Pan Sauteed Cod

I have to say that out of all of the fishes . . . my favourite is Cod. Fresh Cod is so sweet and flavourful, not fishy tasting at all. We both love it very much.



Of course I only buy sustainable sourced, line caught Cod these days . . . it's not cheap, but it is a real treat, and worth every precious penny spent.



It's a beautiful fish really and needs nothing more really than a simple treatment as far as cooking it goes. That way the real flavour of the fish shines through and that is the way I love it the most. Really good fish doesn't need a lot of fluff and faff . . . in my opinion.



I like to season it simply . . . just a bit of salt and black pepper, a dusting of paprika for colour. I pat it lightly with some flour, which helps to make a simple crust . . .



Then I sautee it until golden brown on both sides in a knob of butter, with a few sprigs of fresh herbs added to give flavour to the butter and also a bit of colour to the finished dish as well . . .



A final squeeze of fresh lemon juice and . . . "Bob's your Uncle!" A delicious fresh fish dish fit for a King or a Queen. Well, for the King and Queen of this house at any rate!



Moist, flakey . . . delicious served with some pan juices, some boiled new potatoes and glazed carrots. This is a truly wonderful meal.
I think simple things in life are best, don't you?



*Pan Sauteed Cod*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Meltingly tender and sweet cod, cooked in butter with the addition of several fresh herbs. Simple, quick and delicious!

4 thick fresh Cod loins (boned and skinned)
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of fresh marjoram
Some flour for dusting
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
ground sweet paprika
knob of butter
the juice of half a lemon

Rinse your fish and then dry it very well with some paper kitchen towelling. Dust each loin lightly with some salt, pepper and paprika. Roll them in the flour, patting lightly on both sides to help it adhere and shaking off any excess. Set aside.

Melt a knob of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, along with the springs of thyme and marjoram. Once it begins to foam, add the fish, presentation side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on one side, until golden brown, Flip over and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, until browned and the fish is just cooked through. (The edges should flake easily with teased with the tines of a fork.) Squeeze the lemon over top and remove immediately from the heat. Swirl the pan to amalgamate the juices of the fish, lemon and butter. Divide the fish between 4 heated plates. Spoon some of the butter from the pan and herbs over top of each portion. Serve immediately.