Lemon Thyme Spread for Cod and Garlic Bread
This winter, while the garden was idle, I was busy drawing up plans for an ambitious herb garden come spring. One of the exotic herbs that I overwatered last year but wanted to retry was a striking yellow and green variegated herb called golden lemon thyme. I had read that this variety paired well with chicken and fish, two staples of my diet. So, after patiently waiting for this herb to dry out between waterings, the plant responded, and I reaped a bountiful harvest. Now, with a plethora of golden lemon thyme, I thought, how can I incorporate this herb with cod? I first thought of a cream sauce, but I did not want the herb to be overpowered, so I thought, what about a butter spread? I chose a medley of ingredients that I thought would pair well with the lemon thyme, especially the sweet notes of honey, the punch of garlic and fresh ground pepper, the zing of lemon zest, and the earthiness of parsley. After tasting this spread on a sourdough roll, my taste buds exploded, and I realized that I'd created a highly sensational herb butter for garlic bread! Then, I smeared the spread over cod, but I disliked the buttery runoff, so I repeated my efforts with herbs and olive oil, and it brought out the citrus profile of my lemon thyme. Just what I'd hoped for!
Ingredients
- 2 t. minced chives
- 1 T. golden lemon thyme leaves
- ½ t. grated lemon zest, preferably from Eureka lemons
- 1 t. minced Italian parsley
- ½ t. grated garlic
- 1 t. honey
- ¼ t. sea salt
- 8 cranks freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ stick of unsalted butter for garlic bread
- OR: 1 T. olive oil per filet of cod
Directions
- Step 1 First, take out your butter and let it sit at room temperature if you plan on making garlic bread. Note: try using a high-quality butter like Kerrygold’s as it will make all the difference in this recipe. Second, harvest your golden lemon thyme if you have it growing in your garden. If not, you can use 2 ¼ teaspoons regular thyme to ¾ + ½ t. freshly grated lemon zest. Next, remove the leaves off the golden lemon thyme if using. You can do this by holding the tip of the sprig with your non-dominant hand and using your dominant hand to run from the tip to the base, running against the way the leaves grow. Place the leaves in a medium mixing bowl.
- Step 2 Then, grate your lemon zest if you haven’t above and mince your chives and parsley, adding all three to the bowl with the thyme. Now, grate the ginger on a microplane or zester and add it to the mixing bowl along with the salt, pepper, and honey. Mix well.
- Step 3 If you are making garlic bread, then take the butter and mash it with a fork or small spatula and blend the other ingredients into it. Smear it onto your favorite bread and bake it at 400°F for 10-15 minutes.
- Step 4 If you are making cod, blot any moisture off the fish with a paper towel and baste each filet with the olive oil. Then, lightly sprinkle the herbs on top and bake at 400°F until the internal temperature reads 145. Enjoy!
The magical herb, golden lemon thyme, is the feature of this recipe as it enhances a spectacular spread for garlic bread and lends a citrus note to an otherwise bland filet of cod. Read on and discover two great recipes from this highly versatile herb, golden lemon thyme.
GARDENING TIPS ON GOLDEN LEMON THYME:
My first year, I overwatered my golden lemon thyme, thinking it needed to be kept moist. What I’ve learned is that it likes to be dried out between waterings. What I do now is that I insert a moisture meter into the soil and I only water it when it reads 2-3 (dry). I then harvest it when the stems measure at least 5”, just clipping off the top 1-1.5” so the stems don’t get too leggy. The top 1-1.5” inches have the largest concentration of oils anyways as they are the most citrusy.