This post is made in partnership with the Norwegian Seafood Council

The tomato plants scattered along the patio are finally showing pops of ripening tomatoes – a labor of love that has withstood the Norwegian summer weather with its varying rain spells and cooler temperatures in our mountainous valley. It’s an exciting end to a long season, and to celebrate the conclusion of summer, I’m sharing this one-pan buttery cod with tomatoes and peppers.

Cod from Norway is arguably the most important fish to Norwegian culture. It’s wild caught and abundant. Some even say that the abundance of cod in Norwegian waters is the reason the country became populated as people followed cod stocks for food thousands of years ago. It’s also mild in flavor with a rich, flaky texture making it an ideal pairing with bright acidic flavors, like tomatoes.  

The inspiration behind this buttery cod with tomatoes and peppers is Norwegian bacalao, a dried and salted cod stew that is one of the lasting impacts from the spansketiden “the Spanish time” when Spanish ships began collecting salted and dried cod directly from Kristiansund in the 1830s. Instead of dried and salted cod, I use fresh cod in this dish, which makes it much simpler and quicker to make. The cod filets steam on top of the tomato and red pepper mixture. Before it’s served, some butter is stirred into the sauce making it extra velvety and toothsome. It’s an ideal dinner to make during the week or even for a special occasion.

You can serve this with potatoes, crusty bread, or your favorite grain to soak up all the juices. 

One-Pan Buttery Cod with Tomatoes & Peppers (alt-i-en panne: torsk med tomat)

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 large onion, halved then thinly sliced
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup fish or chicken stock
• 2 cups (250 g) whole cherry tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1 ¾ pounds (800 g) boneless and skinless Norwegian cod filets
• 4 tablespoons (56 g) butter
• Chopped fresh parsley, to serve

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In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, red pepper, and minced garlic, and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes or until the onions are translucent and the peppers have softened. Add the stock, whole tomatoes, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the tomatoes have broken down.

Season the cod filets with salt and pepper.

Place the cod filets on top of the tomato mixture, cover with a lid, and let cook for 10 minutes or until the cod is cooked through. Carefully transfer the cod filets to a serving platter.

Add the butter to the tomato mixture and give it a stir until the butter has melted. Pour the tomato mixture over the cod filets and garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve immediately with your choice of potatoes, crusty bread, salad, or your favorite grain.