pat's Recipe

Baked Cod with Crunchy Lemon-Herb Topping

Category: Seafood

Haddock, halibut, or bluefish fillets are good alternatives to cod. If some of the fish pieces are very thin, fold them in half to make thicker pieces. If you like, substitute dill or basil for the parsley.

Serves 4
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
24 Ritz crackers , crushed into coarse crumbs (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 small cloves garlic , minced
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
4 skinless cod fillets (about 2 pounds)
Lemon wedges for serving


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease baking sheet with butter. Toss cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon parsley together in medium bowl. Mix remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice together in small bowl.

2. Pat fish dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Place on buttered baking sheet, spacing pieces about 1/2 inch apart. Brush tops and sides of fish with mayonnaise mixture, then press cracker crumbs into mayonnaise.

3. Bake until crumbs are golden brown and fish flakes apart with fork, about 15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.