Cod Fillets With Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

The fish, while delicious, is utterly simple: fillets baked in a 300-degree oven until opaque, 10 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the pieces. It is the sauce that is the star, and that comes together quickly in a food processor. Combine roughly chopped cilantro and parsley, garlic that has been mashed to a paste, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and yogurt.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cilantro leaves (some stems are O.K. – you don’t have to pick off each leaf the way you do with parsley)
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (low-fat or whole)
• 1 ½ pounds Alaskan cod fillets
• Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions

1. To make the sauce, coarsely chop the cilantro and the parsley leaves. In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic with a pinch of salt. Place the cilantro and parsley in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until finely chopped. Add the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, about 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste), and the yogurt and process until the mixture is smooth and green. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and oil the foil. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and lay on the foil. Place a pan of just boiled water on the floor of your oven and place the baking sheet with the fish in the oven on the middle rack. Bake 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets, until the fish is opaque on the surface and you can pull it apart with a fork.
3. Remove the fish from the oven, transfer to plates or a platter, and spoon on the sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.

Advance preparation: You can make the sauce a few hours ahead. Keep in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.

Nutritional information per serving
180 calories; 7 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 70 milligrams cholesterol; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 678 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 26 grams protein

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