Brown Butter Cod
I hate to admit it, but I love butter. If it weren’t for my love of butter I would have never joined Weight Watchers or started this blog. 😉 But seriously, butter is an amazing ingredient and even if you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle or “watching” what you’re eating you can still enjoy the deliciousness that is butter.
One of my favorite sauces I learned in culinary school is beurre noisette or brown butter. Brown butter is achieved when you melt butter and continue to cook it until the milk solids have browned and the water has evaporated. The color of the butter will turn a light brown or tan color. It creates a deep, nutty, and rich flavor. It’s great for using in savory dishes such as vegetables or meat, but also great in sweet applications like in cookies, cakes, or even frosting.
I created this recipe to highlight the sheer lusciousness of the brown butter and how it can elevate something pretty average to a dish that is utterly delectable.
Ingredients
12 oz cod, into 4 pieces**
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 tsp thyme, chopped
1 tbsp shallot, minced
1 tbsp green peppercorns (in brine), crushed
2 tbsp butter1 tbsp lemon juice
**Feel free to substitute any white-fleshed fish you prefer (halibut, bass, sablefish, skate, turbot, flounder, etc)
Cooking instructions
Rub the cod fillets evenly with the lemon zest and thyme. Let the flavors marry for at least 15 minutes.
Season your cod fillets with salt and pepper. Place a sauté pan over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add your cod fillets and sauté for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove cod and set aside.
Turn your sauté pan down to low heat and add your shallots and green peppercorns. Sweat for 1-2 minutes.
Add your butter and let it melt over low heat. Continue cooking the butter until golden brown. Then add your lemon juice.
Add your cod fillets back into the pan with the sauce and let it cook together for 1 minute.
Serve immediately. Make sure to drizzle leftover brown butter sauce over the fillets and savor the rich butter taste.
