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Cod With Scallion-Sesame Butter

4.5

(45)

A crusty cod fillet on a plate topped with a butterscallion relish with a pool of sauce gathering on the plate.
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime

This nod to scallion-ginger sauce uses both butter and olive oil, giving extra richness to lean whitefish. A dusting of cornstarch imparts that restaurant-style golden crisp.

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

4

5–6-oz. cod or other flaky whitefish fillets

Kosher salt

2

Tbsp. cornstarch or all-purpose flour

6

Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1

bunch scallions, thinly sliced

4

Tbsp. unsalted butter

1

tsp. toasted sesame oil

1

1” piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped

2

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pat fish dry with paper towels; season with salt. Sprinkle one side with an even layer of cornstarch; brush off excess. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Lay fish, cornstarch side down, in skillet and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until golden, crisp, and opaque around the edges, 6–8 minutes. Turn fish over and cook just until fillets are cooked through and flake easily with a fork, 1–2 minutes.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, place scallions in a medium heatproof bowl. Combine butter, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and remaining 4 Tbsp. olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter begins to foam and garlic turns light golden, about 4 minutes. Pour over scallions, stirring to wilt. Let cool 1 minute, then season with salt.

    Step 3

    Serve fish with scallion-sesame butter spooned over.

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Reviews (45)

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  • So easy! So delicious! I served this with egg noodles and zucchini on the side. I finished it all with a touch of maldon sea salt.

    • Jordan R

    • Chicago, IL

    • 3/2/2022

  • This was a miss. We found it incredibly bland and flavorless.

    • Eric B.

    • 1/19/2022

  • This is a very curious recipe in that it resembles in its flavors many of the components of Cantoneses style steamed fish. You choose to fry it and then essentially add the aromatics and other components afterwards . It seems to me there are distinct advantages to steaming the fish fillet with the aromatics and then adding a sauce to it afterwards . One is that the fish becomes infused with the flavors while steaming and two you get a nice less greasy finish to it by adding soy sauce and sesame sauce and perhaps sesame for crunch while forgoing much olive oil or butter for a milder vegetable based oil and water. But many will appreciate the simplicity of frying .

    • Randall

    • Madison , Wi

    • 1/11/2022

  • Tasty! Like other reviewers I thought the sauce was too greasy. The second time I made it, I doubled the sesame oil, ginger and garlic, omitted the olive oil completely and added a splash of rice wine vinegar.

    • Josie

    • Chicago

    • 12/30/2021

  • I agree with the comments to increase the non-fat ingredients in the sauce to avoid it being too greasy if making it on its own. I think this concern is eliminated if you put the fish over rice, angel hair pasta, or couscous (as someone else recommended). That way the starch can absorb some of the fat. I also added some very thinly sliced jalepenos to the scallions before pouring the sauce over them. Added a good kick if you're into that sort of thing. Unlike other comments, I thought the sesame flavor was present from the proportions in the recipe. If it isn't, get better sesame oil.

    • Chris

    • Atlanta, GA

    • 11/9/2021

  • I thought this was a great light flavored dish. The crisp on the fish was fantastic. I reduced the olive oil in the sauce due to the reviews and it turned out great. Nice summer entree.

    • Rigletto’s Daughter

    • Westchester, NY

    • 8/13/2021

  • I also found the sauce bland and greasy. Couldn't taste the sesame flavor. Added juice of half a lemon and Aleppo pepper to cut grease and amp flavor.

    • Anonymous

    • Elkhorn, WI

    • 8/11/2021