Keto Cod in Creamy Tomatillo Sauce with Radish Salad
Light, bright, and slightly spicy tomatillo sauce perfectly complements the delicate flavor and flakey texture of cod in this festive main course. A crisp radish salad adds crunch and visual flair making this easy keto fish recipe equally good for weeknights or special occasions. Want to use another type of fish? Go ahead, or try the sauce and salad with grilled chicken or steak, recalculating the macros with any changes.
Ingredients List
- 12 oz 4 to 5 tomatillos, husks and stems removed
- 2 jalapeños, 1 whole and 1 sliced into thin rounds
- 2 unpeeled garlic cloves
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 3/4 cup packed cilantro leaves, divided
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 1 lime, halved
- 4 radishes, cut into matchstick pieces
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 pound boneless/skinless cod fillet, cut into 4 equal pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (200°C). Halve the tomatillos then place them on a rimmed baking sheet with the garlic and the 1 whole jalapeño. Drizzle with 4½ teaspoons of the olive oil, and roast, tossing once during cooking, until the tomatillos are quite soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Squeeze the garlic cloves from their papery skins, discarding the skins. Remove and discard the jalapeño skins, stems, and seeds. Add the garlic, jalapeño, tomatillos, ½ cup of the cilantro, and the coconut cream to a food processor or blender. Squeeze in the juice of ½ lime. Pulse several times, then process until smooth.
- Use a spatula to scrape the tomatillo mixture into a saucepan, then bring it to a gentle simmer over medium low heat; don’t let it boil. Cover, remove from the heat, and keep warm.
- In a small bowl, combine the radishes, the 1 sliced jalapeño, the remaining cilantro leaves, the juice of the remaining ½ lime, and 1½ teaspoons of the olive oil. Toss gently to combine.
- Pat dry the cod fillets with a paper towel. Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper.
- Heat a heavy, 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Carefully place the fillets in the pan, skin side down. Lower heat to medium and let sizzle until fish is golden and caramelized around edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip fillets and cook until the other side is golden and crisp, and the fish is flaky and opaque, 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup of sauce onto each of the four plates, top with a fish portion, then add another 1/4 cup of sauce. Garnish each portion with a pile of the radish salad. Serve right away.
Thankfully the fish was good. However, we didn’t like the sauce at all. It was bland, and bitter. I thought the coconut cream would give it enough creamyness but it didn’t. Perhaps with less cilantro it would be less bitter? The radish salad also was bland. I think it needs at least some lime zest and one more element….maybe fennel or celery? I won’t make this again.
This is amazing recipe is a real keeper! The cod was outstanding! I had a little sauce and radish salad left over so used it with a Mexican version of cauliflower rice risotto topped with chili-seasoned hamburger and it was great with that too.
The entire family loved it! I did not have radishes, so I made cauliflower rice as the side. I omitted the jalapenos for the sake of the little ones, and added extra pepper for the adults after the fish was platted.
Really enjoyed this recipe. The sauce was really different. I added some salt and white pepper to the sauce. I didn’t have radishes so I used broccoli slaw as a side and mixed some of the sauce in the slaw. It was perfect together!