Pan-Roasted Cod with Oregano & Kalamata Olives Recipe

When I first found and read through this recipe, I didn’t think it was more than any other fish dish I’ve recently prepared. Now that I’ve been cooking for a few years, I feel as though I have some experience with this type of thing. I will tell you though, as I was eating this fish last night, I commented on how great it tasted more than once. And for me to say these things out loud means something.

The Recipe

The primary flavor in this dish comes from the olive relish. It’s a vinaigrette that’s simply chock full of taste. It contains olive oil, oregano, vinegar, onion, mustard, pepper and olives. Needless to say, the flavor is there. The thing is, the fish is also pretty much out of this world. I’ve never salted, peppered and sugared a fish before. That was new to me. Personally, I love cod and I would be able to eat it every night of my life, if need be. But when you salt and pepper it perfectly, it gets even better. On top of that, if you sprinkle some sugar on top and then roast it, the flavors expand exponentially. The fish combined with the olive relish is to die for. Trust me.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

For the Olive Relish

2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Small Sweet Onion, Minced
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Kalamata Olives, Pitted and Minced

For the Fish

4 Thick (Captain’s Cut) Pieces (Fillets) of Cod (4 Ounces Each)
2 Tablespoons Regular Olive Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar

Step-by-Step Instructions

I’d like to thank America’s Test Kitchen for their wonderful resource called The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook. I’ve prepared many dishes that I found in this book and they’ve all been spectacular.

Pre-Heat the Oven

Arrange your oven racks so one is in the center position. Then, pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Make the Olive Relish

In a medium sized bowl, add the extra-virgin olive oil and the oregano. Then, put the bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds. This will heat the oil and encourage the flavors of the oregano to combine with it.

When that’s done, add the vinegar, onion, mustard, pepper and olives to the bowl and mix everything together well.

Cook the Fish

Warm a large skillet on your stove top over medium-high heat. Add the regular olive oil to the skillet and then add the fish to it as well. Finally, sprinkle the salt, pepper and sugar over each piece.

Allow the fish to fry in the skillet for about two to three minutes. The goal is to brown the bottoms of the fish before you place the skillet in the oven.

When you think the bottoms have browned sufficiently to offer all the flavor browning fish gives, go ahead and place the skillet in the oven for 10 minutes. During this time, the fish should cook through and it should come out nice and flaky. When it’s finished in the oven, remove the skillet and turn off the heat.

Plate & Serve

This one is easy. Using a spatula, plate each piece of fish and then divide the olive relish between plates. Scoop it out of the bowl and add it to the top of each piece of fish. Serve and enjoy!

The Final Roasted Cod with Olive Relish

I’m telling you, this is a really great recipe. Give it a try and if you like it, please let me know in the comment section down below. Thanks for reading!