I’ve been meaning to branch out for weeks beyond my usual salmon and tuna purchases in the fish aisle. Back home in the states I am equally comfortable with snapper, seabass and tilapia, but upon my few trials of cooking up the usual suspects here in the UK – cod, haddock, halibut – I was very unhappy with the results. Now that I have a blog to write, and a desire to try and cook something different every day, I am boldly attempting to cook with cod.
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It’s not that I am unfamiliar with this fish – I often order it, albeit usually fried up and with chips – and we often get it as one course of many in a tasting menu. It’s just that this is a fish that has to be cooked perfectly. Raw cod does not sushi make, and overcooked cod is just hideously dry. What you want is that perfect texture of flaky, juicy white fish. And so that’s why I went for the ‘roast’ option this evening. All the reading I did (and by ‘all’ I mean the 2 minutes I went online) suggests a hot oven and then something like 5-8 minutes of roasting.
It’s not that I am unfamiliar with this fish – I often order it, albeit usually fried up and with chips – and we often get it as one course of many in a tasting menu. It’s just that this is a fish that has to be cooked perfectly. Raw cod does not sushi make, and overcooked cod is just hideously dry. What you want is that perfect texture of flaky, juicy white fish. And so that’s why I went for the ‘roast’ option this evening. All the reading I did (and by ‘all’ I mean the 2 minutes I went online) suggests a hot oven and then something like 5-8 minutes of roasting.
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And since we’re ‘roasting’ we might as well go for a roast beef metaphor. I coated mine with flour and salt and then placed this in a small drop of butter in a frying pan one minute a side. I then brushed on a marinade of Worchester sauce, gravy browning sauce (essentially water and sugar), balsamic and olive oil for a meaty taste on this delicate fish. I tucked that in the hot oven for more like 8-10 minutes. It was juicy and savory and wonderful.
And since we’re ‘roasting’ we might as well go for a roast beef metaphor. I coated mine with flour and salt and then placed this in a small drop of butter in a frying pan one minute a side. I then brushed on a marinade of Worchester sauce, gravy browning sauce (essentially water and sugar), balsamic and olive oil for a meaty taste on this delicate fish. I tucked that in the hot oven for more like 8-10 minutes. It was juicy and savory and wonderful.
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What goes with roast beef? Hmmm let me think…what country is best known for their ‘roasts’…ah, I know, England. So tonight we’re teaming up the cod with carrot & parsnip mash, green beans and Yorkshire Puddings. Sure, I’ve taken out the meat grease and the potatoes and yes, well, the gravy, but essentially we have all the yumminess of a traditional English roast dinner.
What goes with roast beef? Hmmm let me think…what country is best known for their ‘roasts’…ah, I know, England. So tonight we’re teaming up the cod with carrot & parsnip mash, green beans and Yorkshire Puddings. Sure, I’ve taken out the meat grease and the potatoes and yes, well, the gravy, but essentially we have all the yumminess of a traditional English roast dinner.
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Carrot and parsnip mash is made by boiling the carrots and parsnips, adding a bit of butter and seasoning and using an electric mixer to whip up.
Carrot and parsnip mash is made by boiling the carrots and parsnips, adding a bit of butter and seasoning and using an electric mixer to whip up.
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The Yorkshire Puddings essentially follow this recipe on epicurious: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Herbed-Yorkshire-Puddings-105964 . You can follow that or make deletions – especially with regard to the eggs and whole-fat milk used. I went with 1 full egg and the rest egg whites only and low fat milk. You can also substitute in any herbs and go for dry versus fresh. Mine were made with fresh basil, plus some dried oregano, tarragon and thyme. Please do not eliminate all the olive oil in the muffin tins – maybe 1/4 teaspoon each is all that's needed-- nor try to take a short cut of heating the oil first before putting in the batter, as both of those steps are what are needed to get the Yorkshire puddings to puff up so nicely. I use a mini tartlet pan but you can use a full size muffin pan as well. Regardless of pan, they will fall on you as they cool, but they will still taste divine. (yes, Craig & Kevin, even without any gravy.)
The Yorkshire Puddings essentially follow this recipe on epicurious: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Herbed-Yorkshire-Puddings-105964 . You can follow that or make deletions – especially with regard to the eggs and whole-fat milk used. I went with 1 full egg and the rest egg whites only and low fat milk. You can also substitute in any herbs and go for dry versus fresh. Mine were made with fresh basil, plus some dried oregano, tarragon and thyme. Please do not eliminate all the olive oil in the muffin tins – maybe 1/4 teaspoon each is all that's needed-- nor try to take a short cut of heating the oil first before putting in the batter, as both of those steps are what are needed to get the Yorkshire puddings to puff up so nicely. I use a mini tartlet pan but you can use a full size muffin pan as well. Regardless of pan, they will fall on you as they cool, but they will still taste divine. (yes, Craig & Kevin, even without any gravy.)
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Weightwatchers points: 13 as follows: 4 for the cod, 3 for the carrot& parsnip mash (essentially from butter), 1 for the beans (also butter), 5 (generously) for 6 of the mini Yorkshire puddings
Weightwatchers points: 13 as follows: 4 for the cod, 3 for the carrot& parsnip mash (essentially from butter), 1 for the beans (also butter), 5 (generously) for 6 of the mini Yorkshire puddings
Yum.
ReplyDeleteYum yum.
That cod was fantastic.