
This elegant seafood supper of succulent white fish with a tomato, caper and crispy crouton salad makes an attractive dinner party main
Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal426
- fat22g
- saturates4g
- carbs22g
- sugars4g
- fibre3g
- protein33g
- salt2.3g
Ingredients
- 900g cod loin, skin removed, or 6 pieces of cod fillet
Cod
kodA popular mild-flavoured saltwater fish mainly found in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Cod…
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
Rapeseed oil
If you want a light alternative to other cooking oils, rapeseed is a great choice and has…
- 6 large thyme sprigs
- 25g butter
Butter
butt-errButter is made when lactic-acid producing bacteria are added to cream and churned to make an…
- juice ½ lemon
Lemon
le-monOval in shape, with a pronouced bulge on one end, lemons are one of the most versatile fruits…
For the panzanella salad
- 1 garlic bulb
- 6 tbsp rapeseed oil
Rapeseed oil
If you want a light alternative to other cooking oils, rapeseed is a great choice and has…
- 600g mixed heritage tomatoes, different colours and shapes
Tomato
toe-mart-ohA member of the nightshade family (along with aubergines, peppers and chillies), tomatoes are in…
- ½ tbsp flaky sea salt
- 200g sourdough bread
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 3 tbsp small capers
Capers
kay-perCapers are the small flower buds of the Capparis shrub, which grows in the Mediterranean. As…
- ½ small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Parsley
par-sleeOne of the most ubiquitous herbs in British cookery, parsley is also popular in European and…
- large handful basil leaves, roughly chopped
Method
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Place the garlic bulb in the centre of a piece of foil. Spoon over 1 tbsp rapeseed oil, then scrunch the foil up around the bulb to make a parcel. Bake for 1 hr.
Meanwhile, dice the large tomatoes and cut any small ones in half. Tip into a bowl, sprinkle over the sea salt, toss together and set aside for half an hour.
After the garlic bulb has been cooking for 40 mins, tear the sourdough into bite-sized pieces and place on a baking tray. Drizzle with 2 tbsp rapeseed oil, sprinkle with a little salt, then add the crushed garlic and toss everything together. Bake for 15 mins, stirring halfway through, until golden and crispy. Remove both the toasted croutons and garlic bulb from the oven and turn up to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
Once the tomatoes have wilted slightly, set a colander or sieve over a bowl and strain them, catching all the juices. Whisk the remaining oil, the vinegar and capers into the tomato juices. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic cloves from the bulb and whisk these in too. Taste and season.
Cut the cod into 6 even pieces, season, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and leave for 10 mins. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large non-stick, ovenproof frying pan. Top each piece of cod with a sprig of thyme and place, thyme-side down, in the pan. Cook for 1-2 mins until the cod starts to colour. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 4-6 mins, depending on thickness.
Meanwhile, mix the crispy croutons and tomatoes together in a bowl. Pour over the dressing, scatter with the parsley and basil, and toss everything together. Divide the salad between plates. When the cod is cooked, add the butter to the pan and let it melt. Squeeze in the lemon juice and baste the cod in the buttery juices. Turn the portions over to reveal the thyme-studded fish. Serve with the salad and some of the juices from the pan, then grind over a little black pepper.
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