Whole wild-caught Pacific cod cooks fast in a hot pan and needs almost nothing to taste right. The fish from your shelf is the star here, so treat it simply and it will reward you with sweet, flaky meat for two in twenty minutes.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 280 calories a serving, 41 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Pat 1 pound of cod dry with paper towels and lay it skin-side down on a cutting board. Season the flesh side with a pinch of salt and pepper. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.3 min
2. When the oil shimmers, lay the cod skin-side up in the pan and let it cook without moving for four minutes, until the underside is golden and releases easily. While it cooks, smash 2 cloves of garlic and mince them.4 min
3. Flip the cod and scatter the garlic around it, then add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Tilt the pan and baste the fish with the foaming butter for two minutes, until it flakes easily with a fork.2 min
4. Transfer the cod to a warm plate and pour the pan sauce over it. Cut a lemon into wedges and serve alongside.

Note Swap the whole cod for two six-ounce fillets if you prefer, cooking them skin-side down for four minutes, then flipping for another two. Leftovers keep three days in an airtight container; eat at room temperature with lemon or in a salad. Serve with steamed green beans or boiled new potatoes.