Mint & walnut cod

 

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Despite her lifelong and deep antipathy (to put it mildly) for any dishes that contain sea / lake / ocean abiding creatures - or dishes that have been in any proximity to any sea / lake / ocean creatures, landmarks or ideas ;) - my mom expressly requested I make this for dinner. I was shocked; but also to be fair cod is the least fishy fish out there, almost like an underwater chicken, if you will.

What youse gonna need

Amounts for 4 relatively normal adults. Not based on actual adults, just what I imagine normal adults eat? - in our household it's more like 2.5 adults (I mean not that our household is made up of 2.5 adults, that would be weird, I mean it feeds two adults and there's leftovers for lunch).

cod / 600 - 700 g

garlic / 1 clove OR mustard / 1 flat tea spoon (or both, if your taste buds feel life is dull)

crushed or powdered walnuts (I collect this whenever I chop walnuts for baking; pro tip: those chopping thingies with a crank handle and blades in a plastic basket are great for this - otherwise you need substantial can-be-bothered credit or need to be going bonkers in lockdown) / quarter of a cup

finely chopped mint / quarter of a cup

sour cream / quarter of a cup (well it might 'accidentally' be closer to half a cup sometimes)

lemon / half

soy sauce / 4 table spoons

salt

pepper

alternatives for using things up / forgetful shoppers: instead of sour cream + lemon, you can also use kefir; instead of soy sauce you can also use salt

What'cha gonna do?

Lightly salt the cod, and pepper however much you want, I'd recommend both sides. Pop in the oven at about 180 deg (Celcius, obviously; in Kelvin that would be beyond-industrial freezing, and I won't even deign Farhenheit with conversion) and bake for 5 - 10 mins, or until it starts whitening and letting water. Meantimes mix walnut powder, chopped mint, soy sauce / salt, sour cream and lemon / kefir, chopped (or crushed) garlic / mustard (and anything else that tickles your fancy). After pre-bake, take out fish and slather with the sauce. Bake for further 15 - 20 mins at about 200 deg, or until fish is proper flaking. 

What gels well with it?

Baked potatoes and spinach 'sauté' (bit of onion and a bucketload of fresh spinach in a wok, seasoned however you want, but I make a tiny bit extra fish sauce and add it to the wok).