WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Who isn’t looking for more simple, crowd-pleasing meals that are perfect for any night of the week during any time of the year? This ingenious recipe delivers perfectly roasted fillets and potatoes all in one sheet pan. We roasted the cod fillets atop beds of shingled sliced spuds to give the quick-cooking fish some insulation. Slicing and microwaving starchy russets with garlic and oil before roasting jump started their cooking so that the potatoes and fish finished at the same time. To infuse the mild cod with flavor, we topped each fillet with butter, thyme sprigs, and slices of lemon, allowing the three components to gently baste and season the cod as it roasted. In the end, we were met with four elegant portions of rich, tender cod and fragrant, crisp potatoes. You can substitute haddock or halibut for the cod.
SERVES: 4
TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper
- 4 (6-to 8-ounce) skinless cod fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 lemon, sliced thin
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil.
- Combine potatoes, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in bowl and season with salt and pepper. Microwave, uncovered, until potatoes are just tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
- Shingle potatoes into 4 rectangular piles that measure roughly 4 by 6 inches on prepared sheet.
- Pat cod dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and lay on top of potatoes skinned side down.
- Place butter, thyme sprigs, and lemon slices on top of cod.
- Roast until cod flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 degrees, 15 to 18 minutes.
- Slide spatula underneath potatoes and cod, gently transfer to plates, and serve.
