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Baked cod with lemon

Pikantne Christmas Eve Dinner Main Dishes 90 min Medium 14 wyświetleń ~35.28 PLN - (0)
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Description

Baked cod with lemon is a classic, light, and elegant dish perfect for Christmas Eve — the delicate white meat of the cod is enhanced by a citrus note and aromatic parsley. The dish is both simple to prepare and visually impressive (white fillet, lemon slices, green parsley) and pairs well with sides such as roasted potatoes, beets, a light dill sauce, or arugula salad. Baking in foil or covered helps retain the fish's moisture — the result is juicy, flaky fillets with a delicate flavor and subtle lemon aroma. The recipe includes detailed instructions for preparation, marinating, and checking the doneness, so even a beginner cook can achieve excellent results.

Składniki (9)

Servings:
4
  • Cod fillet 600 g
  • Lemon 3 szt.
  • Extra virgin olive oil 0.2 łyżek
  • Garlic 2 ząbki
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Table salt 5 g
  • Ground black pepper 2 szczypty
  • Parsley 1 pęczek
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Butter 30 g
  • Capers 20 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~35.28 PLN (8.82 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation

1

Take the cod fillets out of the fridge (if they were frozen, thaw them in the fridge overnight). Place the fillets on a cutting board and check for bones: gently run your fingers over the surface of the flesh, and if you feel a bone, remove it with fish tweezers (tweezers). Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel — a well-dried fillet will season better and won't cook in excess juice.

Ingredients: Cod fillet
Tools: cutting board, fish bone tweezers, paper towels. Common mistake: baking fish straight after thawing on the countertop — make sure it is completely thawed inside, otherwise the baking time will be uneven.

Marinating

2

Prepare the marinade: grate a thin layer of zest (only the yellow part) from one lemon using a zester or fine grater. Cut 1 lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl; if the lemon is large, the juice from one half will be enough (~30-40 ml). In the bowl, combine olive oil, grated lemon zest, half of the squeezed juice, finely chopped garlic, and 1/3 of the chopped parsley. Mix thoroughly with a fork.

Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, Lemon, Garlic, Parsley
Use a small ceramic or glass bowl and a microplane for the zest. Do not collect the white part of the zest (albedo) — it is bitter. If you don't have a grater, peel the zest thinly with a knife and chop finely.
3

Place the fillets on a large plate or in a shallow marinating dish skin side down (if there is skin). Drizzle the marinade evenly over the surface of the fillet using a spoon. Sprinkle with salt (evenly), add pepper. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and set aside in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes — marinating for 20 minutes is enough for the lemon and garlic flavor to penetrate the meat.

Ingredients: Cod fillet, Table salt, Ground black pepper, Extra virgin olive oil, Lemon, Garlic, Parsley
Dish: a flat baking dish or plate. Do not marinate for longer than 1 hour with an acidic marinade (lemon) — prolonged exposure to acid will start to 'cook' the meat and change its texture.

Baking preparation

4

Preheat the oven to 200°C (top-bottom) and place the rack in the middle position. Prepare a baking dish measuring about 30x20 cm (adjust according to the amount of fillet) and line it with a thin layer of oil or grease it with butter (optional).

Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, Butter
Use a well-preheated oven — preheating for 10-15 minutes is important. A baking dish with a height of 3-4 cm is sufficient. If you have a convection oven, reduce the temperature to 190°C.

Assembly before baking

5

Arrange the fillets in a dish with the marinated side facing up. Place thin slices of the second lemon on each fillet (cut the lemon into slices about 3-4 mm thick). Sprinkle with the remaining finely chopped parsley. If you are using capers (optional), scatter a few capers on each fillet. Drizzle with an additional 1 tablespoon of oil and for a richer flavor, place small pieces of butter on the fillets (optional). Cover the dish with aluminum foil (loosely) or a lid to retain moisture.

Ingredients: Cod fillet, Lemon, Parsley, Capers, Extra virgin olive oil, Butter
Use a sharp knife and cutting board to slice the lemon. Arrange the slices evenly — one slice for every 1-2 cm of the fillet. Additionally, you can add capers for a more pronounced salty-sour accent.

Baking

6

Place the dish in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake covered with foil for 12-16 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet: for fillets about 2 cm thick, bake for 12-14 minutes; thicker ones (3 cm) for 16 minutes. After this time, remove the foil and bake for an additional 2-4 minutes to achieve a slight browning of the lemon slices and skin.

Ingredients: Cod fillet, Lemon, Butter, Extra virgin olive oil
Tools: kitchen thermometer (if you have one). Common mistake: baking too long — cod dries out quickly. If you don't have a thermometer, check with a fork: the meat should be opaque and easily flake apart. The internal temperature for perfectly baked cod is about 63°C.

Readiness check

7

Check if the cod is cooked: gently press a fork into the thickest part of the fillet and slightly pull apart - the meat should be opaque and flake easily. If the meat is still translucent in the middle, put it back in the oven for another 2 minutes and check again.

Ingredients: Cod fillet
If you are using a thermometer, insert the probe into the thickest part — 63°C is a safe point. Do not leave the fillet in the oven to "finish cooking" for too long — the fish will continue to heat after being taken out.

Resting

8

Remove the dish from the oven and let the fish rest under loosely placed foil for 3-5 minutes — the juices will distribute evenly throughout the meat, and the flavor will intensify.

Ingredients: Cod fillet
Do not throw away the juices from the dish — you can pour them into a sauce boat and season with a bit of butter/oil and lemon juice to drizzle when serving.

Serving

9

Transfer the fillets to a warmed plate. Drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice (from the remaining lemon), sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley, and if you like, add a few capers. Serve with sides: roasted potatoes, blanched vegetables, or a light arugula salad.

Ingredients: Cod fillet, Lemon, Parsley, Capers
Use a large flat serving plate and a spoon to drizzle the juices from the dish. Additionally, you can add capers (optional) for a flavor contrast.

Cleaning and leftovers

10

After cooling, rinse the dish with warm water and set it aside for washing. Any leftover fish should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours — after that, the taste and texture will deteriorate.

Container for leftovers: airtight plastic or glass. Do not freeze already cooked fish unless necessary — its texture will be different after thawing.

Fun Fact

💡

Cod has been an important ingredient on the festive tables of maritime communities in the north for centuries; in many European countries, including Poland, fish dishes are traditional on Christmas Eve.

Best for

Wigilia Rodzinny obiad Świąteczna kolacja

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the cod on a warm plate, immediately after a short rest. A light yogurt-dill sauce, roasted young potatoes with rosemary, or beets pair well with the dish. Garnish with a slice of lemon and fresh parsley just before serving.

🥡 Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. To reheat, use an oven preheated to 160°C and heat for 6-8 minutes covered with foil to prevent drying out. Repeated reheating of fish is not recommended.

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