Baked cod provençal makes a fantastic quick and healthy midweek meal. Meaty fish meets the sun-kissed flavours of the South of France, while the saffron potatoes add even more colour to this beautifully fresh and vibrant dish.

Temperatures

For perfectly cooked cod, take the fillets up to a temperature of 60°C on your Thermapen.

Ingredients

4 servings

For the Cod

• 4 skinless cod fillets
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp black olives, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
• Olive oil

For the saffron potatoes

• 500 g russet potatoes (or similar), cut into 5mm slices
• 600 ml water or chicken stock
• Good pinch of saffron
• 8 cloves garlic
• 30 g unsalted butter

Directions

To make the cod

• Preheat the oven to 200˚C / 180˚C fan / gas 4.
• Gently heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and sauté the onion for a few minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and tomatoes and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes. Add a splash of water to the pan to stop it from sticking. Stir in the tomato puree and paprika. Add the olives and take off the heat. Leave to one side.
• Place the cooked vegetables into a buttered baking dish and lay the cod fillets on top. Season well and brush lightly with olive oil.
• Bake until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 60°C.

To make the saffron potatoes

• Parboil the potatoes, then drain and leave to one side.
• Add the saffron to a pint of boiled water or chicken stock. ⁠Leave for 20 mins to infuse. ⁠ ⁠
• Add the butter to a frying pan and cook the potatoes for 5 minutes on each side, creating a crunchy browned skin.⁠
• Pour the saffron liquid over the potatoes, bring to a simmer, cook until reduced by a third. Drain and serve with the fish and vegetables.

Laura Tulloch

Thermapen Chef & Caterer

@laura_sussexfoodie

"I love my Thermapen, it really helps me cook with confidence. As a caterer the health and safety of everyone you cook for is paramount, but that doesn't mean you have to compromise with your cooking. A simple reassuring check with the Thermapen throughout the process is all that's needed to allow you to enjoy, and confidently serve what you've made."