⭐ BAKED GARLIC BUTTER COD ⭐️

Written by Christina Hills, Baby Dietitian + Nutritionist. Founder of the Happy Feeding Company.

Cod is one of my favourite first foods for babies. Fish is nutrient dense and packed with protein, iron,  and also iodine and omega-3 which both support healthy development. It’s soft and flaky when cooked and breaks apart easily in babies mouths making it a perfect first texture. I offered fish to my little girl loads when she was starting out with weaning. This recipe cooks the fish in garlic butter whilst wrapped up in a parcel to essentially steam + roast at the same time giving a softer and flakier texture. Butter gives a kick of energy to support babies high energy needs.

This dish is really simple and can be cooked as part of a bigger dish with roasted or steamed greens, root veggies, potatoes, or anything you fancy really- just spoon over all that garlicky, herby butter and enjoy!

YOU NEED

• 2 × cod fillets (skinless) (around 150g each) (I have used a bag of frozen fish, and defrosted overnight)

• 30g butter, softened

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano, OR 15g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

• 1/2 lemon, zested, and a little squeeze of the fresh juice

• Black pepper

• You’ll also need some baking paper

TO MAKE

Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.

Mash the softened butter with the grated garlic until creamy, stir in the herbs, lemon zest, a little squeeze of the juice, and a grinding of black pepper

Lay the cod fillets in a baking dish lined with baking paper, top each one with a generous spoonful of the herby garlic butter, then wrap the paper around the fish

Cook for 10–15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the cod flakes easily with a fork and the garlic butter has melted into a glossy sauce.

For BLW: Flake the cod into large, finger- soft pieces.

For spoon-feeding: Mash with a fork and add a splash of warm water, breastmilk or formula to loosen if needed.