“Cod Meunière is my accessible take on the French staple Sole Meunière, fillets served in a brown butter and lemon-infused sauce with parsley and capers.”
Citrus season has unexpectedly become one of my favorite produce seasons. And we are in the heart of it my friends. Lemons. Oranges. Limes. Grapefruits. All the citrus things. In the United States, citrus fruits are in season between winter and early spring (from around December through March). Citrus peaks at a time when many of us are thinking about fresh starts and new beginnings. And nothing screams FRESH louder than a ton of citrus fruits.
Fresh ingredients make all the difference in any recipe. That is my motto. If you can get your hands on some locally grown produce and herbs from your local farmer’s market, even better.
A Rouen-Inspired Dish
This dish has a special place in my heart and the inspiration for it stems from some of the best memories I (and apparently Julia Child) had in Rouen, France. Sole Meunière was the first meal Julia Child had when she arrived at La Couronne, a restaurant in Rouen. In her memoir, she says it was the most exciting meal of her life.
While Rouen wasn’t the place where I had Sole Meunière for the first time, it is where my love for French cooking and flavors really bloomed. It’s also where I learned of Julia Child’s somewhat carefree approach to French cooking, which I find to be a cuisine with more structure. When I was thinking about how I want to prepare this dish in my own way, I set no boundaries.
Sole Meunière, But Make it Cod
Cod Meunière is my accessible take on the French staple: Sole Meunière, dover sole fillets served in a brown butter sauce (“beurre noisette”) infused with lemon and topped with parsley (and often capers). “Meunière” literally means “miller’s wife” or “female miller.” But when we say “meunière” in the cooking world, we are literally saying “cooked or served in lightly browned butter with lemon juice and parsley.”
The fish is first dredged in flour (here, I use a gluten-free flour blend), pan fried in butter, and served with the resulting brown butter sauce, lemon juice, parsley and capers. The parsley finish gives the dish a slight earthiness that counteracts the richness of butter sauce. All these flavors meet in this dish to create a bright and creamy dish worthy of being an appetizer or a main course.
When using the classic Dover Sole, your Sole Meunière will typically be slightly crispier because Dover Sole is a more delicate fish. If you’re lover of light and simple fish recipes like I am, then this recipe is a must try. The lemon juice and parsley give the fish that crisp and refreshing taste (which I absolutely love), with the capers adding a salty kick to the dish.
Why Cod Instead of Dover Sole?
I have made Sole Meunière a few times (and eaten it even more). It is indeed a timeless dish. And, of course, you can substitute the cod in this recipe with dover sole if you want to make the classic dish (just adjust the cooking time). The first time I made it, I was living at home in Northern Virginia where there is an abundance of fresh ingredients
Since moving back to New York, I find that getting fresh ingredients, especially fresh (emphasis on fresh) fish, is not impossible, but it takes a bit more planning. I have vetted several farmer’s markets, grocery stores, fish and meat markets looking for the best place to buy specific items and ingredients fo various recipes. It was through that process that I was inspired to make Cod Meunière for a few reasons:
- Cod is Accessible. Most specialty fish markets will sell dover sole at some point, even if not daily. But nearly all fish markets, grocery stores, seafood counters, and farmer’s markets offer cod fillets.
- Cod Can Feed a Multitude. Okay, so there’s a bit of exaggeration here. But, as I mentioned above, dover sole is much thinner and more delicate than cod. Naturally, there is less “fish” on a dover sole fillet, and you’ll eat more of it. Presumably, a dover sole fillet yields a smaller serving size than the thicker and heartier cod fillet.
The Fresher the Fish, The Better the Dish
Cod is a white fleshed fish that comes from the same family as haddock, whiting and pollock. It can be fried, grilled, steamed, or baked, but my favorite way to prepare it is by pan-frying the fillets on the stovetop, which is how this recipe starts out.
The cod is the center of this recipe, so using quality fillets is important. If you’re in the New York, Northern Virginia, or Los Angeles areas, here are some of my honorable mentions for finding fresh fish:
- Fish Tales: Since moving to Brooklyn, I have been a been a loyal customer of Fish Tales in the Boerum Hill area. Fish Tales has one of the most extensive selections of seafood that I have been able to find in the Brooklyn area. I also find that the folks at Fish Tales are quite knowledgeable about their seafood selection and are more than willing to answer questions and offer guidance.
- Wegmans (New York and Northern Virginia): The Wegmans seafood counter is solid. The selection varies depending on the locality, but I have been to Wegmans in VA and Brooklyn, and both are reliable.
- Tangeroa (Culver City, Los Angeles): Great selection and very fresh, but a tad pricey. I bought King Salmon from Tangeroa and it was pleasantly some of the freshest King Salmon I have ever bought. One thing I love about Tangeroa is it doubles as a causal restaurant selling all of my seafood favorites like fish and chips and shrimp tacos.
- Collins Fish Market (West Adams, Los Angeles): I think Collins is an LA staple. Another excellent and reliable selection of fresh seafood.
- Farmer’s Markets (New York, Northern Virginia, and Los Angeles): I have been to farmer’s markets in several cities and all three of the ones mentioned here and they all have seafood vendors! Don’t sleep on the farmer’s market seafood/fish vendors.
Serving Cod Meunière
Cod Meunière has a very elegant and simple flavor. It’s a dish that lets the flavors shine, so I find that it should be paired with side dishes that complement, not overwhelm, the fish. I have seen it served with mustard greens and mashed potatoes. I did something similar but paired mine with Ali Slagle’s Greek Lemon Potatoes.
Other Fish Recipes You WILL Love
- Cod in Curry
- Grilled Halibut in Corn Husks with Spiced Lime Butter
- Fish En Papillote
- Curry Braised Collard Greens with King Salmon
Cod Meunière
Cod Meunière is my take on the French classic, Sole Meunière, but with the freshest cod fillets you can get your hands on. The cod is lightly coated with gluten-free flour and pan fried in butter then served in a brown butter sauce infused with lemon and topped with parsley and capers. An elegant and simple seafood dish that lets the flavors shine.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 cod loin fillets (or a full cod fillet divided)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup gluten free all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 4 to 5 tablespoons butter
- Juice of one lemon
- 1 ½ tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon capers
Instructions
1. Season cod fillets liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place gluten-free flour and almond flour on a large, shallow plate. Dredge each fillet in flour and shake off excess.
2. In a stainless-steel or enamel-lined skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Place up to two fish fillets in the pan and cook until just done, 3 to 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fillets then transfer to a plate or baking sheet.
3. Using a rubber or plastic non-abrasive spatula, remove any burnt or browned flour bits from the skillet without rinsing the pan. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining butter to skillet and heat until bubbling and foaming. Once the butter starts to brown, decrease the heat to low and stir in the lemon juice until combined.
4. Add the cod fillets back into the skillet and spoon sauce over them. Top with parsley and capers and serve immediately.
Leave a Reply