My sous chef has a few foods on his list of “I don’t like.” Cod has traditionally been one of those, so when I got the hankering to have cod, I started by asking if he’d be up for trying it again a new way…and plotting a backup alternative in case it didn’t go over well. As it turns out, I got permission to try this one due in large part to the presence of almonds on his list of “I like.” So, we roasted some almonds in a pan, chopped them up in a coffee grinder (which oddly enough, we never use for coffee grounds), affixed the chopped almonds atop our fish, and baked. As luck would have it, cod is now back as a viable menu option in our house!
We served our cod over a Thai Red Curry vegetable medley (currently under construction due to a decision we made while cooking it that suboptimized the texture…but will be posted once we figure out that little hitch). However, this would also pair really well with a starch like any of our Sneaky (veggie infused) Mashed Potatoes Recipes, Wasabi Mashed Potatoes, Sesame Noodles, or long grain wild rice and Roasted Vegetables (think Asparagus, Cauliflower, or Brussels Sprouts!) or Steamed Broccoli.
Time: 35 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Cod Loin (6 oz per serving)
- Almonds (Raw, Roasted, Slivered, or Almond Meal). We used raw and roasted them ourselves, which took a little longer.
- Kosher Salt
Method:
- If using raw almonds, place them in a dry pan, and heat, tossing occasionally until they begin to brown. Then, allow to cool, and pulse in a coffee grinder/food processor to break them up into various sized pieces. If using roasted almonds, just pulse in the coffee grinder/food processor to break them up. If using slivered almonds or almond meal, skip this entirely.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with some foil. Give the foil a quick oil spray to prevent sticking.
- Cut your cod loin into the size pieces you like, and then sprinkle a little kosher salt atop each piece.
- Place your cod onto your baking sheet, and top liberally with your almond component.
- Bake for 15 minutes, and then finish under a low broil for another 3-5 minutes until your fish reaches an internal cooked temperature of 145 degrees F and flakes easily with a fork.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
