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This spiced fish recipe features pan-roasted cod coated with garam masala, along with an easy sweet potato mash and a puréed raisin and wine sauce.
A few weeks ago, I went a little crazy in the potato section.
Sweet potatoes were on sale for 49 cents a bag, and I decided to hoard these sweet, orange spuds.
Pretty quickly, I realized that we would quickly need to “sweet potato all the things,” and quickly!
As I stared at the bags and bags of sweet potatoes in my pantry, I remembered a trout and sweet potato concoction that I happily devoured during a trip to Durango, Colorado at the Steamworks Brewing Company.
The food was so amazing that when we passed through Durango for a second time last year, I hunted down the same meal again.
And now, with hundreds and hundreds of miles between me and Durango’s fabulous restaurants, I decided that it was time to make my own version of the fish and spud creation!
Except, I didn’t have trout. I had cod, and I decided to improvise.
This spiced fish recipe uses pan-roasted cod rubbed with Indian spices, topping a bed of sweet potato mash, and served with a sweet raisin and red wine sauce.
If you’ve got cod in your fridge or freezer, check out these other ideas too: broiled cod with lemon sauce, pumpkin cod curry, cod Reuben, and pan-seared cod with bourbon sauce.
Where Can I Buy Garam Masala?
You can buy garam masala online or at (some) grocery stores.
I can usually find garam masala at Kroger but not Walmart. I can always find it at Whole Foods or Indian markets.
Making Spiced Fish with Sweet Potato Mash
This dinner has three components, and ideally all three should still be hot when it’s served.
The sauce and sweet potatoes will be more forgiving time-wise than the fish, so start those first.
How to Make Sweet Potato Mash
I start by getting my potatoes in a pot of water, and let it come to a slow boil.
Finish the potatoes by draining them, and then mashing butter, milk, and a little maple syrup into them with a fork.
Cover the potatoes to keep them warm.
How to blend raisins
If you have a Vitamix or high-speed blender, simply blend up the raisins, wine, and a little maple syrup.
If you’re using a standard blender, soak the raisins in very hot water before blending.
Pour the sauce into a small pot, bring it to a boil, and then simmer it for just a few minutes. Cover the sauce, and set it aside.
How to pan-sear Spiced Fish
We’re pan-roasting the cod– that simply means that we’ll start cooking it on the stove-top, and then move it into the oven.
This is a nice technique to know– it will give you a crisp edge like with seared fish, and finishes with a more gentle heat in a low oven.
Need more help? Check out this tutorial on How to Pan-Sear (and Pan-Roast) Fish.
Once the cod is done cooking, serve it over a bed of the sweet potato mash, along with the raisin sauce. This meal would pair nicely with this slow-cooker kale or honey balsamic brussels sprouts and a glass of Pinot Noir.
Spiced Fish: Cod with Sweet Potato Mash
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Mash:
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 ounce whole milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
Raisin Sauce:
- ¼ cup raisins
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Cod:
- 8 ounces cod (~2 fillets)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
Make the Sweet Potato Mash and Raisin Sauce:
- Peel and roughly dice sweet potatoes. Add to a medium pot, and cover with water. Bring water to a boil, and reduce to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes).
- Drain potatoes, and mash with a fork. Add butter, milk, and maple syrup, and mash to incorporate. Salt to taste.
Raisin Sauce:
- If using a Standard Blender or Food Processor: Place raisins in a heat-proof bowl, and pour boiling water over them until they're covered. Soak for 5-10 minutes, and drain the water.If using a High-Performance Blender (such as a Vitamix): You can skip this step.
- Purée the raisins, wine and maple syrup in a blender. Add to a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.
Pan-Roasting Cod:
- Pat cod dry, and sprinkle with salt. Rub garam masala onto the fish.Heat butter in an oven-safe pan (such as a cast iron pan) over medium-high heat.Add cod to pan, and cook 4 minutes. Move the entire pan into the oven, and roast 5 minutes per 1 inch thickness, until the cod is no longer translucent.
- Serve cod over a bed of the sweet potato mash, with raisin sauce on the side. Garnish with diced green onion if desired.
This feels like a perfect winter meal to me! The spices, the sweet potato, the sauce-it all feels like a special treat!
Thanks Meg! I kind of want to eat it constantly lol
That raisin sauce sounds delicious! Love it paired with the cod and mash! And I love the flavour of garam masala! Such a yummy dinner, Sarah 🙂
Thanks Dawn! I am now obsessed with raisin sauce 😉
I saw this over on Instagram and had to come check out the recipe. I’m a sucker for anything with sweet potatoes. delish!
Aww thanks Wendy! I looooove sweet potatoes too- they’re the best!!!
We love our wild caught fish — we don’t buy farm raised –ever! Cod is one of our favorites and we do love it fried — yum yum — baked is also good. I’m always looking for fish recipes. If I used it with the mashed sweet potatoes, Hubby would want it spiced with chipotle. You’re inspiring me.
I adore sweet potato mash, and you can’t beat the taste of wild fish. All in all.. yum!
Oh cool with garam masala. I just got 3 different garam masala at home so I could try your cod recipe with the more spicy garam masala. I would be in heaven now if this was my dinner for today. 🙂
I love all the different types of Garam Masala you can find!!! I need to blend some up at home and make it spicy!
I’m excited to get back to normal food recipes after the holidays. I can’t wait to try this one. It sounds like it has so much flavors and is the perfect warm meal for a cozy night in!
what a wonderful combination of flavors! loved the raisin sauce.
Yay! I’m glad you liked it!
What a great combination — a perfect fish dish for this time of the year! Sweet potatoes are my favorite and they are so good with cranberries!
This is the kind of meal my family loves because it i super tasty and easy to make/ Love the combo of the fish and sweet potato. Adding in the raisins is fabulous!
Absolutely delicious!!!! Easy to make there were no leftovers..perfect combinations of texture and flavors. I made my own garam masala!
Yay!!! I’m glad you loved!