Pan-Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce

Yesterday we spent the entire day (and night) at the Dutchess County Fair! I look forward to it every Summer, and definitely didn’t hold myself back from indulging in funnel cake, deep fried oreos, french fries, and chocolate covered bananas. We occupied our afternoon trying to win oversized stuffed animals, spinning on the ferris wheel (pretty much the only ride I have the guts to get on), and strolling around the luscious fairgrounds, soaking up the late-August sun. To top it all off, Third Eye Blind put on an evening concert where I definitely sang (ok… shouted) my heart out and maybe indulged in one too many sangria slushies. The whole experience was nothing short of Summer magic!

Pan-Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce

prep : 15 mins
cook : 25 mins

total  : 40 mins
yield  : 4 servings

Ingredients
For the White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 large cloves (or 3 smaller cloves) garlic, finely minced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (more to taste)

For the Cod:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 and 1/2 pounds fresh cod, cut into 4 fillets (or four 6 ounce fillets)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
• For the White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce:
• Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're soft and blistering, but still hold their shape, 9 to 12 minutes. Add in the white wine, stir, and allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer. Stir in the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside until needed.

For the Cod:

• Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Season both sides of cod with salt and pepper. Place cod in the oil and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the cod over and place the pan in the oven to continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until it's cooked through.
• Pour the white wine tomato basil sauce over the cod and serve at once.

Notes
If your pan is not oven safe, you can transfer the cod to a baking dish or just cook a little longer in the pan.


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