Cooked up some nice cod tonight. One of the things I've learned is that quality of seafood makes a big difference to the cooking, not just the taste. My favourite way to cook fish is to pan fry or grill it, but if the fish is from the supermarket, and probably been frozen and thawed along the way, that doesn't work out too well. That kind of fish just dumps its moisture into the pan, and sits there simmering in its own juices. It does not look like the pictures in my book.
I thought for a long time I was doing something wrong, but it really does come down to getting a decent bit of fish in the first place. I think the best bet with supermarket fish is to cook them another way.
If you are feeling a bit adventurous, you can try this. It's simple, but gives a completely different flavour. It's very rich, so don't do it too often.
1. Get half an onion and chop it into small pieces.
2. Get 4-5 small tomatoes (forgot their names) per cod fillet, cut in half.
3. Take cod out of fridge and make sure you keep it out for 10-15 mins so it's mostly at the same temperature (helps with cooking)
4. Medium heat on pan with a bit of oil and put the onions in until soft (usually yakes 5-7 mins.
5. Add the tomatoes ( be careful, they may pop), let some of the juice come out and then add the cod fillet.
6. Add soy sauce (my favourite is Kikkoman), enough for the pan to be covered throughout and reduce heat slightly (don't want the soy to boil/caramelise)
7. Add one tablespoon of honey on each cod
8. Make sure both fillets have soy, tomatoes and honey a bit everywhere (using a spoon)
9. Turn cod then wait until ready (I use one of those thermometers to check when food is ready)
10. Serve with rice (which will absorb some of the sauce too)
Hope you enjoy. I usually use Tesco Cod Finest Fillet or whatever it's called. But better when it's from fishmongers.
