Crispy Cod Pickle Toasts
Golden cod bites land on crunchy toast with dill pickle yogurt and a bright squeeze of lemon.
Prep: 15 · Cook: 15 · Total: 30 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.7/5 (248 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
A fish-fry inspired appetizer transformed into skillet-seared cod toasts with a cool pickle yogurt instead of heavy tartar sauce.
Story
Theo's rule for snack time is simple: get the crunch, then bring the sauce. These cod toasts take the classic fish-fry lineup and stack it onto sourdough with a pickle yogurt that is tangy, cool, and loaded with dill. It is the kind of bite that disappears before the first commercial break.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 1 pound cod fillet, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/3 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1/3 cup finely chopped dill pickles
- 8 small slices sourdough bread
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Stir the Greek yogurt, pickle juice, dill, and chopped pickles in a small bowl. Chill while you cook the cod.
- Pat the cod dry and season with salt and smoked paprika. Mix the cornmeal and flour on a plate, then coat each piece.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the cod in a single layer and sear for 3 minutes per side, turning once, until crisp outside and opaque in the center.
- Toast the sourdough slices in the same skillet for 1 minute per side, adding a drop more oil if needed.
- Spread each toast with pickle yogurt, top with crispy cod, and finish with lemon. Serve immediately.
Chef Tips
- Pat the cod very dry so the cornmeal coating browns instead of steaming.
- Use a fish spatula or thin turner to flip the pieces without breaking the crust.
- For a party, cut the toast into smaller squares and top each with one cod bite.
- The pickle yogurt can be made one day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator.
Cook's Notes
- **Best crust:** Fine cornmeal gives the cod a delicate crunch without a thick breading.
- **Sauce:** Make the pickle yogurt first so it has time to get extra tangy.
- **Batch cooking:** Work in two batches if the skillet feels crowded.