While the weather may be gloomy and rainy here in the Pacific Northwest, it's also a time to rejoice for the incredible citrus we get to enjoy this time of year. I am always thrilled to partner with my local friends at New Seasons Market to bring you another delicious recipe to the table. Today we're making a slow-baked Sumac Citrus Cod. Simple enough for a weeknight dinner but impressive enough for a dinner party.
Citrus
Winter is definitely good for one thing, CITRUS! It's the time of year I absolutely crave that juicy, sweet fruit. The downside to it is never being 100% sure if it will be as sweet as you hope. I love picking my citrus up from New Seasons Market where I know they truly have the highest standards for choosing fruit and vegetables to stock. I knew that I had to pick some up to make this simple and delicious recipe. Heirloom oranges, blood oranges, Meyer lemons and kumquats makes this recipe something special. The sweet and tart flavors really help to give the fish some simple flavor. Not to mention look absolutely beautiful doing it!
Ingredients
This dish is so incredibly simple to prepare and really takes little time to cook. Our star ingredient is the beautiful citrus, that pairs well with our simple cod. You can absolutely change up your fish, salmon would be lovely in this dish or even halibut. Another main ingredient is olive oil, this fish is almost poached in the olive oil giving it a rich and luxurious flavor that elevates this dish. Sumac is a middle eastern spice that has a strong, vibrant acidic flavor that melds very well with the citrus. You can find it in the bulk section at New Seasons.
- 1.5 pounds Alaskan cod fillets, I prefer center cut
- sumac
- Meyer lemons
- lemon
- blood orange
- Seville or naval orange
- kumquats
- shallots
- thyme
- olive oil
- salt + pepper
Method
Fish is something that many people fear cooking. It's delicate, can be overcooked quickly and often takes time to prepare (removing bones, skin, etc.) Getting the right cut of fish and working with your local fish monger is so important. New Seasons meat and fish department can always help you to get the right cut and prepare your fish the way you need it.
For this dish, we're going to almost poach the fish in olive oil. Not a full immersion but basting the fish with the citrus oil halfway through cooking. The lower temperature allows us to cook the fish a little longer and give an ultra flaky texture that cod is known for. The oil can absolutely be used again while cooking, giving you a slight citrus oil to work with in other dishes. We'll actually use some of that oil to make our couscous side dish.
Types of Cod
Living here in the Pacific Northwest, we are lucky to have incredible access to fresh fish. Much of our fish comes from the Alaskan waters. New Seasons is always stocked with the freshest and most local fish so I can ensure to be ready for an incredible seafood meal. There are many types of cod, in this recipes we're using traditional cod which also comes in two varieties most typically Atlantic and Pacific. Here are a few general differences among the two varieties, information sourced from Pittman's Seafood.
| Atlantic Cod | Pacific Cod |
| Cold deep waters of Northern Atlantic | Found mainly in Alaska |
| Average 5-12 kg | Average 2-6 kg |
| Slightly sweet | Milder, more savory taste |
| Large flake, fall apart easily | Firm, chunkier flakes |
Whatever variety you have access to, be sure it's sustainably sourced and the highest quality of fish.
Check out the full recipe below and be sure to stop in at your local New Seasons Market to pickup all the essentials for this simple and elegant dish.
As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
xoxo,
Cosette
This post is sponsored by New Seasons Market, all opinions and ideas are my own.
Other recipes you may enjoy:
Mediterranean Lamb Bowls
Mushroom Tart
Lebanese Spinach and Beef Stew
Sumac Citrus Cod
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Fish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Simple, elegant and delicious baked cod recipe. Recipe adapted from NY Times recipe.
Ingredients
Preparing Cod
- 1.5 pounds of center-cut Alaskan Cod*
- 2 Tbsp sumac
- 2 tsp kosher salt (I prefer Diamond brand)*see note about salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 Meyer lemons
- 1 traditional lemon
- 1 naval orange
- 1 blood orange
- 4-5 kumquats
- 1 ½ cups olive oil
- 4-5 sprigs of thyme
- additional flake salt
Preparing Couscous
- 1 package of Israeli (pearl) couscous (you'll use about 4.5oz, half a package)
- 1 shallot, sliced thinly
- ¼ cup reserved olive oil from cooked fish
- 1.5 tsp sumac
- 3-4 sprigs of thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preparing Cod:
- Preheat your oven to 300 degrees
- Prepare your cod fillets. You can opt to use 2 large center-cut loin pieces or have those cut into smaller portions. Recipe remains the same with both options.
- Combine your sumac, salt and pepper and coat your cod fillets entirely. Set aside.
- In an 8x11 baking dish lay your thinly sliced shallots, add a few slices of Meyer lemon, naval orange, blood orange and kumquats.
- Squeeze one full Meyer lemon and one full traditional lemon in baking dish.
- Next add your prepared fish to the baking dish and top with olive oil, be sure to drizzle over the fish as your pour.
- Top your fish with a few slices of Meyer lemon and tuck sprigs of thyme underneath and under topped lemons.
- Place into a preheated oven to bake for 30-35 minutes until fish is opaque and flaky when forked.
- Remove from oven and serve with rice or couscous. Pour some of the oil on top of the fish and squeeze additional lemon and flake salt. Enjoy!
Preparing Couscous:
- Cook ½ of package of couscous according to package directions. Set aside until your fish is done.
- Once fish is done, in a skillet over medium-high heat add ¼ cup of the olive oil from your cooked fish. Add your sliced shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add in your prepared couscous and allow to toast and become fragrant while stirring in the skillet.
- Add in fresh thyme, sumac and season with salt + pepper to taste.
- Serve with prepared fish with an extra drizzle of olive oil in each bowl.
Notes
- You may sub halibut or salmon for cod using the same method
- If using table salt vs kosher salt, reduce your salt to 1 tsp, taste your mixture and add additional salt if needed. Table salt is much saltier than kosher salt.
Keywords: frying pan, baked cod, cod fillet recipes, cod seasoning, sumac, sumac spice, citrus fruits, orange, salmon, cod, weeknight dinner
Rob says
Really needed a pick-me-up and this recipe uses delicious winter flavors so well. Cooking fish AND using citrus are...not usually my forte, but I managed just fine. I got a little fancy and used black cod fillets from Lummi (https://lummiislandwild.com/our-seafood/sablefish-black-cod-fillets/). Definitely worth it.
Cosette's Kitchen says
Oh yay, so glad to hear!!! Great to hear black cod worked well, sounds AMAZING!
xoxo,
Cosette