In this light dish, seared cod is topped with a smoky, Spanish-style pan sauce sweetened with dates and enriched with a touch of butter. To round out the meal, the cod is served on top of a roasted potato salad with tangy pickled shallot and baby greens. Lemon juice adds brightness throughout the dish. For this dish, I used a pink lemon for its mild acidity and lightly floral notes (easily recognized in the produce aisle- look for the lemons with bright green stripes), but you can use whatever variety of lemon you like.
This recipe serves two.
Ingredients:
- 2 cod fillets
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 ounces baby greens (such as arugula, kale, or spinach)
- 1 lemon
- 1 pound russet potatoes (about two medium potatoes)
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 shallot
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 3 Tablespoons roasted almonds
- 1/2 ounce dates (such as Deglet Noor)
- 3/4 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 Tablespoon rice flour
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Preparation:
- Prepare ingredients: Heat oven to 450° F. Wash and dry fresh produce. Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Peel and thinly slice shallot. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Roughly chop the dates, baby greens, and almonds. Quarter and deseed the lemon.
- Roast the potatoes: Place the potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, and toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast, flipping halfway through, 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender when pierced by a fork. Remove from the oven and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside in a warm place.
- Pickle the shallot: While the potatoes roast, combine the shallot, sugar, vinegar and 1/4 cup water in a small pot; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Coat and brown the cod: While the shallot cools, combine smoked paprika and rice flour on a plate. Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towels;season with salt and pepper on both sides. Coat 1 side of each seasoned fillet with the spice blend, tapping off any excess. In a medium pan (preferably nonstick), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high heat until hot. Add the fillets, coated sides down, and cook 3 to 5 minutes on the first side, or until browned. Flip the fillets and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Make the sauce and finish the cod: Add the butter, garlic, dates, and 1/4 cup water to the pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook, occasionally spooning the sauce over the fillets, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cod is coated and cooked through. Turn off the heat and top with the juice from 2 of the lemon wedges. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Finish the vegetables and plate the dish: Reserve 2 tablespoons of the shallot pickling liquid, and drain the shallot. Add the baby greens, pickled shallot, and the juice from the remaining 2 lemon wedges to the bowl with the roasted potatoes, along with a drizzle of olive oil. Gently toss to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide the finished vegetables between 2 plates. Top the vegetables with the finished cod fillets and sauce. Garnish with chopped toasted almonds and serve.