Roasted Wild Cod With Meyer Lemon and Caper Relish
- 1 Meyer or Eureka lemon
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar
- 4 (5-ounce) wild cod fillets
- 2 shallots, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
- ⅓ cup capers, rinsed, drained, and coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions:
Be sure to use Meyer or Eureka lemons, which are generally available in the winter and early spring, because they have thinner skin and a sweeter flavor than other types, which are too tart for this recipe.
- Start the lemons preferably a day before and no fewer than four hours before you plan to serve the dish. Cut both ends off the lemon, cut in halve lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Use a sharp knife to cut into thin wedges and then finely dice. Add the lemon pieces to a bowl with any juices that have puddled on the cutting board. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, the vinegar, and agave nectar and stir. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- Remove the fish from the fridge, pat dry, and leave on a plate to allow to come to room temperature. Arrange a rack in the top third of your oven and preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Add the shallots, capers, parsley, and olive oil to the bowl with the lemon mixture and stir to combine. The mixture should be pretty wet.
- Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper. Warm the coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Once warm, add the fish fillets to the pan without touching each other. Sear until the bottom of each fillet is just golden, about 2 minutes, and gently flip to sear the second side, about another 2 minutes.
- Spoon the lemon relish on top of each fillet, allowing the liquid from the relish to drip into the pan as well. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan and put it in the oven until the fish reaches the desired doneness. For fillets that are around 1½ inches thick, allow about 6 minutes for medium doneness. You can test it by pressing on the center; it should resist just a little bit. Alternatively, see if you can easily flake the middle of the fillet with a fork.
- Remove the fish from the oven. Carefully place each fillet and the lemon relish that is on top of it onto a plate and drizzle with a bit of the pan sauce. Sprinkle with a few grinds of pepper and serve warm.