Baked Cod with Ostendaise Sauce

Here’s a version of my classic baked cod with Ostendaise sauce recipe.

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Baked Cod with Ostendaise Sauce (serves 2)

Ostendaise sauce is a rich, luxurious derivative of Hollandaise, enhanced with shrimp and white wine — perfect with tender, flaky cod.

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Equipment

• Ovenproof baking dish or tray

• Saucepan (small)

• Whisk

• Mixing bowl (heatproof for bain-marie, or use double boiler setup)

• Spatula or spoon

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Kitchen thermometer (optional but useful)

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Preparation and Cooking Times

• Preparation time: 20 minutes

• Cooking time: 20 minutes

• Total time: ~40 minutes

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Ingredients

For the baked cod:

• 2 cod fillets (about 150–180 g each)

• 1 tbsp olive oil or melted butter

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Juice of ½ lemon

• 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

For the Ostendaise sauce:

• 75 g small cooked shrimp (prawn tails), chopped

• 100 ml dry white wine

• 1 tsp shallots, finely minced

• 1 tsp white wine vinegar

• 2 egg yolks

• 100 g unsalted butter, melted and warm

• Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste

• ½ tsp lemon juice

• Optional: a few drops of Worcestershire sauce for depth

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Preparation

1. Prepare and bake the cod

1. Preheat oven to 190 °C / 375 °F (fan 170 °C).

2. Pat cod fillets dry and place in a lightly greased baking dish.

3. Drizzle with olive oil or melted butter, season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

4. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and reaches an internal temperature of about 60 °C / 140 °F.

2. Make the Ostendaise sauce

1. In a small saucepan, combine white wine, vinegar, and shallots.

2. Boil gently until reduced to about 1 tablespoon of liquid. Strain and cool slightly.

3. In a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, whisk egg yolks with the reduction until thick and pale.

4. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking constantly to form a smooth Hollandaise texture.

5. Season with salt, cayenne, and lemon juice.

6. Stir in the chopped shrimp and optional Worcestershire sauce. Keep warm off the heat.

3. Assemble and serve

• Place the baked cod on warm plates.

• Spoon Ostendaise sauce generously over each fillet.

• Garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge.

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Serving suggestion

Serve with:

• Steamed asparagus or green beans

• Buttered new potatoes or rice pilaf, or equally going well with it is some mashed potato or pommes frites (French fries).

• A crisp white wine (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc or Chablis)

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Nutritional Information (per serving)

(Approximate values — will vary by exact ingredients used)