Brown Butter Roasted Cod with Asparagus
Cod roasts with asparagus while brown butter, laced with sumac and coriander, turns golden and clings to every edge of the fish. The olives hit first, salty and punchy, then the pistachios come in with crunch, and the herbs keep it all feeling bright. It’s the kind of dish you bring to the table and immediately go back for your own second serving before anyone else gets the idea.
Servings: Four
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds skinless cod fillet
2 bunches asparagus
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sumac
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup castelvetrano olives, pitted roughly chopped
1/4 cup pistachios
2 tablespoons parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut asparagus into 2-inch pieces.
Make brown butter: In a small stainless steel saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and cook, swirling occasionally, until it smells nutty and turns light brown, 3–4 minutes. Stir in sumac and ground coriander and remove from heat.
Prepare fish and vegetables: Pat cod dry and cut into 4 equal portions. Place cod in a baking pan and scatter asparagus pieces and olives around the fish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
Add brown butter: Spoon the brown butter evenly over the fish and asparagus.
Roast: Transfer pan to the oven and roast until the cod is just opaque in the center and the asparagus is tender, 15-20 minutes depending on thickness.
Plate: Finely chop pistachios, parsley, and chives together and combine with lemon zest and lemon juice. Scatter the pistachio herb mixture over the roasted cod and vegetables and serve immediately.
Notes:
Halibut works well here if cod is unavailable. Choose thick skinless cod fillets and roast the same way, checking a minute or two earlier since cod cooks slightly faster.
If asparagus spears are very thick, slice them lengthwise before cutting into pieces so they cook evenly with the fish.
