Pan Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Basi

Pan Seared Cod in White Wine Tomate Basil Sauce

For the White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce :
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup crisp white wine (Franzia Crisp White, or Pinot Grigio)
1/2 cup fresh basil (dry herbs will not work for this recipe)
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest (from one lemon...always zest before juicing)
1/2 tsp. salt, or more, to taste
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, or more, to taste

For the Cod:
2 Tbs. olive oil (I would add a pat of butter, for extra flavor & richness)
1.5# fresh (or frozen, thawed and dried)
Kosher or sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

For the White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce:
1.Heat oil in a large (good quality non-stick) saute pan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're soft and blistering, but still hold their shape, 9 to 12 minutes. Add in the white wine, stir, and allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer. Stir in the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside until needed.

For the Cod:
1.Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Season both sides of cod with salt and pepper. Place cod in the oil and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the cod over and place the pan in the oven to continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until it's cooked through.
2.Pour the white wine tomato basil sauce over the cod and serve at once.

Notes
If your pan is not oven safe, you can transfer the cod to a baking dish or just cook a little longer in the pan.

Jeani's Note: This recipe and pictures are those of #bakerbynature, entirely. My personal comments appear in parenthesis as an addendum to the recipe.