Pan-Seared Cod in White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce

For the white wine tomato basil sauce:

2 TBS olive oil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 TBS garlic, finely minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
4 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1/2 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper (more or less to taste)

For the cod:

2 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. fresh cod, cut into 4 fillets (or 4 to 6 ounce fillets)
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For the sauce: Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and saute for 1 minute, or until garlic is fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and blistering but still hold their shape, about 12 minutes. Add the white wine and stir. Allow the mixture to come to a light simmer. Stir in the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside until needed.

For the cod: Heat oil in a large non-stick saute pan over medium heat. Season both sides of cod with salt and pepper. Place cod in the oil and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the cod over and place the pan in the oven to continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Pour the white wine tomato basil sauce over the cod and serve at once.