Once, for a special occasion, I produced potatoes Anna—a dish in which potatoes are thinly sliced, drenched in butter, and roasted until golden, the ultimate in crisp potato dishes—for my daughter Emma. This was a fatal error, because potatoes Anna are a pain to make, contain about a week’s allotment of butter, and were forever in demand thereafter. So I set about shortcutting the process, creating something approaching an entire meal. I cut back on the butter (when attacks of conscience strike, I substitute olive oil) and enlisted the broiler to speed the browning process. I figured that it would be just as easy to broil something on top of the potatoes during the last few minutes of cooking and, after a few tries, I found a thick fillet of fish to be ideal. The result is this simple weeknight dish that I now make routinely and one that even impresses guests.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　4 to 5 medium potatoes (2 pounds or more)

　　6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or melted butter

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 1/2 pounds cod or other white-fleshed fish fillets, about 1 inch thick (skinned), in 2 or more pieces

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices about 1/8 inch thick (a mandoline comes in handy here). Toss the potatoes in an 8 X 11-inch or similar-size baking pan with 4 tablespoons of the oil or butter. Season the potatoes liberally with salt and pepper, spread them evenly, and put the pan in the oven.

　　

Step 2

Cook for about 40 minutes, checking once or twice, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a thin-bladed knife and have begun to brown on top. Turn on the broiler and adjust the rack so that it is 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.

　　

Step 3

Top the potatoes with the fish, drizzle with the remaining oil or butter, and sprinkle with some more salt and pepper. Broil until the fish is done, 6 to 10 minutes depending on its thickness (a thin-bladed knife will pass through it easily). If at any point the top of the potatoes begins to burn, move the pan a couple of inches farther away from the heat source.

　　

Variations

Step 4

Toss 1 teaspoon or more of minced garlic with the potatoes.

　　

Step 5

Mix up to 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, dill, basil, or chervil or 1 or 2 teaspoons of stronger herbs like thyme or rosemary with the potatoes.

　　

Step 6

Season the potatoes with a tablespoon or so of curry, chili powder, or paprika or a few pinches of cayenne or hot red pepper flakes.

　　

Step 7

Top the fish with thinly sliced tomatoes and drizzle them with olive oil or dot them with butter before broiling.

　　

Step 8

Add other vegetables to the potatoes—a cup or more of chopped spinach, for example—but be aware that their moisture may keep the potatoes from browning well.

　　From Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times by Mark Bittman Copyright (c) 2007 by Mark Bittman Published by Broadway Books.Mark Bittman is the author of the blockbuster Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.