“The combination of fish and tahini is one we find hard to resist, but this works just as well without the tahini sauce if you’re looking for a shortcut, or want to keep the focus on the lemon,” say Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley.
“Either way, this is as close to fast food as you can get. It’s a 15-minute meal to make, beginning to end. Possibly even less time to eat.”
And if you don’t have cod, no worries. “Any other meaty white fish works just as well here: sea bass and halibut, for example. Salmon also works well,” they add.
Roasted cod with a coriander crust
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Roasting dish
Ingredients
- 60 ml olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 50 g coriander finely chopped
- 2.5 tsp fish spice mix (see below)
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 4 large cod loins (or another sustainably sourced white fish) skin on (about 700g)
- 4 large fresh bay leaves (optional)
- 2 lemons cut one into 8 very thin slices, and quarter the other lengthways into wedges to serve
- 4 tbsp tahini sauce (optional – see below) to serve
- Salt and black pepper
For the fish spice mix:
- 2 tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
For the tahini sauce:
- 150 g tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- Salt
Method
- Make the tahini sauce (makes one medium jar): Mix together all the ingredients, along with 120ml of water and quarter teaspoon of salt. If it is too runny, add a bit more tahini. If it is too thick, add a bit more lemon juice or water. You want the consistency to be like that of a smooth, runny nut butter. It will thicken up when left to sit around, so just give it a stir and some more lemon juice or water every time you use it.
- To make the fish spice mix simple stir all the ingredients together.
- Preheat the oven to 230°C fan.
- Put two tablespoons of oil into a small saucepan and place on a medium-low heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 10 seconds, then add the coriander, fish spice mix, chilli flakes, a quarter teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper.
- Cook for four to five minutes, stirring frequently, for the garlic to really soften, then remove from the heat.
- Place the cod in a parchment-lined roasting dish, skin side down, and brush with the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper then spoon the coriander mix on top of each fillet. Spread it out so that the whole top is covered, then top each one with a bay leaf, if using, along with two slices of lemon. Roast for seven to eight minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
- Serve at once, with about a tablespoon of tahini sauce drizzled over, if using, and a wedge of lemon alongside.
Nutrition
Falastin: A Cookbook by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley, photography by Jenny Zarins, is published by Ebury Press.
Labneh cheesecake recipe with roasted apricots, honey and cardamom
Best-selling fish cook books
Stuck for inspiration? Check out our list of best-selling Amazon products!
No products found.
You may be interested in…
This article may include affiliate links to products and services where we may receive a small fee to support the running of this site if you make a purchase or is a sponsored article from one of our select editorial partners providing valuable advice and information to our readers.
