Cod with young leeks and saffron sauce

Chad Byrne

Chad Byrne

3rd January 2018
Chad Byrne

Cod with young leeks and saffron sauce

⁣Cod is a fantastically flaky fish that offers the versatility to be paired with a range of delicious flavours - Why not give the ⁣Cod with young leeks and saffron sauce recipe a try yourself? From our menu at our menu at The Brehon Hotel, Killarney.

Ingredients

  • ⁣⁣ 4 Cod fillets, skin-on pinned and trimmed into 180gr pieces (Cured for 20mins, seasoning of salt and sugar just to firm up the fish for poaching, leave the skin on the fish for poachin to keep its shape and just peel off after its cooked)
  • 3 young leeks , sliced into rounds
  • 20ml rapeseed oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • I fennel, sliced
  • 3 shallots, sliced
  • Few pink peppercorns
  • 250ml of Nolly Prat or vermouth
  • Capful of good quality rice wine vinegar
  • 400ml fish stock
  • 200ml of cream
  • 100g diced cold butter
  • pinch of saffron strand
  • dill, chives, chervil chopped
  • 1 lime zest and juice with bit of olive of oil - equal amounts
  • Raw red cabbage for garnish
  • Shaved pickled carrot (dressed in equal parts rice wine vinegar and sugar, olive oil)

Method

⁣1. Heat a pan on medium heat
2. Before adding the cod, gently sweat off the shallots, bay leaf, fennel and peppercorns in the
oil - low and slow for a good 20 mins to release the sweetness
3. Add the wine, reduce by ¾ then add the fish stock
4. Reduce by half and strain off all ingredients
5. Discard mix and keep juice - add back to the pan
6. Add the cod and cover, cook on a gentle heat for roughly 4 minutes. Add the leeks at this stage. Cover
and heat through.
7. Remove the cod and leeks to a warm plate, cover with cling film to keep moist
8. To the pan, add the saffon strands and cream and reduce by a third
9. Whisk in the butter to get a nice sheen
10. Finish with a drop of chardonnay vinegar or rice vinegar
11. Season and add herbs.
To serve:
1. Pour sauce on to the plate.
2. Place seasoned leeks sporadically around with cod.
3. Garnish with pickled and raw veg.
4. Brush the cod flesh with ⁣lime zest and juice with bit of olive of oil - equal amounts.

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