Spanish Cod with Almond Picada Sauce

Marcona almonds originate from Spain, and are known as the "Queen of Almonds". These sweet almonds are full of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. They are used in different salads, served with cheese, or added to cooked seafood for instance fish, shrimp.

On the other hand, some features like being soft and white flesh foster people to use Cod, a type of fish, much more than other seafood. In addition, cod is a good source of B vitamins and multiple vital minerals for our health. The other thing that dietitians pay attention to it more is that cod is almost low in mercury, does not have the high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish.

In the following recipe, a particular dish will be explained which contains cod and Marcona almonds. This healthy food is flavored with high-quality saffron, the spice takes the meal to another level and it is highly recommended by first-rated chefs.

For the saffron in this recipe, choose whole threads from Golden Saffron so you can measure the amount called for.

Make the picada before cooking the cod so it is ready to spoon over the fish. If you prefer a vegetable topping, use the approach in fish with ratatouille.

How to Make Spanish Cod with Almond Picada Sauce

1. Add 12 blanched Marcona almonds into a small fry pan which is over medium-high heat. Toast the almonds for 4-5 minutes. Be careful to mix them continuously to avoid burning.
2. Remove them and transfer to a mortar, then add in 2 cloves of garlic which is mince, one tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley, and one slice of day-old baguette bread. Pinch in ½ teaspoon of high-quality saffron threads.
3. Now, let’s use a pestle and pound down all the ingredients until you form a paste, about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. It’s time to pour 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil into the mortar and mix with the other things. Set aside.
5. Pat down a 14 0unce filet of cod with some paper towels, to remove any moisture, and cut it into two fillets.
6. Dribble some extra virgin olive oil over them, season adequate sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
7. Add the fillets into a non-stick frying pan which is over medium-high heat, and is heated for 2 minutes.
8. Each side of the fillets should be cooked for 3 minutes. After totally six minutes, remove them and transfer to a serving dish.
9. Grab the picada sauce, which was made before, and add to the same pan over the same heat. Cook them and mix just for 30 seconds.
10. Put the picada sauce on top of each fillet, use a lemon wedge for the garnish.

Serve the cod with Spanish boiled potatoes to make a full plate. Taste the sauce before adding more salt at the table.