This cod with tomatoes and capers is such a simple dish, but it’s beyond delicious. Perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner!
If you’re looking for a tasty new way to serve fish that comes together in a pinch, this is just the ticket. Follow me…
What you’ll need
The awesome thing about this recipe is that you only need a handful of simple, store-bought ingredients. The full quantities are in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick note on each ingredient:
- Cod – You’ll want to use boneless skinless fillets, which you’ll find in all supermarkets and fishmongers.
- Flour – This is seasoned with salt and pepper and will be used to coat the fish (more on this in a sec).
- Butter – For frying the cod and also to create the sauce.
- Oil – This will be used to fry the cod alongside some of the butter.
- Wine – This cuts through the rich, buttery sauce and adds a mellow background flavour. It’s also great for deglazing the pan.
- Stock – Some vegetable stock will help create the sauce.
- Parsley – I love loads of fresh parsley with this recipe, both in the sauce and to garnish.
- Garlic – Adds flavour and pairs amazingly with the tomatoes and capers.
- Capers – The salty, vinegary flavour of capers pairs beautifully with fish.
- Tomatoes – These add little bursts of sweetness that balance out the salty, tangy flavours in the sauce. You’ll want to use cherry tomatoes or baby plum tomatoes.
Pan-Fried Cod
Before you do anything, I recommend using kitchen roll/paper towels to pat the cod dry and remove excess moisture. Excess moisture is going to prevent you from getting a nice golden crust. It will also cause the pan to ‘spit’ at you, which is never fun.
Dredging the cod through flour
Coating the cod in a thin layer of flour is important for two reasons:
- It helps the cod build up a light, crispy crust.
- It absorbs the sauce and helps it cling to the cod, instead of sliding right off it.
From there, we’re going to fry the cod in a combination of butter and oil; the butter adds a rich flavour, whilst the oil helps prevent the butter from burning. You’ll want to use a non-stick pan – cod is very delicate and can break apart if it sticks to the pan.
Process shots: add cod to seasoned flour (photo 1), coat then shake excess (photo 2), add to butter and oil (photo 3), fry both sides then remove (photo 4).
Tomato and Caper Sauce
The base of the sauce starts with the leftover butter and oil from the cod. Alongside the capers and garlic, I like to fry the parsley stalks too (just to reduce waste and add more flavour to the sauce).
Reducing the wine
When you add the wine, it’s really important to simmer it right down, almost until it has evaporated. This will burn off the alcohol and prevent the sauce from being too bitter.
Thickening the sauce
For this recipe, I love to coat the butter in the leftover flour and whisk it into the stock. This creates a light, glossy sauce that coats the cod perfectly. It’s a much easier method than creating a roux.
Process shots: fry capers, garlic and parsley stalks (photo 1), reduce wine then add stock (photo 2), toss butter in leftover flour (photo 3) add to sauce (photo 4), whisk to melt and bind with sauce (photo 5), stir in tomatoes and parsley (photo 6).
How to serve Cod with Tomatoes & Capers
I like to add the cod back into the pan momentarily, just to coat it in the sauce and very gently warm it back through. From there, I love to finish with loads of fresh parsley!
To serve, I typically just serve with some warm, crusty bread. Rice or mash also work nicely. If you want some more veg I recommend green beans or asparagus!
For more delicious cod recipes check out my Cod and Parsley Sauce, Garlic Butter Cod and Simple Pan-Fried Cod!
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this cod with tomatoes and capers shall we?!
How to make Cod with Tomatoes and Capers (Full Recipe & Video)
Cod with Tomatoes and Capers
Equipment
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Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
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Paper Towels/Kitchen Roll (for patting cod dry)
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Large Shallow Dish (for dredging cod)
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Large Non-Stick Pan & Spatula/Turner
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Wooden Spoon
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Jug (for stock)
Ingredients
Cod
- 4x 120-150g/4-5oz boneless skinless Cod Fillets (see notes)
- 35g / 1/4 cup Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp / 15g Unsalted Butter
Sauce
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 2 tbsp Capers, drained (keep 1 tsp brine)
- 1/2 small bunch of Fresh Parsley, large stalks & leaves separated and both finely diced (~15g/0.5oz)
- 60ml / 1/4 cup Dry White Wine
- 120ml / 1/2 cup Vegetable Stock
- 3 tbsp / 45g Unsalted Butter, diced into cubes (keep in fridge until needed)
- 250g / 9oz Baby Plum or Cherry Tomatoes, halved
Instructions
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Pat the cod dry with kitchen roll/paper towels to remove excess moisture. In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. One by one coat the cod fillets in the flour, shake off excess then place to one side. Keep the leftover flour.
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Heat 1 tbsp oil and butter in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place the cod in and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until light golden on the outside and just about opaque through the centre. Carefully remove the fillets and place them on a plate to one side. Timings will depend on the thickness of the fillets, but I recommend being cautious as the cod will carry on slightly as it rests and when added back to the pan.
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Add the capers, garlic and finely diced parsley stalks to the leftover fat in the pan and fry for 10-20 seconds (careful the garlic doesn't burn). Pour in the wine & caper brine and rapidly simmer for 2 minutes until it almost completely evaporates and the pungent smell of alcohol disappears.
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Lower the heat to medium and pour in the stock. Toss the remaining butter in the leftover flour, shake off excess, then whisk it into the stock until melted. Add the tomatoes, half of the finely diced parsley leaves and the resting juices from the cod. Stir and simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens and the tomatoes just begin to soften.
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Check for seasoning and adjust if needed, then gently place the cod back in the pan. Spoon over the sauce, then serve up with extra parsley and enjoy!
Video
Notes
b) Seasoning – I find that the capers/brine + the stock offers enough saltiness for this dish. You can however adjust it if you need to. If you’re very sensitive to salt, you could also use low salt stock too, but just make sure the sauce is properly seasoned, otherwise it could turn out bland.
c) Serving – I love this with some warm crusty bread. You can serve with an extra veg (green beans or asparagus work well). If you want more of a carby dinner then rice or mash works great.
d) Inspiration – This recipe pulls on ingredients/techniques from my Garlic Butter Cod and Chicken Piccata, and is inspired by a recipe I spotted from Sip and Feast!
e) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 4 assuming half the flour is used.
Nutrition
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