Mediterranean Baked Cod

an iron skillet filled with cod loveliness

Cod is one of our very favorite white fishes and I'm always looking for new ways to cook it. The on-line photos for this recipe were so good looking, I knew it was a must-try! Of course, the recipe was changed a bit, but most is true to the original, here. In my mind, nothing is better than sauteed cod (or most other sauteed fish), but the nice thing about this is it's finished off in the oven, which gives you time to finish up the rest of your meal. We served this with baked red potatoes and a pot of steamed french-style green beans. Delicious! 

For 2 folks:

4 medium sized red potatoes
french-cut green beans (frozen), amount to your taste
1 lb. or so cod fillet, cut into serving-size pieces, about 6 pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced (or equivalent garlic salt/powder to taste)
chopped fresh parsley
2 scallions, thinly sliced

4 T. fresh lemon juice or the equivalent 4 t. True Lemon Crystals*
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. unsalted butter

1/3 C. flour
1 t. ground coriander
1 t. sweet paprika
1/2 t. ground cumin (to taste)
salt to taste
white pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425º. Place 2 red potatoes per person in the oven and bake for about 1/2 hour, until al dente. In the meantime, melt butter and mix with the olive oil and lemon juice/crystals in a flat bowl*. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and spices together. Pat the fillets dry. Dip fish in the butter/oil mixture and then in the flour mixture. Heat an additional 2 T. olive oil in an iron skillet, getting oil hot but not smokin' hot. Place fillet pieces in oil and saute until browned, about 2 minutes and then flip, sauteeing for an additional 2 or so minutes. Remove from heat. Add garlic to the left over butter/oil mixture, stir well and drizzle over the fish fillets. Bake in the oven for just 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the scallions and parsley over each fillet. Serve!

*If using True Lemon Crystals, use a stick blender to mix the butter, oil and True Lemon Crystals. After mixed well, pour back into the flat bowl. (Crystals won't mix in well enough if done by hand.)

*Ah, those loverly True Lemon Crystals...don't remember where I first heard about them, but, boy, am I glad I did! Now, I use True Lemon Crystals just about as much as I do fresh lemon juice. There is barely any difference in taste and it's so much easier to use than fresh lemons. There are some things it doesn't work as well for, such as in a salad dressing that uses only lemon juice and no other acidic liquid or if you need to all lemon zest to a dish for taste and looks. BUT, in a pinch, it's a god-send. AND for iced tea? Perfection! I buy it in the large jars you can get from Amazon and go through a jar++ just about every month. Follow this link to find it.

YUM!

'till we feast again! 

xoabb