Name: Cod With Lemon Butter Sauce
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1½ lb. small potatoes, halved, quartered if larger; 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling; ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; ⅓ cup all-purpose flour; 4 4–6-oz. cod fillets, patted dry with paper towels; Freshly ground pepper; 1 shallot, finely chopped; 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided; ¼ cup fresh lemon juice; 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard; 1 tsp. honey; ¼ cup tarragon leaves, plus more for serving

Cod with lemon butter sauce topped with tarragon in a white pot

Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley

No wine? No problem. Lemon gives all the brightness and lift necessary—tempered with a little honey and a few pats of butter. Dusting the cod with flour helps it achieve that golden brown color, while a finishing flurry of tarragon makes this speedy weeknight dish feel restaurant-worthy. If you skip the tiny roasted potatoes, serve with bread or rice; you’ll want something to sop up every last drop of sauce. (If you’re not a fan of tarragon, feel free to omit, or substitute with another tender herb like parsley, dill, or chives.)

Recipe information

Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

1½ lb. small potatoes, halved, quartered if larger

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

4 4–6-oz. cod fillets, patted dry with paper towels

Freshly ground pepper

1 shallot, finely chopped

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. honey

¼ cup tarragon leaves, plus more for serving

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 450°. Place 1½ lb. small potatoes, halved, quartered if larger, on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and season with kosher salt. Toss to coat and arrange in a single layer. Roast until golden brown underneath, about 30 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, place ⅓ cup all-purpose flour on a plate. Season four 4–6-oz. cod fillets, patted dry with paper towels, all over with salt and freshly ground pepper. Lay one side of each fillet in flour to coat; shake off any excess and place, flour side up, on another plate. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook fish, flour side down, undisturbed, until golden brown and crisp underneath, 5–7 minutes. Turn; cook until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Transfer, flour side up, to a clean plate.
Step 3
Add 1 shallot, finely chopped, and 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter to same pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is slightly softened, 1–2 minutes. Add ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. honey, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and 1 cup water. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat; add ¼ cup tarragon leaves and remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter and stir until sauce is emulsified. Season with salt.
Step 4
Arrange fish, flour side up, in pan and spoon some sauce over. Season with pepper and scatter more tarragon leaves on top. Serve with potatoes on the side.