Pepper Pan Fried Sea Salt Cod

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Pepper Pan Fried Sea Salt Cod.jpg

Looking for a healthy, hearty alternative to meat that is packed with protein? Try this pepper pan fried sea salt cod. It has high amounts of omego-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E. Recipe serves 4.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tbsp butter

  • 4 shallots, minced

  • 3 Vidalia spring onion bulbs sliced

  • 10 ramps

  • 3 garlic cloves sliced thin

  • 12 ounces small morels (about 20 to 25)

  • 1 small bunch rapini (broccoli rabe) stems cleaned and chopped

  • 1/2 cup homemade shrimp or fish stock

  • 1/4 cup dry sherry (vermouth)

  • 1 tbsp sour cream or heavy cream

  • 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon or thyme

  • 4 6-ounce cod fillets (preferably skin-on, fine if not)

  • Fresh lemon juice

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • Peashoots and young broccollini flowers

  • Grapeseed oil and olive oil for cooking fish

Miso crème fraîche

  • 1 tbsp light miso

  • 2 tbsp creme fraiche

  • Grated ginger

  • Garlic powder

  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

  • Ground black peppercorn

PREPARATION

Ragout 

  1. Heat a heavy large skillet and add 1 tbsp olive oil.

  2. Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high.

  3. Add mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, add rapini, garlic slices about 8 minutes.

  4. Add vermouth and stock; reduce liquids.

  5. Add cream and butter to mushrooms; boil until thickened slightly (about 1 minute).

  6. Mix in chopped tarragon, thyme, and season with ground peppercorn and garlic powder. Set aside.

  7. Sauté ramps (whole, trimmed at the bottom) in olive oil till slightly wilted. Sprinkle with black pepper and a squeeze of lemon; set aside.

Fish Preparation 

  1. Salt skin side with sea salt flakes and leave the fillets for 15 minutes. The salt will draw any moisture up to the surface of the skin.

  2. After 15 minutes scrape away most of the salt, sprinkle with ground white peppercorn dust (skin side only) with flour lightly patting away any excess. The flour is optional.

Cooking the Fish 

  1. Heat nonstick pan, add a bit of grapeseed oil and olive oil swirling it around in the pan to make an even layer.

  2. Ensure the oil is hot enough before placing the fish skin side down to cook. Do not overcrowd the pan. Then gently press on the center of the filets to stop the filet from buckling up.

  3. Cook without moving for at least 4 or 5 minutes depending on thickness. You should start to see the flesh by the skin turn a golden color.

  4. At this time squeeze lemon juice and season sparingly with sea salt flakes over the flesh side before flipping.

  5. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes with lid on, and remove from burner steam flesh side 1 to 2 minutes.

PLATING 

  1. 3/4 on plate put a couple of ramps.

  2. Spoon some of the ragout along the side of the ramp.

  3. At the center, spoon on a bit of the juice. Place the fish skin side up on top of the ragout.

  4. Add a couple of the brocolini flowers and a couple of pea sprouts along with a couple of singled out morels as shown in the photo.

  5. Add a couple of dabs of miso creme fraiche.