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Simple jasmine rice gets a boost of bold color and delicate spice thanks to the addition of fragrant saffron as it cooks alongside tender bites of kale. The duo are a sophisticated pairing for delicate, flaky fish and a lemony butter sauce, lightly spiced with crushed red pepper.

Ethan Mick

with Lemon-Butter Pan Sauce

Seared Cod & Saffron Rice

Cod Fillets

Jasmine Rice

Kale

Lemon

Crème Fraîche

Butter

Saffron

Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Weeknight Hero Spice Blend (Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Smoked Paprika & Whole Dried Parsley)

Ingredients

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Separate the **kale** leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. In a medium pot, combine the **rice**, **saffron**, **a big pinch of salt**, and **1 cup of water**. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, place the **chopped kale** on top of the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and stir to combine.

Make the kale rice:

While the rice and kale cook, pat the **fish** dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, and enough of the **spice blend **to coat (you may have extra). In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned fish. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate. Loosely cover with foil to keep warm.

Cook the fish:

While the fish cooks, quarter and deseed the **lemon**. To the pan of reserved fond, add **the juice of 2 lemon wedges**, **1 tablespoon of water**, and **as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like**, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook on medium, stirring constantly and scraping up any fond, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and the liquid is slightly reduced. Turn off the heat. Stir in the **butter** until melted and combined.

Make the sauce:

To the pot of **cooked kale rice**, stir in the **crème fraîche**. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the **cooked fish** over the **finished kale rice**. Top the fish with the **sauce**. Serve with the **remaining lemon wedges** on the side. Enjoy!