Herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes

Fresh herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.

Fresh herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.


Our dining room buffets hold all sorts of lovely dishes, teacups and platters that we have amassed over the years. Whether they were wedding gifts, the result of antique shopping, or things we inherited from our parents who are constantly trying to rid themselves of stuff, we love them all! It has taken us a while, but we finally realize that enjoying these fine things in life means actually using them.

Although we have been known to break out the fine china to serve everything from a simple chamomile tea to fried chicken, sometimes it’s fun to use elegant dinnerware to serve equally elegant meals. With the holidays approaching, we figure that everyone can use an excuse to dust off their best dishes and use them to serve a meal that is impressive in flavour, appearance, and ease! Our herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is about as simple as a meal can get, making it perfect for fancy dinner parties and also for Monday night family suppers.

We are so happy to have partnered with Montreal based Messara Foods and to have used some of their imported products to create this meal. We think it will become one of your favourites!


The secret to making delicious herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes

We relied on some exceptional products to make this meal. Of course, we ensured that the cod and herbs be as fresh as possible, and we partnered with Messara Foods and their incredible line of imported products to take this recipe to the next level of greatness.

What you will need to make this recipe:

  • Cod fillets
  • Butter
  • Olive oil
  • Parsley (fresh)
  • Dill (fresh)
  • Thyme (fresh)
  • Garlic
  • Lemon
  • Pappardelle pasta, or another egg pasta
  • Capers
  • Marinated artichoke hearts
  • Salt & pepper
Fresh herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.

The importance of quality cod fillets for baked cod with pasta.

We purchased wild caught fresh cod fillets for this recipe. Although a little more difficult to find (and often pricier) than farm-raised fish we prefer the idea of fish caught in the wild.

Regardless of the type of cod you purchase, be sure that it is as fresh as possible. Your fish should not smell overly fishy, Instead if should appear moist and have a mild scent. If you can’t find good quality fresh fish, frozen cod is a wonderful alternative. Simple thaw in the refrigerator before use.

Choose an incredible pasta.

You know a pasta is great when your normally pasta-averse child walks into the kitchen, has a taste, then another, and then another, and then, between slurping noodles, asks you where you found such great pasta. In this recipe the pasta noodles don’t get drowned in a rich and heavy tomato or meat sauce. Instead they are coated in a rich and fragrant butter based sauce, with fresh herbs, marinated artichokes and capers. The quality of the pasta is imperative to the quality of the finished product.

The ANDRITSAINA Pappardelle we used is a flat, wide egg noodle that has an incredible bite to it. Made in Greece, in a traditional manner which relies on exceptional ingredients, ANDRITSAINA is definitely a pasta worth discovering. Fortunately Messara Foods has made this line of pasta available outside of Greece.

Marinated artichoke hearts make cooking easy.

It always surprises us to realize that even though we’ve been sharing our recipes here on Mia Kouppa for so many years, there is still so much left to share! Artichokes, for example, have not received their due. Sure, we have shared our parents’ recipe for artichokes and peas in avgolemono and artichoke hearts stuffed with white beans but we have yet to share a post on choosing, cleaning and preparing fresh artichokes – wouldn’t that be a great post?

In any case, even though dealing with fresh artichokes is a skill we feel everyone should have, good quality marinated artichoke hearts will always win points for ease and simplicity. We knew that we had to use the incredible MEZE marinated artichoke hearts in our recipe. Imported directly from Greece, these artichokes are wonderfully rich in flavour. Unlike many marinated artichokes which are overpowered by the taste of the brine, here you can absolutely enjoy and appreciate the artichoke flavour. A great texture, easy to use, and definitely pairs well with our pasta dish. Also perfect for snacking on while you wait for your dinner to be ready.

Choosing an exceptional olive oil is key.

Although there isn’t a ton of olive oil used in this recipe, even the small amount required merits an exceptional product. There are so many options of olive oil available, for all sorts of different price points. Given the controversy that has surrounding the purity of different brands, we can understand that choosing an olive oil can be a stressful task. For this recipe we used MEZE extra-virgin olive oil, imported by Messara Foods. The flavour was light yet rich, with no after-taste. A beautiful olive oil that contributed to the deliciousness of our meal!

Fresh herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.

Looking for more recipes that use products imported by Messara Foods? Check out this one:

Youvetsi with lamb

Fresh herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.

We love hearing from you!  If you have made our recipes, or if you have a question or comment, or simply want to say Hi!,  please leave a comment and star rating below! Also be sure to follow along with us, on FacebookInstagram and Pinterest.  We have lots of fun over there.

Fresh herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.
Fresh herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.

Herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes

Herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Greek
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Mia Kouppa

Ingredients

For the cod

  • 4 6 ounce cod fillets 170 grams
  • 3 tbsp (45 grams) butter, unsalted and softened
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil we use MEZE brand
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • Cooking spray

For the pasta

  • ½ tbsp garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup (60 grams) butter, unsalted
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
  • 3 tbsp capers
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp grated lemon rind
  • ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts we use MEZE brand
  • 500 grams pappardelle pasta we use ANDRITSAINA brand
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

To prepare cod

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Prepare a baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray and set aside.
  • In a small bowl combine the softened butter, olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well.
    3 tbsp (45 grams) butter, unsalted and softened, 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped, 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
  • Place half of your lemon slices on the bottom of your baking dish and then place the cod fillets in your baking dish being sure that they don't overlap.
    1 lemon, thinly sliced, 4 6 ounce cod fillets
  • Divide the butter mixture into fourths and spread evenly over the top of each cod fillet. Arrange the remaining lemon slices over the top of the fish.
  • Bake, uncovered, in the middle rack of your oven for 13 - 15 minutes or until the fish is flaky and cooked through.
  • Remove fish from the oven and transfer it carefully to another dish. (You will be using the liquid which remains in the baking dish for your pasta sauce).

For the pasta

  • Fill a large pot with water and add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and cook pasta according to the package directions.
    500 grams pappardelle pasta, 1 tsp salt
  • Meanwhile, in another large pot heat the butter and the olive oil over medium heat and saute the garlic for 1 - 2 minutes. Next add the capers and saute for an additional minute. Pour in the liquid released from baking your cod and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the dill, parsley, lemon rind and artichoke hearts and stir well. Add the drained pasta and stir well until the pasta is coated with the sauce.
    1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped, ½ tbsp garlic, finely chopped, ¼ cup (60 grams) butter, unsalted, 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, 3 tbsp capers, 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped, 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, 1 tsp grated lemon rind, ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts
  • To serve, divide the pasta among 4 plates and top each serving of pasta with a cod fillet.
  • Enjoy!

Thanks for sharing!

2 Comments

  1. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen says:

    Now this is a meal for me! Love every bit of it!

    1. miakouppa says:

      We truly hope you give it a try Dorothy! It is pretty incredible (and easy!) 😉 xoxo Helen & Billie

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