Cod with confit lemon and zhoug

1. 1

   To make the confit lemon, mix 150ml water and the sugar together in a saucepan and place over a medium heat until simmering. Add the basil and lemon and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

2. 2

   To make the zhoug, crush the black peppercorns and caraway, cardamom, mustard and ajwain seeds with a pestle and mortar. Blend the coriander, chillies, garlic, olive oil, salt, a splash of water and the crushed spices in a blender to form a green paste. Add more olive oil if needed to achieve a mayonnaise consistency.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.

4. 4

   To make the cod, heat the vegetable oil in an ovenproof frying pan until hot and fry the cod fillets on each side for about 3 minutes until golden-brown. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 4 minutes, until the fish is cooked through but still moist. Place the pan back on the hob, add the butter, turn the fish over and baste with the juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the ginger.

5. 5

   Spoon the zhoug onto warmed plates and then place the fish alongside. Add the lemon slices on top of the fish, drizzle with the lemon liquid and garnish with coriander leaves and a grinding of black pepper. Serve immediately.

1 serving ≈ 213 g

Nutrition values are estimates. - means data is unavailable.