Baked Cod Recipe With Lemon And Garlic
There’s a reason why this simple baked cod recipe is a huge fan favorite—it only takes a little over 20 minutes to prepare! Perfectly flaky and tender cod, mixed with robust Mediterranean spices and baked with a delightful sauce of garlic and lemon
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves;
- 1.5 pounds of cod fillet pieces, 4–6 pieces
For the Lemon Sauce, you’ll need:
- five tablespoons of fresh lemon juice;
- five tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil;
- two tablespoons of melted butter;
- five minced garlic cloves for coating;
- one teaspoon each of ground coriander,
- sweet Spanish paprika, crushed cumin, and salt;
- one teaspoon each of black pepper and coriander;
- and one cup of all-purpose flour.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set oven temperature to 400°F.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, and melted butter (do not add the garlic yet). Put aside.
- Combine the all-purpose flour, spices, salt, and pepper in a separate shallow basin. Place alongside the lemon sauce.
- Dry off the fish with a pat. Fish should first be dipped in the lemon sauce, then in the flour mixture. Remove any extra flour by shaking. Keep the lemon sauce for another time.
- In a cast iron skillet or other oven-safe pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat; make sure the oil is shimmering but not smoking. Add the fish and fry it for approximately 2 minutes on each side, just long enough to give it some color but not enough cooking time. Take the skillet off of the burner.
- Add the minced garlic to the leftover lemon sauce and stir. Pour over the fish fillets.
- Bake the fish in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, but start testing earlier, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Take off the heat source and add the finely chopped parsley. Serve right away
NOTES
- Serving suggestions: Serve right along with Greek salad or this Mediterranean chickpea salad over Lebanese rice.
- Cook’s Tip: To get extra color, step #5 has been added to this recipe. Make sure you turn the fish in the skillet carefully with a fish spatula.
- Storage for Leftovers: Allow the fish to cool somewhat before arranging it in a shallow glass jar with a tight-fitting cover if you have any leftovers. You can freeze food for up to a month or refrigerate it for two to three days. Personally, I don’t think freezing fish is a good idea because the texture can occasionally change.