Oven Baked Cod

Trying to recreate battered cod is an absolute pain in the arse. It’s messy and the smell that comes off a fryer is horrible, it even makes your clothes smell of the oil. Not exactly what you want every time you fry fish. How about trying this oven baked cod? I crisp up my breadcrumbs in a pan before hand and mix in some herbs, lemon zest and lovely smoked paprika to create an amazing crust, that crisps up beautifully in the oven. Finally no more soggy coating or cremating the fish to get it crispy!

It’s a really healthy alternative when compared to the traditional takeaway fish. It’s ready in under 30 minutes and you can stick some homemade wedges into the oven and some peas in a pot to complete the whole experience.

In other news.. I’m getting really tired of applying for jobs and not hearing anything back. The joys of having no previous restaurant and only a little bit of retail experience! I’d nearly work for free at this stage, how people can happily sit at home on the dole all day is beyond me, it’s actually depressing. So I’m pretty much working on the blog 9 – 5 as of late. I’ve been doing some tweaks under the bonnet and writing recipes so hopefully posts will start to naturally flow over the next week or two.

Method

1. In a large pan, heat the olive oil on a medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and continue mixing until the crumbs begin to crisp up and turn golden. Tip the crumbs into a large bowl and add the parsley, thyme, lemon zest, paprika and season well with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile tip the flour into one shallow dish and the beaten egg into another. Taking one piece of fish at a time, coat it first in flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Arrange the fish on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake in the preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes (time varies depending on the size of fish).
3. Serve immediately, and don’t forget the lemon wedges!