Oven-baked cod filets

I love fish. All kinds of fish. I  probably cook it at least once a week. In the oven. On the stovetop. On the grill. But I regularly hear from friends who say they either don’t like fish or they just don’t eat it. Well, I say that may be because they’ve either never had it cooked properly, they’re intimidated by the seafood counter or they just have no idea what to do with it.

This simple recipe for oven-baked cod calls for dipping filets of any dense white fish like cod or haddock, into salted milk, then dredging it in a breadcrumb/parmesan mixture, topping it with melted butter and thyme, and then cooking it at a very high temp for a very short time. Boom. That’s it! It’s a great family fish dish that I’ve made for maybe 25 years. My kids loved it so much they used to request it for dinner.

Oven-baked cod filets with honey-roasted carrots and shaved Brussels sprouts

Farrar Food Photography

Oven-baked Cod Filets

Serves 4

2 lbs. fresh cod filets (can use frozen, but defrost first)

1 Tbsp. salt

1 cup milk (I use skim)

3/4 cup Italian Style Breadcrumbs (they add more flavor, but plain work well too)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (I grate my own Locatelli. But any grated Parmesan will do)

1 tsp. dried thyme (rolled between your hands to release the flavor)

1/4 cup butter, melted, plus extra butter for baking dish

Preheat the oven to 550 degrees (not a typo). Butter an 8 x 11 1/2 baking dish. Add the salt to the milk in a measuring cup. Combine breadcrumbs and grated cheese on a piece of parchment paper, foil or a dish. Cut the fish filets into 3-4 inch pieces. Then one at a time, dip the fish pieces into the salted milk, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture covering well, and place in the buttered baking dish. Slowly spoon the melted butter over each piece of fish, pouring it slow enough that most of it absorbs into the breading. Top with the dried thyme. Bake for 11 minutes until golden brown, but check it often. This is a very high oven temp and the time will vary with the thickness of your fish.

Serve with my honey-roasted baby carrots and shaved Brussels sprouts! Find both recipes under Side Dishes and Vegetables. A perfectly healthy meal.