This creamy, hearty dish feels nourishing for body and soul. With sides of roasted baby potatoes and sautéed kale, this recipe results in a deliciously complete meal. You can, of course, substitute the cod for any other sustainably caught fish, although I do encourage you to try to include some white fish into your diet if you enjoy seafood, as its nutritional profile is different to that of oily fish like salmon. It can contain more iodine, for example, which is important for thyroid health. As always, variety is the spice in life – and nutrition!

Amelia x

Creamy Lemon Cod with Fennel & Leeks

GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE

Serves 4

What do i need...

1 tbsp olive oil
2 medium leeks, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
1 large bulb fennel, thinly sliced (reserve the fronds for garnish)
60ml white wine
4 x 180g cod fillets
juice of 1 lemon
250ml oat cream (or single cream if you’re OK with dairy products)
salt & pepper

To serve

250g baby potatoes, halved
2 tbsp oil, divided
1 shallot, very finely sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
200g kale, chopped
125ml water
salt & pepper

To garnish

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp dill, finely chopped,
zest of 1 lemon
fennel fronds

What do I do...

Begin by preparing the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Tip the potatoes onto a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until cooked through, golden and crispy.

Now for the cod; heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan and add the leeks. Sauté over a low heat for 8-10 mins until soft and the green of the leeks has intensified. Add the fennel and continue to cook for a further 3-4 mins until softened.

Add the wine, stir into the vegetables and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the lemon juice, oat cream and season to taste. Give everything a good stir around then nestle the cod fillets into the vegetables. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily.

Whilst the cod is cooking, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add the shallot. Cook for 2 minutes then add the garlic and stir everything around. Once the shallots have softened and just starting to colour, add the kale (you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan). Stir around to coat the kale in oil, pour in the water and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until wilted and tender. Season to taste.

Serve the cod with the potatoes and kale and garnish with the herbs, lemon zest and fennel fronds

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