Pan Fried Cod with Chorizo, Peas and Leeks

Pan fried cod loin with chorizo sausage, peas and leeks is a show-stopper of a meal that is incredibly easy to cook and guaranteed to impress.

Not only is this dish delicious and a real head turner, it is stupidly quick to cook too, going from your fridge to your table in around 20 minutes!

Pan Fried Fish with Chorizo

I'm a bit of a fish fiend, I love eating and cooking it, its reputation as being tricky to cook is very much overstated.

This simple pan-fried cod loin recipe cooks in well under 30 minutes, and provided that you shop wisely, it is pretty foolproof.

Pan-frying fish is hands down the best way to cook either fillet or loin of many types of fish.

I use it on everything from my pan-fried jerk salmon and pan-fried halibut with clams to pan-fried skate wings, pan-fried brill and pan-fried lemon sole meuniere.

The technique used here is identical to the one I use to make my pan-fried hake with samphire. Just like that recipe, this one adds a little Spanish chorizo into the mix.

It is a wonderful flavour with white fish; I lighten the dish with sweet garden peas and leeks.

It is all finished off with butter and a splash of sherry to keep the Spanish influence going in this pan-fried cod loin.

If you find pan-frying fish a little intimidating, then check out my baked hake with romesco sauce recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "soft" chorizo?

Spanish chorizo comes in two broad types: cured or hard chorizo, which can be eaten without cooking and soft chorizo, which does need cooking. This recipe uses the latter.

What is the difference between Spanish and Mexican chorizo?

This is a question often asked by my US readers, where Mexican chorizo is the dominant type.

Spanish chorizo is flavoured with paprika, whereas Mexican chorizo uses spicy red pepper rather than paprika.

I have never found Mexican chorizo in Europe, so I have no experience of swapping out the ingredients, but I see no reason why it would not work.

Do I have to use cod loin?

No, you could use a fillet, but you would need to amend the cooking times to fit with the piece of fish that you have.

I would strongly recommend getting the fish from this recipe either online or from a good fishmonger.
Supermarket cod is usually pretty poor and is cut with the aim of achieving a packet size rather than a piece of fish that is good to cook and eat.

Can I use a different type of fish?

Yes, you could use any meaty white fish. Everything from hake or whiting to pollock, haddock, or coley works well in this recipe.

Can I substitute the sherry with something else?

If you are fine cooking with alcohol, then sub for white wine; if alcohol is the issue, add a tablespoon or two of sherry vinegar instead.

Serving Suggestions

This pan fried cod recipe is designed to be a complete medium to light meal, but if you want to bulk it out a little, then potatoes are your friend!

Something like my crispy fried potatoes or even Parmentier potatoes are both superb with this.

If you want to keep the Spanish vibe going, then look no further than patatas bravas.

I usually also add some bread to this dish to mop up any butter and paprika sauce from the plate.

Some warmed focaccia or ciabatta are both perfect!

If you were looking for something else to serve with just the cod, then you could definitely plate this with my fennel and orange pasta recipe.

Equipment Used

I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I think that it makes a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• 28cm or 11" non-stick frying pan.
• 24cm or 9½-10" non-stick frying pan.
• Chopping board.
• Sharp kitchen knife.
• Kitchen paper.
• A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
• Fish slice or palate knife.
• Sieve or colander.