Two perfectly cooked pieces of cod sit atop a bed of soft leeks, all garnished with fresh tarragon leaves. Vibrant cherry tomatoes tossed with lemon juice and zest add a pop of color next to the fish.

Pan-seared Cod with Leeks and Tarragon on a Tomato and Lemon Salad

Name: Pan-seared Cod with Leeks and Tarragon on a Tomato and Lemon Salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 fillets (6-8 oz each) cod fillet, skin-on; 1 large leek sliced into half-moons; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp olive oil; 4 sprigs fresh tarragon; 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp lemon zest; to taste salt; to taste pepper; for coating flour; for prepping oil; for prepping salt

Pan-seared cod with a French twist, served on a bright tomato salad.

Category Main Course

Prep 20 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Style French

Technique Pan-searing

Diet Friendly Paleo

Daily recipe · January 31, 2023

A little about this dish

With the hot weather in New York, a light and fresh main course is ideal. This recipe features cod, a fish that's in season and readily available at the markets, typical French ingredients like leeks and tarragon, all topped with a refreshing tomato and lemon salad.

Ingredients (for 2)

Cod fillet, skin-on — 2 fillets (6-8 oz each)
Large leek — 1 — sliced into half-moons
Butter — 2 tbsp
Olive oil — 2 tbsp
Fresh tarragon — 4 sprigs
Cherry tomatoes — 1 pint — halved
Lemon juice — 1 tbsp
Lemon zest — 1 tbsp
Salt — to taste
Pepper — to taste
Flour — for coating
Oil — for prepping
Salt — for prepping

Preparation

Step 1 — 🐟🧂💨

Pat dry the cod fillets, season with salt, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Step 2 — 🍃🪓🔪

Trim and slice the leeks. Cook with butter until tender, then set aside and keep warm.
Step 3 — 🐟🍳🔥

Coat the cod fillets in flour and fry in hot oil until golden and crispy. Turn and cook the other side until the flesh is cooked through.
Step 4 — 🍅🍋🥗

Lightly season halved cherry tomatoes with salt. Mix in lemon juice and zest.
Step 5 — 🍽️🐟🌿

Arrange the cooked cod over the bed of leeks, garnish with fresh tarragon, and serve with the tomato salad.

A final fox tip

Cod is packed with protein and is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Traditional French recipes call for cream in the leeks, but to make this recipe dairy-free, we swapped butter and cream for oil.