One-Pan Mediterranean Cod Dinner in 20 Minutes

What is the true essence of Mediterranean cooking? It isn’t found in complicated techniques, but in the beautiful harmony of seasonality and simplicity. It’s a love letter to the land, written with sun-sweetened tomatoes, bright bursts of lemon, aromatic garlic, and handfuls of fresh, fragrant herbs marinated in olive oil. Beyond the incredible nutrition, it’s a cuisine that delights the eyes long before it ever reaches the lips.

With this dish, I am raising a glass to the Italian migrants who made Australia home. By cultivating these gorgeous ingredients on Aussie soil, they infused our relaxed lifestyle with a touch of Mediterranean magic.

So, call everyone to the table! Serve this delicious fish with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the juices, a big green salad, and a chilled glass of white wine. It’s time for a slow, generous feast.

Ingredients

• 500 grams of Cod fillet
• 2 cups of mixed colour cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
• 1 cup mixed Kalamata and green olives
• 2 tablespoons small capers
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small lemon, sliced
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• the juice of 1 fresh lemon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 4 to 5 fresh sprigs
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon red peper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200C.
• Lightly grease a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Arrange the fish fillet in the baking dish.

• In a bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, capers, olives, garlic, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, lemon juice and remaining olive oil.

• Spoon the tomato and olive mixture around and over the fish.

• Add the lemon slices, fresh thyme springs, chopped fresh parsley and fresh chopped basil on top.

• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the tomatoes are blistered.

• Serve the fish with a large fresh green salad and crusty bread for a complete Mediterranean meal. .

Tips

• There should be enough juice released from the tomatoes but if you find that the tomatoes are not that juicy, in a small bowl mix together two tablespoons of white wine with 2 tablespoons of water and pour the mixture around the fish. Keep cooking until the fish flakes easily with a fork and the tomatoes are blistered.
• Cook the fish as close to serving time as possible.