Bake

Lentil, Tomato & Olive Baked Cod with Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette

by:
May  3, 2018
4.4
18 Ratings
Lentil, Tomato & Olive Baked Cod with Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 40 minutes
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

It’s always great to have a couple of impressive dinner dishes that you can throw together for a party or feed to a crowd without having to do a lot of dishes. This baked fish recipe is perfect for an impromptu gathering. It’s basically a one-dish meal—everything (including cooking the lentils) is done in one pan. You can switch up the cod for whatever fish is local and in season, keeping in mind the cooking time might change depending on the thickness of the fish, so check it accordingly while cooking.

From “More with Less: Whole Food Cooking Made Irresistibly Simple,” by Jodi Moreno, ©2018 by Jodi Moreno. Reprinted in arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc. —Food52

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • For the cod bake
  • 1/2 cup black lentils
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved
  • 3 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 4 to 6 six-ounce cod fillets (or other thick white fish), skin removed
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup lemon-caper vinaigrette (below), for serving
  • For the lemon-caper vinaigrette
  • 1 tablespoon rinsed capers, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
  • 1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 1 pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
  1. For the vinaigrette, put the capers, shallots, garlic, mustards, lemon juice, parsley, and a pinch or two of salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl and whisk in the olive oil in a slow stream. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to develop. This will keep for about 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Put the lentils, tomatoes, olives, scallions, and lemon into a baking dish and pour the vegetable broth over the top, making sure the lentils are submerged. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked al dente and the tomatoes are tender. Remove the dish from the oven.
  3. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel, season with salt and pepper, and add the fillets to the dish so they fit snuggly among the lentils and veggies. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and opaque. Serve immediately with a drizzle of the lemon-caper vinaigrette.
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13 Reviews

NXL
NXL January 25, 2024
I've made this per the recipe a couple of times and really liked it, but this time I used Farro and chicken broth and loved it even more. There was NO excess broth.
 
HaPhan
HaPhan September 14, 2023
can i use red fish for recipe? it is also a white fish
 
Lynne
Lynne December 4, 2020
Unlike other reviewers, this recipe did not knock my socks off. Followed recipe exactly, used fresh cod. For me the recipe lacked flavor and I didn't see the benefit of adding the lentils. Glad others enjoyed it!
 
LoveToCook
LoveToCook April 1, 2020
This is absolutely amazing. One of my favorite fish recipes. Very easy to make and it’s delicious. Everyone’s loves it. We made it with wild flounders which took 8 minutes to cook.
 
LoveToCook
LoveToCook April 1, 2020
This is absolutely amazing. One of my favorite fish recipes. Everyone’s loves it. We made it with wild flounders which took 8 minutes to cook.
 
Marina
Marina September 11, 2018
I made this tonight and it was delicious! The whole family enjoyed it with baguette bread. The only substitution I made was in using brown lentils because I couldn't find black ones.
 
Sara
Sara September 4, 2018
Really delicious dish! I made the vinaigrette early in the day and also baked the lentils and tomatoes ahead. So just had to add the cod and bake just before dinner. Everyone loved it.
 
amg
amg May 30, 2018
I've never heard of black lentils; are they difficult to find and is the taste very different from the green/french? Based on the instructions, I'm assuming I use them dry and the cook time is enough to render them edible? Thanks!
 
Laura P.
Laura P. May 31, 2018
The lentils cook in the vegetable broth. Black lentils have a different texture than green ones. They are slightly firmer and hold their shape better.
 
mainesoul
mainesoul May 29, 2018
This is an outstanding dish. Elegant, easy and delicious.
 
Karen
Karen May 24, 2018
So simple to make and simply delicious. We felt like we were out at a fine dining restaurant. I agree that crusty bread would be all it needed.
 
Barbara
Barbara May 14, 2018
Delicious just as written. Serves 4 rather than 6. Company worthy.
 
cyndilurks
cyndilurks May 9, 2018
This is an excellent recipe. Next time

This is an excellent recipe. The broth is really tasty & abundant, so next time I would serve it over angel hair pasta with a little arugula & make sure to have some crusty bread to pass.