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Cod with Pesto and Tomato
I’m all for crazy recipes. Going wild with cooking techniques, combining unusual flavors to try to come up with that one fun recipe is a trip in and of itself. With one big exception; fish. I’m a fish purist.
Fresh, good-quality fish doesn’t need adornment. It doesn’t need a truckload of ingredients and flavors because a good piece of fish, just like a good steak, stands on its own. You only want to enhance the flavor with butter, salt, pepper and maybe a hint of white sauce or lemon. That’s usually all it takes.
Bottom-line; add too much flavors and you will overrule the pureness of the fish. A venial sin. Definite no-go. Aside from that, fresh fish is simply too expensive to mess around with. At least here in the Netherlands it is.
Here’s my go to recipe for cod. It’s simple, classic, elegant and on the table in less than 30 minutes. The soft mellow flavor of the white fish is enhanced by the wine it’s poached in. The thinly sliced tomato adds a lovely tang while the mild pesto butter adds zing. The perfect harmony of flavors.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound cod fillet
1 large tomato (I used Roma)
1 1/2 oz (real) butter
1 tbsp green pesto
1/2 to max 2/3 cup dry white wine
pepper
salt
Directions:
Combine the butter and pesto. You need real butter for this, not margarine. Don’t go crazy though—I never take the main course past 2 tsp butter (or oil) per person, preferably less.
Here was a little over 1 1/2 pounds fresh cod. My general rule of thumb is 6 to 8 oz fish per person. Place it in an oven dish.
Generously season it with salt and pepper. I’m so digging this pepper ball.
Brush the fish with the pesto butter but reserve a little.
Thinly slice the tomatoes and place them on top of the fish.
Brush the remaining pesto butter on top of the tomatoes.
Pour in 1/2 to max 2/3 cup good-quality dry white wine.
For the Dutchies among you looking for measuring cups. I bought this cup (part of a set of 4 nested cups) at the Albert Heijn.
Place the dish in the BGE or a preheated oven and bake at 350F (175C) for 20 minutes. The wine, pesto butter and fish juices will mingle. Delicious.
Garnish with finely minced parsley or basil and spoon some of the cooking liquid over the fish. This is so simple but so special.
| Cod with Pesto and Tomato | |
| Ingredients |
1 large tomato (I used Roma) 1 1/2 oz (real) butter 1 tbsp green pesto 1/2 to 2/3 cup dry white wine pepper salt |
| Directions |
Pour in 1/2 to max 2/3 cup good-quality dry white wine. Place the dish in the BGE or a preheated oven and bake at 350F (175C) for 20 minutes and garnish with finely minced basil or parsley. |
| Meal type: | main course |
| Servings: | 4 |
| Copyright: | © kayotickitchen.com |
10 Comments »
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That looks delicious! The only fish I generally eat is Tuna (I don’t like super fishy-tasting fish, the smell gets to me)
What would you serve this with?
@ Shannon:
I served these with steamed broccoli and parsley potatoes. And lots of white wine :)
If the fish is super fresh it should be a very subtle fish flavor! I actually did something different with the potatoes. Took photos and will post them later this week.
Looks fantastic! Glad you’re not using 2 sticks of butter :-)
Beautiful photos, Kay. I used to be a fish lover. Not sure why I stopped eating it.
As for the recipe, it looks amazing! Thanks.
A beautiful dish, Kay. The flavors of this must be divine. A great balance of a reasonable amount of butter with the pungency of pesto and tomatoes…what a combination!
Pesto, butter and fish sounds perfect…i love fish too, but dont make it often enough, since its not so easily available here…this looks so good Kay !
I totally agree–good fish needs only simple flavors with it. Anything complicated gets in the way of its deliciousness. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much for this! I made this for my girlfriend with the crushed orange potatoes and it was all absolutely delicious, she was complimenting my cooking so much I had to admit that the recipes were yours instead of my own :-)
Update: Well, it seems the food was so good that 9 months later (to the day!) we ended up with a baby girl! She’s now 4 months old and a totally foody just like her Mummy and Daddy!
So thanks Kay :-)
this was the best tasting fish i have ever had! best recipe ive found for cod!!! perfect! Thank you!!!!