Need a beautiful and thoughtful meal that requires no side dishes? This combination of lemony cod, warm fennel salad, and wild rice might be just what you need tonight.
When it comes to fishing, I am unsure and sure. I’m not sure what day Fish Night fell on at my house growing up. If I had to guess, maybe over a weekend. I am fully sure i abhors fish night. My grandmother would do anything to get me to eat fish – she even cut it into bite-sized pieces resembling chicken nuggets.
Despite these memories, at some point in my life I decided to like fish. I imagine many people in adulthood like fish.
How to cook wild rice
I used a mix of wild and brown rice, which is a little easier to get at the grocery store than just wild rice. The rice bakes for about 50 minutes, then the cod is put on top and together they bake for 15-20 minutes. It’s a long bake, but most of it is hands off.
Tips for buying cod
This recipe calls for portioned skinless cod fillets – they’re the perfect single serving. Fresh cod should feel firm, not spongy, overly soft, or dry. It should be slightly moist, but never slimy. Look for fillets that are roughly the same size so they cook at the same speed.
If using frozen cod, follow package instructions for thawing. In general, it’s best to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Use immediately after thawing and do not leave in the fridge.
Can’t find cod? Use pollock, tilapia, haddock, or mahi-mahi.
How can you tell if cod is perfectly cooked?
I suggest baking the cod for 15 to 20 minutes; However, oven temperatures vary, or your fish may be thicker or thinner than mine. Therefore, check the fish for doneness after 15 minutes. When cooked to perfection, it should feel firm when pressed lightly and chip easily when poked with a fork.
Last tip: be prepared!
Prepare all the ingredients — top up the raisins, squeeze the lemon juice, and slice the fennel — once you pop the rice in the oven. It all comes together quickly in the end, making it quicker and smoother when the ingredients are ready.
More delicious cod recipes to try
- Coconut poached cod with ginger and lime
- Baked cod with Ritz cracker topping
- Pan Simmer Pacific Black Cod
- Cod with tomato and orange
- Cod fried in olive oil with fresh tomatoes
Lemon Baked Cod with Wild Rice and Fennel
This recipe calls for a mix of wild rice – I use a mix of wild rice and brown rice. Need to get dinner on the table earlier? Switch to a faster-cooking long-grain white rice, which takes 25 to 30 minutes to cook. Only use wild rice? Set the oven to 350°F and cook for a total of 1 hour 25 minutes. Be sure to add the cod when there are 15 to 20 minutes left.
ingredients
For the rice:
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2 cups boiling water
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1 Cup uncooked wild u Brown rice
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1 tablespoon dried parsley or Italian spice
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1/2 teaspoon Salt
For the cod:
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4 fillets skinless cod (about 1 pound)
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1/2 teaspoon Salt
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1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
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2 tablespoon unsalted buttermelted
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2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For the fennel:
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1/2 Cup boiling water
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1/3 Cup golden raisins
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1/4 Cup Extra virgin olive oildivided
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2 big fennel bulbsthinly sliced (fronds reserved for garnish)
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1/2 teaspoon Salt
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1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
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2 big shallotsthinly sliced
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1 teaspoon honey
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1/4 Cup fresh lemon juice
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1/3 Cup toasted sliced almonds
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1/3 Cup parsley leavestightly packed
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1 lemonquartered for garnish
method
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Cook rice:
In a 9×13 inch casserole dish (glass, ceramic, or metalwork), stir together 2 cups boiling water, the wild rice mixture, dried parsley, and salt. Immediately cover the pan tightly with foil and place in the oven to bake for 50 minutes.
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Prepare cod:
While the rice is cooking, pat the cod dry with kitchen paper and season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, mix butter and lemon juice. Put them aside.
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Fluff up the rice and add the cod:
After 50 minutes, remove the rice from the oven and give it a good stir – making sure to preserve the edges and spread it out again in an even layer. Place the cod on top of the rice and drizzle the lemon butter mixture over each fillet.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over the rice along the edges of the dish. Cover the dish tightly with foil and return to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cod is cooked through. It turns from translucent to opaque and gently flakes off when poked with a fork. A thermometer stuck in the center should read 145°F.
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Meanwhile, fill up the raisins:
In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of boiling water and the golden raisins. Let the raisins soak for at least 5 minutes. Drain the raisins in a colander or finely into the sink and set aside.
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Prepare the warm fennel salad:
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the sliced fennel, salt and black pepper. Sauté the fennel until it starts to soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the shallots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. The fennel and shallots should be soft but not browned or mushy.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, and lemon juice and stir until honey is dissolved.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the plump raisins, almonds, and lemon dressing. Taste and season with more salt, black pepper or honey. Fold in the parsley.
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Arrange and serve:
Arrange some rice on a plate, along with the cod fillet and warm fennel salad. Garnish with fennel leaves, if desired, and serve with quartered lemons squeezed over the cod.
To save leftovers, separate the cod, fennel salad, and rice into separate containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Since the fish warms up at a different rate than the rice, heat it separately in the microwave.
Did you like the recipe? Leave us a rating in the comments!
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 630 | calories |
| 27g | Fat |
| 58gr | carbohydrates |
| 49g | protein |
