Cod with Romesco Sauce
Why this recipe works
- Layered sauce: Roasted peppers, toasted almonds, garlic and smoked paprika create a sauce with sweetness, nuttiness and depth.
- Bright balance: Sherry vinegar cuts through the olive oil and richness of the almonds, keeping the romesco lively with the mild fish.
- Fast but complete: The sauce is blended while the cod cooks quickly in a pan, giving a full-flavoured dinner in around 35 minutes.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Use well-drained peppers: Draining the roasted red peppers helps the romesco stay thick and spoonable rather than watery.
- Toast the almonds carefully: Light toasting brings out their nutty flavour; remove them from the pan once fragrant so they do not turn bitter.
- Adjust the tang: If the sauce tastes too rich, add a little more vinegar; if it tastes sharp, soften it with extra olive oil.
Texture tips
- Dry the cod well: Patting the fillets dry before seasoning helps them brown properly instead of steaming in the pan.
- Watch the thickness: Thin fillets cook quickly, while thicker pieces need a little longer; remove the fish once it is opaque and flakes easily.
Make-ahead tips
- Make the romesco ahead: The sauce can be prepared in advance and kept separately from the fish, then served at room temperature or warmed very gently.
- Store fish and sauce apart: Keeping the cod and romesco in separate containers helps preserve the texture of the fish and prevents the sauce from thinning.
- Reheat gently: Warm the cod over a low heat until piping hot, and avoid boiling the romesco so the olive oil does not split.
Authenticity notes
- Catalan-style sauce: Romesco is associated with Catalan cooking and is known for its blend of roasted peppers, nuts, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.
- Nut variations: Almonds are common in romesco, though some versions use hazelnuts or a mixture of nuts for a slightly different flavour.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Romesco sauce
Cod
To finish
Instructions
- Make the romesco: toast the blanched almonds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate to cool slightly.
- In a blender, combine the roasted red peppers, toasted almonds, garlic, sherry vinegar, smoked paprika and the romesco salt. Blend until mostly smooth, then with the motor running drizzle in 4 tbsp of the extra virgin olive oil to make a thick, spoonable sauce.
- Pat the cod dry and season all over with the remaining salt. Warm 1 tbsp of the extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat, then add the cod and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until well browned.
- Turn the cod and cook for a further 2 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. If the pan looks dry, add a small splash more of the romesco olive oil from the measured amount.
- Spoon the romesco onto plates and set the cod on top. Finely chop the parsley, scatter it over, and finish with the remaining 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil as a drizzle.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the best sear, make sure the cod is very dry before it goes into the hot pan and avoid moving it until it releases easily.
- If serving anyone who is pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised, cook the cod until piping hot throughout and it flakes cleanly at the thickest point.
Substitutions
- Replace blanched almonds with roasted almonds for a deeper, toastier flavour.
- Replace sherry vinegar with red wine vinegar for a slightly sharper tang.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Store the cod and romesco separately in airtight containers. Reheat the cod gently in a frying pan over a low heat until piping hot; serve the romesco at room temperature or warmed very gently so it does not split.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 2 servings
- Total time: 35min (25min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Spanish
-
Allergens:
Almonds Fish
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