Crispy Baked Cod

The secret to this recipe is cooking the fish low and slow. Usually, I cook fish at a high temperature for a short time, but this this recipe makes me rethink that process. The result is a fish that melts in your mouth with a crispy garlicky panko topping.
This recipe was adapted from the original printed in The Denver Post, January 9th, 2019 edition.

Ingredients

Vegetable oil spray
2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and Pepper
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon fresh dill
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 lemon, cut into wedges
4 6-ounce skinless cod fillets, 1 - 1.5 inches thick

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to the middle of the oven. Set temperature to 300 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place a wire cooling rack on top of the foil. Spray the cooling rack with vegetable oil spray.
In small skillet, melt butter. Add panko, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring with a rubber spatula until lightly browned. Transfer to bowl. Allow to cool and add chopped parsley and dill.
In small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, egg yolk and  lemon zest.
Rinse fish fillets and use paper towels to pat dry. Place on wire rack/baking sheet. Spoon the mayonnaise mixture over the top of each fillet, spreading out to evenly cover.  Top each fillet with the Panko mixture.
Bake 35 - 40 minutes or until temperature registers 145 degrees on thermometer. Remove from oven. Serve fish with lemon wedges.