Seared Cod with Fresh Herb Sauce

Made-to-order herb butter and a lemony coconut milk pan sauce add plenty of flavor and creaminess to these quick pan-seared cod fillets – no tasteless, rubbery white fish here! It’s a great recipe for anyone who likes white fish with a little more flavor attached, but isn’t one for ultra-spicy sauces or toppings. And the rich sauce also adds some much-needed healthy fats to balance out the protein-heavy fish, so it’s a boost for your health as well as your taste buds.

The herb butter does double duty in this recipe: it starts off as the cooking fat for the fish, but also helps lend some flavor to the sauce while the fillets are finishing up in the oven. So don’t scrape out the pan right away: you want all that delicious browned butter on your plate, not down the sink!

This fish would go very nicely with some steamed or roasted asparagus, sautéed garlic green beans, or roasted new potatoes, if you’re up for a slightly starchier side. You could also serve it over some broccoli and carrot slaw to soak up any extra sauce, or just toss together a quick fresh salad and dig in while the fish is hot.

Seared Cod with Fresh Herb Sauce Recipe

SERVES: 4 PREP: 15 min. COOK: 15 min.

Ingredients

• 4 cod filets;
• 1 tbsp. chives, minced;
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced;
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme;
• 2 garlic cloves, minced;
• 1 shallot, minced;
• The zest of half a lemon;
• ¾ cup of coconut milk;
• 6 tbsp. ghee or butter, melted;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. Season each filet with sea salt and black pepper;
3. In bowl, combine the ghee, garlic, shallot, and herbs.
4. Preheat a skillet over a medium-high heat.
5. Pour the herb butter over the skillet and sear the fish filets on both sides (about 2 minutes per side).
6. Transfer the fish to a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 7 minutes. Don’t discard the skillet.
7. Pour the coconut milk and the lemon zest in the skillet that was used to sear the fish and bring to a simmer: make sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get the browned bits into the sauce.
8. Serve the fish with the sauce and lemon or lime wedges on the side.