Baked Cod With Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

This recipe is a public service announcement to bring sun-dried tomatoes back into your life. Sure, they got a bad rap in the '90s and haven’t had their moment in decades, but these intensely concentrated tomatoes are versatile pops of flavor. This Sicilian spin on the classic Pesto alla Genovese is called Pesto Rosso, dating back centuries. It's spiked with rosemary, balsamic vinegar, and red pepper flakes, which makes for a dynamic sauce. Cod acts as a blank slate to absorb all the intensity of Pesto Rosso without overpowering it (a more fishy-fish, like salmon, would probably be too much).

I call for sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil for this recipe. Pro tip: Reserve the olive oil from the jar and use it for the olive oil that gets slowly drizzled into the pesto. Most likely you’ll need to supplement it with more olive oil from your pantry, but it’s a great way to cut down on food waste. The real joy of this recipe is that you can make the pesto up to one week in advance, making this a true weeknight winner. I like using a whole piece of cod, but individual filets work too. If you use a smaller cut, save the remaining pesto for mixing into pasta or smearing on sandwiches.