Cooking With Rania: Recipes For Lent

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- This week, Rania Harris, of Rania's Catering, is in the Pittsburgh Today Live kitchen making recipes for Lent.

Mediterranean Baked Fish with Artichokes and Olives

Ingredients:

• Greek olive oil for sautéing the shallots and garlic
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic
• 28 ounces chopped tomatoes, two 14-ounce cans, liquid drained
• ¼ cup fresh chopped basil, packed
• Salt and pepper
• 4 Cod fillets
• ¾ cup feta cheese crumbled
• 15 ounce can artichoke hearts, liquid drained
• 3 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 4 ounces Kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 – 2 lemons, sliced
• Additional feta cheese, basil, and caper berries, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Once warm, add shallots and garlic, and sauté until fragrant, approximately 1-2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper; mix well. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat.
3. In the same skillet, place fish on top of the basil tomato sauce. Sprinkle with feta cheese.
4. Place artichokes and chopped Roma tomatoes in the tomato sauce between the fish fillets, and place thin slices of lemon on top of the fish. Add the drained olives and capers on top of the fish and tomatoes.
5. Place skillet in the center of the preheated oven and bake for approximately 15-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork (the time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your fish).
6. Garnish with fresh basil and feta cheese and serve with a green salad, orzo and crusty bread.

Serves: 4

Lemon Orzo

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orzo
• 2-1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried mint
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 2 strips lemon zest
• 2 chopped scallions
• Juice of one lemon
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Simmer 1 cup orzo in a saucepan with 2-1/2 cups water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon dried mint, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon paprika and 2 strips lemon zest, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. Let cool slightly. Stir in 2 chopped scallions, the juice of 1 lemon, and salt to taste.