Pan Fried Cod with Mustard Caper Cream Sauce

An easy pan fried cod recipe with an exciting topping of caper mustard sauce.

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Servings

Calories 405kcal

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, capers, tarragon, olive oil, and white wine. Transfer to a small sauce pan and cook over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat swirl in butter and heavy cream. Set aside.
Pat the cod fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. Dust each fillet with the flour until well coated. Then shake off the excess flour.
Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a heavy bottomed pan, such as a cast iron. Cook until opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes per side.
To serve, drizzle the cod with the mustard-caper sauce.

Tips for Success:

Make sure the cod fillet is nice and dry. Patting with a paper towel will do the trick.

Create a barrier for the delicate flesh of cod by dusting the cod with flour. I like the light texture of Wondra Flour. Season the cod fillet with salt and pepper and then sprinkle it generously with the flour. Shake off any excess flour. The flour will help hold the fish together. You can also use panko bread crumbs in place of the flour.

Using a heavy bottomed pan. A well-seasoned cast iron skillet is a good choice. Let that skillet get nice and hot over medium high heat for a couple of minutes before adding the oil. Then let the oil heat to a shimmering point before adding the fresh cod fillets.

Don't be afraid of hot oil, if you've practiced due diligence in drying that cod fillet, the spattering will be virtually non-existent.

Choosing a neutral oil with a high smoking point will help sear the flesh quicker to reduce the risk of the fish falling apart. Canola oil, vegetable oil and grape seed oil are good examples.

Don't over cook the fish. About 4 - 5 minutes per side and your fish will be crispy on the outside and flakey on the inside. And only turn the fish once. The less handling the better.