Jul 14, 2010
Three stars as written, as I see this recipe as only the foundation or starting point for a finished dish. I used halibut rather than cod, but that's neither here nor there and doesn't affect the recipe. I sweated the mushrooms along with the onion and garlic as I didn't need them to give off all their juices into the sauce as the dish was baking! I didn't add cornstarch or milk, as neither was necessary if you simply reduce the cream to thicken. The cream sauce needed flavor beyond the dill and a little sherry was the obvious choice. I didn't use the Parmesan - I guess being Italian I have a bias against using cheese with fish or other seafood! Finally, since this was to be baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (perfect time and temperature by the way), there was no need to cover it and have it "stew" rather than bake, also holding on to all of the juices which would only have made the sauce more liquidy. This turned out to be a rich, flavorful dish, with both the shrimp and the fish perfectly cooked. The sherry, as Hubs so aptly put it, definitely gave the dish character. I layered the shrimp over the fish filets, then poured the sauce over them. It isn't directed to do this in the recipe, but do salt and pepper your fish and shrimp before pouring over the sauce and baking! For a little color, sprinkle on a little paprika. The small changes I've outlined gave this dish definition and dimension and went a long way toward bringing this dish up to a good 4-star rating.
—naples34102
