This restaurant-quality seafood recipe made in under 20 minutes. Tender cod fillets are lightly floured and seared until golden, then basted in a rich garlic lemon butter sauce for bright, buttery flavor in every bite. Serve with St. Elmo Tartar Sauce for the perfect finishing touch.
Ingredients
- 4 (6 oz.) cod fillets, patted dry
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh herbs (such as parsley or thyme), optional
- St. Elmo Tartar Sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
- Season the cod: Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels. Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.
- Dredge lightly in flour: Place flour on a plate and lightly coat both sides of each fillet, shaking off any excess.
- Sear the fish: Add olive oil to the hot skillet. Once the oil is shimmering (just beginning to smoke), carefully add the cod fillets. Press down lightly with a spatula and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes.
-
Flip and baste: Flip the fillets and immediately add butter, minced garlic, lemon juice, and fresh herbs (if using) to the skillet.
As the butter melts, continuously spoon the lemon butter sauce over the cod while it cooks for an additional 4 minutes, or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. - Serve: Transfer cod to a serving plate and spoon extra lemon butter sauce over the top. Serve warm with St. Elmo Tartar Sauce.