Have you ever seen cod cheeks at the fish store? I don’t often see them but grab them whenever they appear. They look like large scallops (and I think are sometimes used as a cheat for them). The meat is near the bone and makes a flavorful dish.
I find they are best simply sautéed in a combination of butter and olive oil, a little finely chopped garlic added at the end, then a splash of white wine to finish. I served them with spicy lemon salsa verde. You could use chopped parsley and it would be good as well.
- 1 lb of fresh cod cheeks
- 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 finely chopped garlic clove
- ¼ cup of dry white wine
- Salt to taste
- Optional chopped parsley or spicy lemon salsa verde
- Pick over the cod cheeks, cutting out any hard bits.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.
- When the butter has melted and the foaming has stopped, add the cod cheeks to the skillet.
- Brown on one side; then turn and brown the other. Continue to cook until they are opaque and white into the center.
- Remove the cod to a warm bowl and add the chopped garlic to the skillet, turning the heat down to medium. Cook until softened, do not let the garlic brown or it will be bitter.
- Add the white wine to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce until beginning to look syrupy, and then add the last tablespoon of butter. Stir until it melts into a smooth sauce.
- Briefly return the cod cheeks to the sauce to coat and serve warm with a chopped parsley garnish or salsa verde.
I’m going to share this with the gang at Angie’s on Fiesta Friday #58.