Pan-Seared Cod with Lemon-Caper Butter, Garlic Asparagus, and Fluffy Herb Couscous

Prepare the vegetables: Wash 1 lb asparagus and snap off the woody ends. Peel and mince 3 cloves of garlic and 1 small shallot. Finely chop the fresh parsley to yield 1/4 cup. Zest the lemon and then squeeze it to collect 2 tbsp of juice.

In a small saucepan, bring 1.25 cups chicken broth to a rolling boil. Stir in 1 cup dry couscous, immediately remove from heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and let it stand for 5 minutes to absorb the liquid.

Prepare the fish: Pat the 4 cod fillets very dry with paper towels on both sides. Season each fillet with a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1 lb trimmed asparagus and sauté for 5-6 minutes, tossing occasionally until tender-crisp. Stir in half of the minced garlic (approx. 1.5 cloves) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the skillet, and keep warm on a plate.

Wipe the skillet clean and add another 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the 4 cod fillets in the pan and sear for 3-4 minutes without moving them to develop a golden crust. Carefully flip the fillets and cook for an additional 3 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.

Lower the skillet heat to medium. Add 4 tbsp unsalted butter to the pan. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, add the minced shallot and the remaining minced garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes until the shallot is soft and translucent.

Stir 2 tbsp capers and 2 tbsp lemon juice into the butter. Whisk for 1 minute to create a light pan sauce. Stir in 2 tbsp of the chopped parsley and remove from heat.

Remove the lid from the couscous and fluff it with a fork. Stir in the lemon zest and the remaining 2 tbsp of chopped parsley.

To serve, portion the fluffy herb couscous and garlic asparagus onto four plates. Top each with a seared cod fillet and spoon the lemon-caper butter sauce generously over the fish.