Belgium GP 2020: Flemish Style Fillet of Cod

Spa-Francorchamps is quite possibly the most beautiful track on the F1 calendar. There are other contenders such as Monaco or Singapore, but they aren’t racing at either this year so for 2020 Spa definitely takes the crown! The surrounding Ardennes forests, the sloping and curving track, and the history of the racetrack all come together to be quite the locale.

For the Belgian race, we found a few old friends at our local beer shop.

The food is always secondary to the beer for this race… but we made a nice meal to serve alongside the St. Bernardus. Flemish Style Fillet of Cod, Potato and Leek Pancake, and Sweet & Sour Cucumber Salad.

The combination of perfectly melted onions, herbs, and wine smells heavenly as this comes out of the oven. If you are making this along with the Potato and Leek Pancake, I recommend putting it in the oven as you are ready to cook the pancake. The two dishes cook in about the same amount of time and you want to eat both right away so the fish is tender and the Potato Pancake is crispy.

Flemish Style Fillet of Cod

From Everybody Eats Well in Belgium by Ruth Van Waerebeek

Serves 4

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 Tbsp finely minced parsley
3 Tbsp finely minced chives
1 ½ lbs or 4 individual steaks of cod or halibut
4 -8 slices fresh lemon
1 bay leaf
1 spring fresh thyme, or ½ tsp dried thyme
2/3 cup dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 350°F

2. Melt the butter in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange half the onion in an ovenproof baking dish, just large enough to comfortably hold the fish. Sprinkle half the parsley and chives over the onion. Arrange the fish fillets over the onion and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the remaining onion, parsley, chives, lemon slices, bay leaf, and thyme. Pour the wine into the baking dish and bake until the fish is done about 20 minutes.