Baked Tartar Cod with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Fennel

Today I tried a pan seared cod, baked with tartar sauce in the oven, along with roasted fennel and cute little brussel sprouts. This dish was inspired by my husband who really wanted fish and chips but is currently on some sort of diet that doesn't allow deep fried food.

We love eating cod. This odd scary monster looking fish is often at our dinner table only after it's cleaned.  This fish is so delicate and soft unlike its exterior look. We have a large supply of cod from my husband's uncle, taking up all the room in our freezer, which means I have to come up with various delicious ways to cook it. I often cook cod for fish cakes, steamed, marinated, breaded and deep fried, etc. This time, pan seared and baked. Yes. How would you cook it?

I started to feel really good about the dinner as I was putting the veggies in the oven and I remembered my fancy truffle oil that I purchased and have used only once before for this dish. I drizzled it over the veggies just a touch. I don't like to taste it too much, but the scent adds a refined, decadent feeling.

I think the combination of cod and tartar sauce is just RIGHT ON. Even my 4 year old knows it. It is a trick (or just simply a great thing) that it works every time to get him to eat cod. Today I twisted it a little by putting some sauce on top of the seared fish and baked them in the oven! Even more genius! I'm certain no one's ever done it before! 

I'm a huge fun of mayonnaise, which now has been passed onto my son. But I also have to note here that I only buy this Japanese one or make my own. I've seen an episode on this show that they feature crazy mayonnaise lovers in Japan. Good stuff. I'm right there with them, but not the shake... that's a bit much. 

I'm so happy that I have another favorite way to eat cod with tartar sauce. I also can't believe that I haven't done this until today.

Recipe: serves 2-3 people


3 medium size filets of cod (about 2 inches thick)
10-15 small brussel sprouts
half or whole fennel
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil
cumin
paprika
garlic

(tartar sauce)
2 boiled eggs
3 tbsp. of mayonnaise (I used Kewpie this time).
3 tbsp. of creme fraiche
a handful of chopped red onion
a handful of chopped Italian parsley
1 minced garlic clove
the juice from one small lemon
a pinch of salt and pepper

(topping: optional)
a hand full of panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp. of grated parmesan cheese


Preheat the oven at 425 F°. Slice fennel into 1/2" thick wedges and lay them onto a cooking sheet. Add brussel sprouts. Put salt, pepper, chopped garlic and olive oil all over the veggies. Put it in the oven for 20 minutes. (If you have big brussel sprouts cut them in half).

Heat a pan well with medium high heat with 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Put salt, pepper, other spices plus olive oil on the cod filets.  Sear the filets on the pan both sides until they are nice and crispy for 1 minute each side.

Put generous amount of tartar sauce over the fish filets, and then followed by the panko and parmesan cheese mixture. Put the pan in the oven at 425 F° for about 12-15 minutes until the fish is cooked.

Serve fish and veggies with some lemon juice over (truffle oil is optional).