Parmesan Orange Roughy

March 2025. Spring in Memphis, and I am 66, watching the azaleas and dogwoods bloom along my neighborhood walk, the annual resurrection that makes the winter worth surviving. The smoker wakes up in spring the way the whole city wakes up — slowly, with a stretch, then fully, with purpose.

Rosetta beside me through the week, steady as ever, the woman who runs this household with the precision of a hospital ward and the heart of a mother who has loved fiercely for 41 years of marriage.

Baked beans on the smoker — navy beans soaked overnight, simmered with onion, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, and my BBQ sauce, then smoked uncovered at 250 for two hours. The hickory settles into the sauce and transforms ordinary beans into something that belongs at any table, any gathering, any moment when people need to be fed and comforted and reminded that simple food, made with patience, is the best food there is.

Another week in the book. Another seven days of tending fires — the one in the smoker, the one in the marriage, the one in the family, the one in the church. Each fire needs something different: wood, attention, food, faith. But the tending is the same for all of them: show up, add what's needed, wait patiently, trust the process. Low and slow. Always. Low and slow.

The baked beans were the main event this week — low and slow, the way everything worth doing should be — but Rosetta reminded me, gently as always, that a man cannot live on smoke and molasses alone. After a week of tending fires and trusting the process, I wanted something that rewarded the same patience but asked a little less of the afternoon: a simple fish, a good crust, a hot broiler, and supper on the table before the evening news. This Parmesan Orange Roughy is exactly that kind of dish — humble enough for a Tuesday, good enough to make you grateful all over again.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 20 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 orange roughy fillets (about 6 oz each)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the broiler. Set your oven to broil and position the rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Lightly grease a broiler pan or line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
Prepare the fish. Pat the orange roughy fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with salt and black pepper. Arrange in a single layer on the prepared pan.
Make the Parmesan topping. In a small bowl, stir together the Parmesan cheese, softened butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, basil, and garlic powder until well combined and spreadable.
Broil the fish. Place the pan under the broiler and cook the fillets for 4–5 minutes, until the flesh is just starting to turn opaque. Remove from the oven.
Apply the topping and finish broiling. Spread the Parmesan mixture evenly over the top of each fillet. Return to the broiler for another 3–4 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and bubbling and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Rest and serve. Let the fillets rest for 2 minutes before plating. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve with lemon wedges alongside rice, steamed vegetables, or a simple green salad.

Nutrition (per serving)

Parmesan Orange Roughy — When the Smoker Rests, the Skillet Calls