Baked Cod with Tarragon Lemon Butter Sauce

Baked Cod with Tarragon Lemon Butter Sauce

Any mild firm white fish works well with the recipe.  I use cod, which we can get frozen.  This is an easy weekday meal.  Nothing fancy, just very tasty. 

Tarragon vinegar is important for the dish, so don't skip it. Vinegar will never go bad, so it is good to have in the pantry.  It is in the vinegar aisle if you look for it.  

Fresh tarragon works best, but I find dried tarragon works just as well. 

Tarragon is a mild herb with a pronounced anise (licorice) flavor. 

---Barbara

Baked Cod with Tarragon Lemon Butter Sauce

Serves 2 - 4

6 cod fillets, fresh or defrosted

1 large lemon

1 T. tarragon vinegar

1 T. dried tarragon, or 2 T. fresh 

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper

1 T. butter

In a small bowl, grate the lemon rind, juice the lemon, add the olive oil, and tarragon vinegar, and tarragon.  

Half hour to an hour before baking, coat the fish with the marinade and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

Remove the fish from the marinade (keep the marinade for making the sauce), season with salt and pepper, and place in one layer on a baking sheet. 

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes depending on the thickness of your fish.

In a small saucepan, bring the marinade to boil, and reduce it  a little.  Takes about 5 minutes.

Stir in butter, and keep warm.  Taste it, but probably won't need any salt.  

Pour the sauce over the fish, being generous.  Goes well with fluffy basmati rice.

---Barbara