Roasted Cod with a Cilantro Crust
The combination of fish and tahini is one we find hard to resist, but this works just as well without the tahini sauce if you’re looking for a shortcut or want to keep the focus on the lemon. Either way, this is as close to fast food as you can get. It’s a 15-minute meal to make, beginning to end. Possibly even less time to eat.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 ½ cups cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 ½ teaspoons Fish Spice Mix (recipe below)
- ½ teaspoon chile flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 4 large cod fillets (or another sustainably sourced white fish), skin on (about 1½ lb)
- 4 large fresh bay leaves (optional)
- 2 whole lemons: 1 cut into 8 very thin slices, 1 quartered lengthwise into wedges
- ¼ cup tahini sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F. Line a roasting dish with parchment paper.
- Put 2 tablespoon of oil into a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 10 seconds, then add the cilantro, fish spice mix, chile flakes, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a grind of black pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring frequently, for the garlic to really soften, then remove from the heat.
- Place the cod in the prepared roasting dish, skin side down, and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoon of oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then spoon the cilantro mix on top of each fillet. Spread it out so that the whole top is covered, then top each one with a bay leaf (if using), along with 2 slices of lemon. Roast for 7–8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Serve at once, with about 1 tablespoon of tahini sauce drizzled over, if desired, and lemon wedges alongside.
For the Fish Spice Mix
- Combine 2 teaspoons ground cardamom, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground turmeric and 1 teaspoon paprika. Place all the spices in a bowl and mix well to combine. If making more than you need, transfer to a sealed container.
Notes
If you are using the tahini sauce, make the whole quantity of the master recipe. It keeps in the fridge for about four days and is lovely to have around to drizzle over all sorts of roasted vegetables, meat, fish, and salads.
Playing around: Any other meaty white fish works just as well here; sea bass or halibut, for example. Salmon also works well.
Nutrition
Calories: 966kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 164g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 387mg | Sodium: 502mg | Potassium: 3895mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 1172IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 6mg