Runner recipe: Lemon pepper rockfish with roasted vegetables

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Destinee Sims

This flavorful meal is perfect for a quarantine date night at home!

Destinee Sims, Opinions Editor

  With a new abundance of time spent at home, now has been the perfect opportunity to learn to work with new ingredients. For those who haven’t cooked fish before, don’t panic; this is a perfect recipe for another first. This delish and zesty meal have people believing you’re a professional in no time! 

Ingredients: 

5 rockfish fillets 

4 lemons 

Pepper 

1/4 minced garlic 

5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped 

3 carrots, or 1 can of carrots 

6 mini peppers, or 3 large bell peppers of choice 

1 1/4 tbsp Italian seasoning 

1/2 onion of choice, chopped 

3-4 cups of raw broccoli 

1-2 can of black beans 

Optional: The vegetable side dish can be customized in a variety of ways. Swap some out, add other produce like squash, or even enjoy it as it is. The combinations here are endless. 

Directions: 

Start by cutting three of the lemons in half, then juice them. This can be done by hand or with a juicer.  

Place the thawed fish, fresh squeezed lemon juice, pepper (to preference), and the minced garlic in a Ziplock bag. Mix each of the ingredients together in the bag, using a spoon or by shaking the sealed bag. Ensure the fish is submerged in the juice, and place in the fridge.  

While the fish marinates, begin preheating your oven. Both dishes will be cooked at 400 F, so this is when it’s helpful to know your oven. If you have any way to bake both dishes separately, that’s best. If not, you will need to roast the vegetables first, then bake the fish. 

As the oven preheats, start chopping the peppers, onion, and broccoli to the size of preference. Cover a metal baking pan in tin foil and add each chopped vegetable. 

Add two cloves of garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper (to preference) to the vegetables. Thoroughly mix the ingredients, then drizzle olive oil over the dish. 

Cut 1 lemon in half, squeezing the juice and drizzling it over the vegetable platter.  

For those who will be cooking your veggies first, pop them in the oven now. They should remain in there for approximately 15 minutes. You will know they are done when they begin to turn golden brown on the edges. 

Spray a glass baking tray with Pam, or an alternative non-stick cooking spray.   

Add the fish, marinade, and remaining garlic to the glass baking tray.  

After draining your can(s) of black beans, place them in a small pot. Add fresh water until the beans are completely submerged, then cook them for about five minutes on low-medium heat. 

Now that your sides are done, or cooking, place your fish in the oven for 10-15 minutes. When it is done, the rockfish will begin to get flakey and separate easily when poked with a fork. 

Once everything is done cooking, it’s ready to be served!   

Test taster tip: Serve your rockfish with tartar sauce for extra flavor.  

Do you have a recipe that is perfect for college students? Share it with The Runner at [email protected]!