FFwD: Cod (Perch) and Spinach Roulades

Fish: pureed, stuffed, and steamed. Sounds deliiiiicious, right?

I was fascinated by the idea of Cod and Spinach Roulades, this week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe, but really REALLY had no idea what to expect. Fish mousse? Huh? How can something sound simultaneously vile and promising? This recipe also excited me because I made preserved lemons when lemon season started here, but haven't had a use for them yet.

I used perch, because we had some in the freezer.

This recipe came together easily, which surprised me. Puree fish, heavy cream, and light spices (sorry, don't have the book in front of me. Was it just salt?) Sautee spinach, onions, and garlic, then add the preserved lemon, salt, pepper. Smear a rectangle of fish paste on plastic wrap. Make a strip of filling in the center. Use the plastic wrap to help roll it so it looks like a weiswurst. Steam rolled mystery food for 10 minutes.

That looks obscene. And hilarious.

I was a bit worried that the plastic wrap would melt, but it didn't. Worked perfectly. 

I topped with pesto a friend brought me from Genoa (birthplace of pesto), because I was too lazy to make the tomato sauce Dorie suggests.

It was good. It was shockingly good.

I'm surprised to say this, but this is one of my favorite recipes in the book. Definitely in the top 5. It was just as good as a salad topper the next day.

I've been a delinquent Dorista lately. I have several recipes to catch up on. I did make the Lemon Steamed Spinach --on time, no less-- but never posted about it. It was fine. I'd make it again. Not much more to say about it. I mean, it was lemon steamed spinach. No curveballs. Here's proof of its existence: