Content

• Ingredients
• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Frying cod in a simple way
• Method 2 of 2: Make breaded cod
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Cod is a white fish with a delicate, mild flavor and firm flesh. There are several ways to cook cod, but baking is quick, easy and hassle-free. You can add a lot of flavor to the fish, whether you want a mild, straightforward flavor, eat the fish with vegetables, or have it lightly breaded.

Ingredients

For 4 servings:

• 450 g cod fillets, cleaned
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 1-4 tablespoons of softened butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of onion or garlic powder
• 125-250 g breadcrumbs (only for breaded cod)
• Season to taste

To step

Method 1 of 2: Frying cod in a simple way

1. Rinse and defrost the cod fillets. Pat them dry when you are done with that. The fillets should be about the same thickness, so they will cook evenly in the oven.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C and prepare the oven dish. Take an oven dish and line it with baking paper so that the fillets do not stick to the bottom of the dish during baking.
3. Season both sides of the fish lightly with salt and pepper. Mix 1-2 teaspoons of salt and pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of both sides of the fish. There is no "right" amount to use, but if in doubt, don't use too much - you can always sprinkle more on the fish before serving. When done, place the fillets in the baking dish.
   • If you have coarse (sea) salt, use this instead of table salt. The larger salt grains will dissolve less quickly, making the fish taste more evenly.
4. Mix the softened butter or margarine with the lemon juice. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of onion or garlic powder.
   • Now is a good time to add other spices you like. Try a teaspoon of chili powder, paprika, and / or cayenne pepper to spice up the fish. You can also make an Italian spice blend from oregano, rosemary, thyme, and basil.
   • You can use a little olive oil in place of butter, but the fat in butter will help keep the fish moist and flaky.
5. Spread the butter / margarine mixture over the cod fillets. Place small dollops of the mixture on top of the fillets and use a rubber spatula to spread it evenly over the fillets. During baking, the butter will melt in the fish's scales, eventually giving the insides a moist, soft, and flaky texture.
6. Bake the fish for 15-20 minutes. When the fish is cooked, the white flesh comes off easily when you pull it with a fork. When the fish is cut, you should see large, full flakes and not a thin, gritty texture.
7. Try variations of fried cod. You can quickly adapt this recipe to give your main dish surprising new flavors:
   • Fry the cod with chopped vegetables, such as 1 large tomato, 1 green pepper, 1 yellow zucchini, 120 grams of pitted and halved kalamata olives, and cloves of garlic. Chop everything fine to make a complete one-pot meal. Put 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the vegetables and place them around the fish. Bake everything at once.
   • Chop 120 grams of fresh parsley and add this to the butter mixture before spreading it on the fillets.
   • Melt the butter beforehand and spread the fillets through it so that they are completely covered with herbs. You can then pass the butter-covered fillets through flour to lightly bread them.

Method 2 of 2: Make breaded cod

1. Rinse, clean and dry the cod fillets. Try to buy fillets with roughly the same texture so that they all cook at the same temperature and you don't end up with raw or dry pieces.
2. Preheat the oven to 220 ° C and cover a baking tray with aluminum foil. The foil prevents the fish from sticking to the baking tray. If you don't have aluminum foil at home, lightly coat the baking sheet with olive oil or cooking spray.
3. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the herbs. Put 125-250 grams of breadcrumbs (regular if you want a smooth texture, panko if you want to make it extra crunchy) in a bowl and mix in 1 teaspoon of sea salt, crushed black pepper, 80 grams of chopped parsley, 60 grams of spring onions, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and other spices to taste through it. Stir the mixture well so that all ingredients are evenly distributed and set the bowl aside.
   • This mixture of breadcrumbs is easy to adjust, because the only basic ingredients are the breadcrumbs and the salt.
   • If you want to use other spices, it will certainly taste good if you use a teaspoon of chili powder, paprika and / or cayenne pepper to spice up the fish. You can also make a spice mixture from a teaspoon of dried oregano, rosemary, thyme, and / or basil.
4. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the microwave. Cut the butter into small cubes so that it melts faster, and turn the microwave on at intervals of 30 seconds or less. The butter does not need to be hot, as long as it has melted into a liquid. When it has melted, mix in the juice of a large lemon.
5. Cover the fish with the butter mixture and then with the breadcrumbs. Pass the fillets through the butter so that both sides are covered. Then pass them through the breadcrumb mixture. Lightly press the fish into the breadcrumbs so that it is completely covered, then place the fish on the baking tray. When all the fillets are on the baking tray, pour the rest of the butter mixture over it.
6. Fry the fish for 12-15 minutes. The fish should be flaky and moist when you take it out of the oven. The fillets should also feel firm. When the insides are shiny and translucent, bake them for another 2-3 minutes. Garnish the fillets with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh parsley. Then serve the fish.
7. Try out different variations of the dish if you wish. Cod has a mild flavor that you can easily adjust. That means you can adjust the dish to your taste with some easy tricks.
   • For a low-calorie variety, use half of the butter and breadcrumb mixes. Simply drizzle the butter on top of the fish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top only.
   • Mix 2-3 chopped tomatoes, 4 cloves of garlic and 1 chopped onion with a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the vegetables around the fish when you cook it. This way you get an easy side dish with the cod.
   • Replace the breadcrumbs with 120 grams of flour for a lighter breaded fish.

Tips

• A large cod is usually cut into fillets, slices or pieces for sale.Cod is very popular with chefs because it is easy to fillet due to its coarse bone structure.
• Cod is not a fatty fish and it contains a lot of mineral salts. Fats in lean fish such as cod are more likely to be stored in your liver than in your meat, making them very healthy.

Warnings

• Do not overcook the cod –– leaving the cod in the oven for too long will ruin the fine flavor and flaky texture.

Necessities

• Measuring spoons
• Baking dish (covered with parchment paper, if necessary)
• Oven gloves