Wrap cod in prosciutto for a sheet pan meal with layers of flavor

I’m not sure why — maybe it’s just human nature — but people tend to default to an all-or-nothing mentality when it comes to nutrition. When many of us hear that it’s healthier to eat less meat, for example, our brains translate that as: Stop eating meat altogether.

If that is something you want to do, I’m all for it, but it’s important to realize that you don’t need to cut out meat, or any one food, to have an overall good diet.

If the bulk of your plate is regularly filled with the most nourishing foods — vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts and seeds, whole grains, seafood — you can sprinkle in just about anything you like, here and there, and still have a healthy balance. As someone who relishes all kinds of ingredients and never wants to feel deprived, this reminder is a constant source of comfort and inspiration.

This sheet pan dinner is a great example of how it can come together. It involves one of my favorite duos: pork and seafood. Just think about how irresistible bacon-wrapped shrimp or scallops can be. Or how a bit of chorizo in a seafood dish takes it from good to sublime.

Here, the cured pork adds savory dimension to the light, tender fish. You don’t need much — I find it helpful to think of the meat as more of a seasoning than a main ingredient. Here, prosciutto is wrapped around fillets of cod, adding flavor and beauty to the dish with very little effort.

The wrapped cod gets roasted alongside crisp green beans, sweet-savory shallots, and juicy tomatoes, then sprinkled with fresh basil, for a quick yet elevated meal that’s filled with the most healthful ingredients.

It’s a dinner that delivers all the goodness without any regrets. That’s the kind of all-or-nothing thinking I can get behind.

4 servings

Active time: 20 mins; Total time: 30 mins

Wrapping fillets of cod in prosciutto infuses the fish with flavor and enhances its presentation, with very little effort. The fish is roasted alongside a medley of green beans, shallots, and tomatoes, then sprinkled with fresh basil for a quick yet elevated meal. You will need one large slice of prosciutto per fillet, but if the prosciutto slices are small, you may need two slices per fillet to wrap.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Ingredients

12 ounces green beans, trimmed

2 small shallots (4 ounces total), peeled and quartered lengthwise

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

4 (6-ounce) skinless center-cut codfillets

2 ounces prosciutto (4 large slices; see headnote)

1 cup grape tomatoes (6 ounces), halved

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

lemon wedges, for serving

Steps

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

On a large sheet pan, combine the green beans and shallots. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables soften slightly.

Meanwhile, season the fish with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, then wrap each piece of fish in the prosciutto, leaving the ends of the fillet exposed.

Add the tomatoes to the vegetables on the sheet pan, and stir to combine, then push the vegetables to one side of the pan. Place the wrapped fish on the empty side of the pan. Brush the tops of the prosciutto with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, and return to the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees and the vegetables are tender.

Divide the fish and vegetables among individual plates, garnish with the basil leaves and serve, with lemon wedges on the side, for squeezing over.

Substitutions: Cod >> another firm-fleshed fish, such as halibut. Green beans >> haricots verts. Prosciutto >> bacon, or skip it. Grape tomatoes >> cherry tomatoes.

Nutrition per serving (1 piece of fish and 3/4 cup vegetables): 299 calories, 12g carbohydrates, 73mg cholesterol, 11g fat, 4g fiber, 37g protein, 2g saturated fat, 627mg sodium, 6g sugar

Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian nutritionist and cookbook author who hosts public television’s “Ellie’s Real Good Food.” Learn more at www.elliekrieger.com.