Baked Cod With Lemon, Olives and Wilted Greens
Four cod fillets, 14 minutes, and roughly 145 degrees F in the center. Cod is lean, which means it has almost no margin for error, so this recipe uses a covered bake instead of a hard roast to protect it.
Cod contains around 1 percent fat, compared with roughly 10 percent in salmon. That is why salmon survives an aggressive high heat roast and cod does not. Treating lean fish like fatty fish is the main reason home baked cod comes out dry and stringy.
Cover for the First Half, Uncover for the Second
Baking cod covered with foil for the first 8 minutes traps steam around the fillets and keeps the surface moist while the interior heats through. Uncovering for the last 5 lets the top dry slightly and pick up the lemon and olive oil. One technique gives you both moistness and flavor.
Compare that with salmon, which usually goes in uncovered the whole time because its own fat does the protecting. Lean white fish needs the pan to do that job. That single adjustment is the difference between fillets that flake and fillets that squeak.
Pull It Earlier Than Feels Right
Take the pan out when the thickest part reads 140 degrees F rather than 145. Carryover heat will carry it another 5 degrees while it rests, and fish continues to firm up off the heat. The flake test works too: press gently with a fork and the flesh should separate into large pieces with no glassy center.
The Greens Go Under, Not Beside
Laying the fish on a bed of spinach or chard means the greens catch every drop of liquid that comes out of the fillets. They wilt in the residual heat and become the side dish. It also keeps the fish off the hot pan surface, which buys you another minute of insurance against overcooking.
Ingredients
- 4 cod fillets, 6 oz each and about 1 inch thick
- 5 oz baby spinach or chopped chard
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon, half sliced and half juiced
- 1/3 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, halved
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Steps
Bring the fillets close to room temperature
Set the oven to 400 degrees F. Take the cod out of the fridge and let it sit 10 minutes while you prep. Cold fillets cook unevenly, with dry edges before the center is warm.
Make the greens bed
Toss the spinach with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the sliced garlic, and a pinch of salt. Spread it across the bottom of a baking dish so it forms an even cushion.
Season and nest the fish
Pat the fillets dry, brush with the remaining oil, and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Lay them on the greens and scatter olives and lemon slices around them.
Bake covered for 8 minutes
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake 8 minutes. The trapped steam cooks the top of the fish at the same rate as the bottom.
Uncover and finish for 5 minutes
Remove the foil and bake 4 to 6 minutes more, until the thickest fillet reads about 140 degrees F. Do not wait for it to flake in the oven.
Rest, then add lemon and dill
Rest 3 minutes off the heat, squeeze the lemon half over everything, and add dill. Toss the greens gently so they soak up the pan liquid before serving.
Choosing and Handling Lean White Fish
- Haddock, pollock, and hake all work on the same timing. Thicker halibut needs 4 extra minutes under the foil.
- If the fillets vary in thickness, fold the thin tail end underneath so every piece is the same height.
- Frozen cod should be thawed in the fridge overnight and pressed between towels. Trapped ice turns into water in the dish.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 285 kcal |
| Protein | 33 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| Fat | 15 g |
| Sodium | 610 mg |
