and kimchi cooked down together with green onion and pats of butter that sizzle as the whole fillet roasts to perfection. Double or triple the amount of sautéed kimchi and add into a grilled cheese or kimchi fried rice or bacon mac and cheese. Serve the cod with a refreshing Korean-inspired side dish of salted and crushed cucumbers and some steamed noodles or rice.

Roasted cod with sauteed tomato-kimchi and crushed cucumber

Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 cup kimchi

1 teaspoon neutral oil, such as avocado, grapeseed, sunflower

1 tablespoon tomato paste, preferably double concentrate

1/2 cup minced green onion (about 4)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 1/2 to 2 pounds fresh cod fillet

Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Crushed cucumbers (recipe follows)

For serving: Lemon wedges, rice, noodles, jalapeño slices

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place cod fillet in a large glass or ceramic baking dish (or place on a foil or parchment-lined sheet pan). Season fillet with salt and pepper.

Set a small strainer over a bowl and drain kimchi of excess liquid, reserving liquid. Mince kimchi. Heat oil in a medium pan placed over medium-high heat. Add minced kimchi and tomato paste, sauté, stirring constantly, five minutes, or until kimchi begins to caramelize. Stir in green onion slices and two tablespoons butter, cook on high, stirring constantly, one minute. Spread cod fillet evenly with sautéed tomato-kimchi mixture. Dice up remaining tablespoon of butter and divide evenly over fish. Roast 10 to 12 minutes or until fish is just cooked through. Serve with the crushed cucumbers and steamed rice or noodles.

Crushed cucumbers:

This is a very simple yet refreshing and delicious side dish to eat with almost everything. You can easily double or triple the recipe, as needed.

Makes 4-6 servings as a side dish

3 Persian (or 1 English) cucumbers, thinly sliced, if skin is thick, partially peel (12 ounces/grams)

1 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1/2 tablespoon fine table salt)

2 green onions, white and some of the pale green parts, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Place cucumber slices in a bowl and sprinkle salt over; toss gently to coat; let sit 30 minutes. Rinse cucumber slices well under cold water 2 to 3 times, then, using hands, gently squeeze out all excess water. Pat dry with paper towels, as needed. Don’t worry if some of the cucumbers break. In a medium bowl, add the squeezed cucumbers, green onions, sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic. Toss well. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds. Can keep, covered, in refrigerator 1 to 2 days; drain of excess liquid, if needed.