25-MINUTE COD WITH LENTILS

25-Minute Cod with Lentils image

Using canned lentils instead of raw saves you at least 30 minutes of cooking time. Here, we simmer them quickly with bacon and red wine to play up their earthy flavor; sliced celery stirred in at the end adds a fresh, crisp note. The lentils make a terrific bed for the mild, meaty cod fillets.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

3 stalks celery, trimmed, peeled and thinly sliced on the bias, plus 1/2 cup loosely packed leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Four 6-ounce skinless cod fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 slices bacon, cut into matchsticks
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine
Two 15-ounce cans brown lentils, strained and rinsed
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Steps:

Cook the bacon in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring frequently, until just brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and stir constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, bring to a boil and cook, stirring, to scrape up any bacon and browned bits, for about 1 minute. Stir in the lentils, chicken broth and pepper flakes, and return to a boil. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat if necessary to maintain a medium boil, until saucy but not watery, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the celery, celery leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Season the fillets all over with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the fillets skinned-side down and cook, undisturbed, until crisped and browned, 3 to 4 minutes (the fish should be opaque between the large natural flakes). Flip the fillets, and cook until just beginning to flake, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the fillets from the skillet, and turn off the heat. Add the butter to the skillet, and allow it to melt and brown.
Divide the lentils among 4 bowls or soup plates, top each with a fillet and drizzle with browned butter.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 480 calorie, Fat 20 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Cholesterol 95 milligrams, Sodium 960 milligrams, Carbohydrate 25 grams, Fiber 12 grams, Protein 43 grams, Sugar 4 grams