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How to Cook Cod: 7 Delicious Ways to Prepare Cod Fish

Baked Cod

To prepare a simple yet delicious type of cod through baking, one needs to take a three-pound piece of cod from the middle of the fish.

Take a forcemeat of breadcrumbs, minced parsley, thyme, seasoning, and yolk of an egg.
Fill that inside the fish and sew it to keep that inside.
Place in a baking dish the stuffed fish surrounded by sliced carrot, turnip, and small onion.
Pour on the fish a spoonful of vinegar, and place above two or three lumps of butter; bake until the fish is done – about 20 minutes.
Take out the vegetables, but serve with the fish the boiling liquid that has formed in the dish instead of sauce.

Cod Fried à la Maître d’Hôtel

Give your fried cod class with this elegant recipe featuring crispy fish in sharp aromatic sauce.

Begin by taking two or three thick slices of cod.
Soak the slices in salt water for 30 minutes.
Remove from water and pat dry with clean kitchen towel.

Prepare the flour with seasoning:

Place the flour on a suitable container and mix it with salt and pepper.

Dip each slice in the prepared flavored flour, making sure each gets a good coating.
Fry slices of cod in plenty of oil or fat in a large deep pan until it is hot and shiny until golden brown; this only takes a few minutes.

To serve:

On a warmed serving dish, place the fried slices in an orderly little pyramid.

Now, for your Sauce Piquante-sharp sauce accompanying your cod:

Melt the two tablespoons of butter over medium heat, allowing it to shimmer and slightly bubble in a small saucepan.
Add two fresh, chopped tablespoons of parsley and half an ounce of flour in the bowl, whisking continuously until one fine, silky sauce practically begs to be poured onto whatever entree desired.
Season liberally with salt and pepper, allowing the flavors to meld together in perfect harmony.
Stir in a tablespoon of vinegar to inject into the mix a zesty, tangy kick that will brighten up the sauce and lift the entire dish.
Then add a splash of water at any time, if needed, just to thin it down to a creamy, pourable consistency.
Let it boil up for a few moments until flavors combine in a harmonious richness and zest.
Once ready, immediately drizzle the piping hot vibrant sauce artfully around the crispy fried cod, turning this into a visual and culinary masterpiece.

Serve it at once and enjoy the satisfying crunch of the cod balanced with the lively tang of the piquant sauce.

A dish this divine is best savored one luscious bite at a time.

Two Tasty Recipes for Cod Fish:

Creamy Cod – Cod à la Crème

A very creamy cod dish made with either leftover boiled cod, or fresh cod. If using fresh, of course boil the cod first until it becomes tender.

Break the fish into flakes and remove the skin and bones.
Take a pint of milk in a saucepan; add to it one teaspoon of salt and lemon rind.
Boil it and pour out into a basin.
In the same saucepan melt an ounce of butter, stir in an ounce of flour to make a smooth mixture.
Put in a little cayenne pepper.
Put in the milk gradually, stirring all the time and boil the whole up until thick.
Put in the cod flakes in this sauce and heat through.
When this is hot, place it on a hot dish, sprinkle tufts of parsley over the top, and serve slices of toasted bread on the side with which to dip into the sauce.

Curried Cod

If you have some boiled cod left over, curried cod is a delicious way to use it.

Flake the cod and give it a quick fry in butter. Just enough to heat it through, then set it aside, on a warmed plate.
In the same pan melt an ounce of butter and add two sliced shallots in, along with a small diced apple.
Sauté until they are golden and fragrant.
Add one tablespoon of flour, half a teaspoon each of curry powder and salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper-according to taste.
Stir in gradually a teacup of stock; continue stirring until it thickens, making a smooth sauce.
Return the cod flakes to the pan, reheat all gently, and serve hot.

This is great with a border of boiled rice arranged around the edges of the serving dish.

Salted Cod with Parsnips

Two pounds of salted cod soaked in water for 24 hours, changing the water sometimes.

Soaked cod: drain and put it into a pot of cold water-fresh; from cold bring it gradually to a simmer and let it remain till it is quite tender, but never boil, or it will be tough.
Drain the cod and put it into a hot serving dish.
Garnish with boiled parsnips cut up to bit-sized lengths and pour over all a nice egg sauce.

Egg Sauce:

Put half a pint of milk into a saucepan and boil up with a little flour to thicken.
Add a small knob of butter, a seasoning of salt and pepper, and one lemon’s juice.
Mix in well two hard-boiled eggs, chopped up very fine.
Stir the sauce well out before covering the cod and parsnips with it.
Sprinkle fresh parsley on top.

Salted Cod Mousse:

First prepare the salted cod by soaking and cooking it as in the preceding recipe.

Drain it well and break it into small flakes.
In a little butter sauté a slice of Spanish onion until softened but not browned.
Scald the white inner crumb of a slice of white bread, mash it to a paste with a fork and combine it with the onion.
Gradually add a cup of fresh milk, stirring continuously with a whisk until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Fold in the cod flakes; beat the mixture until light and airy.
If too thick, add a little more milk to get it to the desired consistency.
Once the mousse becomes frothy, transfer it into a serving dish and garnish with small pieces of fried or toasted bread crust.

Cod, Head and Shoulders Boiled

When boiling a portion or the whole of a large cod, it’s best to crimp the fish first. To do this, make deep cuts down to the bone on both sides of the fish.

After crimping, place the fish in a mixture of vinegar and water for half an hour to help firm up the flesh.
Once ready, plunge the fish into boiling water and let it simmer until the fish is just tender.
After cooking, drain the fish and serve it on a white d’oyley (a decorative lace or linen cloth), garnished with lemon slices and parsley.

Tip: Crimping the fish not only helps it stay firmer while cooking but also makes it much easier to serve.