A Nod to Cod

You probably know that I rarely prepare seafood. In fact, I can probably count the number of fresh (read: not out of a can) seafood dishes I've made on one hand. It's partly due to a fear of fish ... it can be easy to prepare, but equally as easy to ruin. I'm also not a huge fish fan, a fact that's shocking to most people who know that I grew up next to an ocean.

I've begun to outgrow both my fears of fish, and now I occasionally crave it. Granted, my usual craving is for a super mild type, like cod. The dish below marks my second successful attempt at cod and was just as delicious as the first! It looks like I might be on to something here, but it remains to be seen if I can branch beyond cod.

Seared Cod with Chive Butter Sauce
Ingredients:
For Cod

4 (6-oz) cod fillets

Plain bread crumbs

1 egg

Salt and pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

For Sauce

1 sprig fresh thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon finely diced red onion

1 clove garlic, smashed

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the bread crumbs in shallow dish. In separate shallow dish add beaten egg. Season both sides of fillets with salt and pepper. Dip one side of cod in egg, then dip egg side into bread crumbs.

Heat oil in skillet over high heat. Carefully place fillets in skillet, breadcrumb-side down. Once seared, place the skillet in oven, 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked through.

While cod is cooking, prepare suace. In saucepan, add thyme, shallot, garlic, and lemon juice and bring to a slight simmer. Whisk in butter. When melted, add chives and season with pepper. Serve over fish.

First Fresh Fish

Cracking open a can of tuna or grilling a few skewers of shrimp is about the extent of my seafood experience. To tell you the truth, I'm not much of a seafood eater (despite having grown up next to an ocean!). I'll order the occasional crab cake, scallop or tilapia, but beyond that and a Friday Fish Fry once or twice a year, I'm not a big fish fan. So obviously, I don't cook seafood.

That's probably why Bill seemed shocked when he came home tonight, peeked in the kitchen, and said "You're making fish??" And it's probably also why I was surprised that this recipe so appealed to me. I actually saw it a week or so ago on the Test Kitchen's awesome website, The Feed, it piqued my interest, and I went back to print it today when I was making my grocery list.

The original recipe is for Potato-Crusted Halibut, but lo and behold, the Metro Market had no halibut (perhaps it's yet another sign that I should be shopping at Sendik's). I asked the woman behind the seafood counter if cod would be an o.k. substitute and she said (with complete and utter lack of conviction) "I don't see why not." I took the risk anyway.

And good thing I did! My first attempt at fresh fish (if you can call previously frozen cod "fresh") was awesome! It turned out super flaky and flavorful ... even a bit buttery, despite the fact that there's no butter in the recipe! I was super impressed and I'll be making this dish again. Maybe even with the right fish next time!

Potato-Crusted Cod
Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon capers, drained and minced
1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
Squirt lemon juice
Salt and pepper
4 fresh cod filets
1 large russet potato, peeled and coarsely grated
3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, make tartar sauce by combining mayo, capers, chives, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pat cod dry with paper towels. Spread about a teaspoon of tartar sauce over the top of each filet. Press an even layer of grated potatoes over each filet.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Place filets potato-side down in oil. Cook, without moving, for 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully transfer filets to baking sheets, potato-side up. Bake in oven until cooked through, another 6 to 8 minutes.

Serve with remaining tartar sauce.