Description
Baked cod nestled in spring vegetables- asparagus, fennel, leeks, drizzled with olive oil garlic and lemon zest! Bakes in just 12 minutes! Delicious and easy!
Ingredients
Units
Cod
- 1 – 1 1/2 lbs wild cod – or substitute black cod, halibut, sea bass
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- zest from one lemon
Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced ( or sub celery and more asparagus)
- 1 large leek, white and light green parts, thinly sliced into half moons
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1–2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon (or sub zest from another lemon)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup chicken or veggie broth or stock, more as needed
- 1/2 cup white wine (or sub more broth and a squeeze of lemon)
- generous pinch salt and pepper
- 1 large bunch of asparagus, cut into 1–2-inch pieces, tough ends removed.
- Garnish with lemon zest and thyme sprigs.
Serve this on its own for a low-carb dinner, or serve with creamy polenta, basmati rice, everyday quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400F
- Prep the cod. Cut cod into 4-6 pieces and pat dry. Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, thyme and zest and toss to coat well. Set aside.
- Cook the veggies: In a large, oven-proof skillet or braiser, heat two tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the fennel and saute 5-7 minutes, stirring, cooking until just tender. Add the leeks and garlic and continue cooking, stirring until leeks are golden and tender. Add lemon zest (or preserved lemon) , fresh thyme, broth, and white wine. Stir in the salt and pepper, then simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid has reduced by half and the fennel is tender, about 5 minutes.
- If fennel needs a bit longer, add another splash of broth and cover pan for a few minutes, letting it steam and get tender. Once fennel is tender, add the asparagus, give a stir and cook for 2 more minutes- until asparagus turns bright green. If the mixture seems dry, add another splash of broth- you want this slightly wet ( ¼-inch liquid in the bottom of the pan).
- Nestle in the fish in the pan, over the veggies.
- Bake in the oven until the fish is cooked through, 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness. Internal temp should reach 130- 135°F.
- Divide among four bowls. Top with a sprig of thyme and lemon wedge.
- Serve this on its own for a low-carb dinner, or serve with basmati rice, everyday quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
Notes
If you like a crispy golden crust on the fish, feel free to dredge in a little flour, potato starch, or bread crumbs and pan-sear the fish first before finishing it off in the oven.
TIP If your fish has skin on it…. marinate, then pan-sear the skin side of the fish in a separate hot skillet, until the skin is crispy. Set aside, then nestle the fish with crispy skin, facing UP. Eat the skin- it is delicious.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 521.5 mg
- Fat: 11.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.6 g
- Fiber: 3.8 g
- Protein: 28.5 g
- Cholesterol: 66.1 mg
