Tom Brady’s TB12 Fresh Cod with Salsa Verde

Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is a 6-time Super Bowl champion who’s been known for prioritizing his health. In his new edition of The TB12 Method: How to Do What You Love, Better and for Longer, Brady further explains and details his revolutionary training, conditioning, and wellness system that has kept him atop the NFL at an age when most players are deep into retirement. Wanting to help others, he founded TB12, a health and wellness brand, with co-founder Alex Guerrero. We’re loving the recipes featured in the book which is why we’re so happy that he’s sharing some of his favorites with Nutritious Life.  The easy-to-make caper-parsley sauce in this recipe tastes great on just about everything. Plus, it’s super-fresh and always a crowd pleaser. It’s paired here with fresh cod, but this dish works equally well with beef, chicken, or roasted sweet potato. 

Ingredients

2 (5oz.) fresh cod or similar white fish filet
1 tablespoon organic avocado oil
Pinch Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and patted dry
4 anchovy filets, rinsed & patted dry (optional)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup organic extra virgin olive oil
1 cup parsley, leaves only (about 1 bunch)
1 lb. bunch asparagus, trimmed
¼ cup vegetable stock or water
Pinch Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 bulb fennel, with fronds
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
½ teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 teaspoon organic extra virgin olive oil
1/2 shallot, julienned (optional)
Pinch Himalayan salt & freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup mint leaves

Directions

  1. To make the salsa verde: Put capers, anchovy filets, garlic, Dijon mustard, sherry vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil (except for the parsley and mint) into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed. Add parsley and mint leaves and continue to pulse until chopped & well combined. Taste & adjust seasoning as needed. Store in an airtight glass container until ready to use.
  2. To cook the fish & asparagus: Heat a non-stick skillet (with lid) over medium-high heat. Pat fish dry, coat with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the oil to the pan and swirl to evenly coat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the fish filets and cook for about 4 minutes, until a nice golden crust has formed. Then flip the filets, leaving space between each portion and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add asparagus to the skillet, then vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until asparagus is just cooked (it should be tender but firm – we prefer it slightly under-cooked at this stage, since it will continue cooking for a few minutes). Move asparagus and fish to a plate and let rest for several minutes while you make the fennel salad.
  3. To make the fennel salad: In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, orange juice & orange zest to create a simple dressing. Trim away any rough or wilted outer layers from the fennel and cut it in half lengthwise. Cut away the thick base, then thinly slice each fennel bulb, stopping at the base of each stalk. Finely chop fronds. Fold the fennel, fennel fronds, tarragon, and shallot (if using) into the dressing and mix well.
  4. To serve: Arrange the asparagus evenly in the center of two plates, then top with a generous scoop of salsa verde and place the fish on the sauce. Top with fennel salad and serve immediately.
WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE Packed with flavor, this cod dish provides a lean source of protein, B vitamins, and multiple important minerals. The high amount of folate helps tissues grow and cells work. With small but powerful additions like extra virgin olive oil and capers the dish boasts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits as well.   
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