Almond-Crusted Fish with Cilantro Sauce

Cilantro – you either love it or hate it.  I love it, but my family won’t touch it so I’ve never made a dish featuring cilantro…..until now. This is the perfect dish for sharing with my cilantro-phobic family because the sauce can be served separately, the Almond-Crusted Fish tastes fine on it’s own.  But topping it with cilantro sauce, enhances the flavour and health benefits of this dish ten-fold.

Ingredients:

• 4 (5-ounce) wild fish fillet e.g. cod, halibut, haddock, sole, tilapia
• fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups sliced almonds
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. paprika

FOR THE SAUCE

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 whole bunch fresh organic, cilantro, stemmed
• 8 green olives, pitted
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Preheat oven the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Season with cod fillets with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Place almonds in a shallow bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, garlic powder, paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Dredge the cod fillets in the egg mixture, then coat with the almonds.
4. Place the coated fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. While the fish is baking, put the sauce ingredients in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds. When the fish is done, turn the oven to broil for 30 seconds to toast the almonds on the top side of the fish. Watch carefully, since nuts can burn easily!
6. Plate the fish, top with a spoonful of the sauce, and serve.

Kitchen Tip: When purchasing cod, make sure it does not smell fishy. If fish has an odour, it is an indication it is no longer fresh.

Nutrition Tip: Eating wild fish, such as cod