Sheet-Pan Roasted Cod with Sweet Peppers

One delightful recipe that we find during our cook-at-home Covid-19 days combines cod, sweet peppers, and olives, simply roasted in the oven, with a simple vinaigrette.  We have been making several different sheet-pan recipes, principally with chicken or fish.  They all are fast, straight forward and tasty.  This dish is derived from Melissa Clark's recipe in the New York Times:  Sheet-Pan Roasted Fish with Sweet Peppers.

We start with red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, thin sliced, tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasted with rosemary sprigs at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, until soft and golden.

Ingredients

Roast the peppers

The cod is seasoned with salt, pepper, and chopped thyme and rests while the peppers are roasting.  When the peppers are done, we spread them to the edge of the pan, place the cod in the center, drizzle the fillets with olive oil, and scatter halved Kalamata olives on top.  We then roast the fish, peppers, and olives for ten minutes at 500°F (260°C).

Resting cod

Roasted

While the cod is roasting the vinaigrette is made by whisking together a tablespoon of sherry vinegar, a minced garlic, a pinch of salt, and three tablespoons of olive oil, then adding chopped cilantro for the finish.

Vinaigrette

Served on a bed or rice, we add a small avocado plate and are ready to dine.

Ready to go

This combination straightforward, easy, and delicious!

Dinners in Grand Case

Our first night in Grand Case, we walk through town to Le Temps des Cerises, a restaurant attached to a boutique hotel at the other end of Blvd. de Grand Case.  Looking out over the water, we share a bruschetta with tomatoes and main courses of octopus and fresh marlin poke.  All accompanied by a spectacular Saint Martin sunset.

Bruschetta

Octopus, Marin poke

The next evening, we dine at Bistrot Caribe, starting with seared ahi and escargot with mushrooms, followed by main courses of lamb cooked for five hours (tender!) and ahi mahi.  And, for desert, profiteroles!

Ahi and Escargot

Lamb and mahi mahi

Profiteroles

The next evening, we're back on the water at Ocean 82, starting with lobster bisque, six oysters, and another incredibly distracting sunset.

Lobster bisque, oysters

Distraction

After the appetizers and distraction, we move on to salt-crusted sea bass and scallops with duck, followed [again] by profiteroles.

Salt-crusted sea bass

Scallops with duck, profiteroles (Bon Anniversaire)

After-dinner view

We return to Le Temps des Cerises (at sunset) for another great meal of roasted camembert, followed by tuna tartar (grand tartare thon) and a marlin poke bowl.

Sunset from our table

Camembert

Tuna tartar, poke bowl

We also return to Ocean 82 (at sunset) for lobster bisque, oysters, Caribbean fish pot (with sea scallops, lobster, mahi mahi, clams, and mussels in a seafood sauce with cream), and margret de canard.

More sunset dining

Lobster bisque and huitres

Fish pot and duck

Beach view after dinner

After dinner, we walk back through town, past the lolos, which are hopping with people enjoying the large portions of local food cooked on large grills and served at picnic tables.

Lolo

We've dined incredibly well and had another incredible vacation on Saint Martin.  We'll be back again soon!

Walking Along the Beach in Grand Case

We walk over to Blvd. de Grand Case and take a stroll on the beach along the town.

Along the beach

Some of the restaurants and hotels have beach chairs and umbrellas for guest use or rental.

Relaxing by the water

After passing the main collection of restaurants and shops, the beach continues to the other side of the bay from our hotel.

Continuing along the water

Looking back at Grand Case

We find some resting spots with creative use of pallets.

Pallet-based furniture

In case we forget where we are

Although much is rebuilt and open for business, there are still a few reminders of the devastation from Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Remnants of Irma

From the beach we have a great view of the balcony of Ocean 82, where we have two incredible meals, both in corner tables looking out over the water and beach where we now stand.

Ocean 82 from the beach

And, on the seawall near the restaurant, the painting says it all!

Summing up