close

SIMMER + SAUCE

Crispy Almond Crusted Baked Ling Cod

Happy 2021! I SO wish I could say the world is back to “normal“, but sadly we’re not there just yet. But I’m hopeful. I strongly believe if we all do our part (and get vaccinated), we will begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is a marathon, not a sprint, and we all need to remember that. With COVID cases surging in Nor Cal, I’m back in lockdown and once again cooking up a storm just to stay sane.

This is one of the easiest dinners I make. If you’re a fish lover, crispy almond-crusted baked Ling cod should be in your arsenal of quick meals. Crispy panko bread crumbs mixed with chopped almonds, lemon zest, and scallions make for a flavorful, and headful, fish dish you can whip up in no time any day of the week. In this recipe, I use a special fish called Ling cod, and while it does not have to be made with Ling cod (any flaky white fish will work just fine) it is fantastic if you can find it.

baked Ling cod

Ling cod, also known as “Lingcod” has often been referred to as a fish an identity crisis. Despite its name, this species is neither a cod nor a Ling. Rather, it’s a Pacific greenling, from the family Hexagrammidae. It is believed Ling cod likely got the name “Ling” from early settlers who related it to European Lings but acknowledged its white flaky flesh by adding “cod“.

baked Ling cod

Ling cod ranges from Baja California to Kodiak Island, all the way to the Aleutian Peninsula. It is a bycatch of trawl and longline fisheries, though there is a targeted fishery in Southeast Alaska. A trip to Alaska a few years back is where I was reintroduced to Ling Cod and the rest they say, is history.

baked Ling cod

At times the flesh of Ling cod will have a blue-green tint when raw. But don’t be alarmed, the color is not harmful and cooks out completely, leaving a beautiful snow-white piece of fish. The mild-tasting meat is tender, yet firm, with large, soft, moist flakes that are truly divine. The nutty breadcrumb flavor makes this dish both elegant and rustic all at once. For people who say they are not fish fans, I encourage you to reconsider, this crispy baked Ling cod may just surprise you.

About the Author

Andrea Potischman

I am a professionally trained NYC chef turned CA mom and food blogger. I post about real food, with doable ingredient lists that are family friendly.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comment Policy

Simmer + Sauce reserves the right to remove or restrict comments that do not contribute constructively to the topic conversation, contain profanity or offensive language, personal attacks, or seek to promote a personal or unrelated business. Any post found to be in violation of any of these guidelines will be modified or removed without warning. When making a comment on my blog, you grant Simmer + Sauce permission to reproduce your content to our discretion, an example being for a possible endorsement or media kit purposes. If you don’t want your comment to be used for such purposes, please explicitly state this within the body of your comment. If you find evidence of copyright infringement in the comments of simmerandsauce.com, contact me and I will remove that in question promptly.