This is a powerfully flavorful fish recipe. Chef George Mendes has a quick cod solution: instead of using salt cod and soaking it for days, he quick cures fresh cod by letting it stand in kosher salt for just 10 minutes. The conversion from days to minutes means this is a dish that you can pop on your table with ease.
Complementing the cod is base of corn and a necklace of clams. The cod picks up some additional heat along the way from pepper and paprika. It’s not the bland old cod you know too well. This cod bites at you before you can get in your first chew.
The presentation is lovely and will impress your dinner guests. Even if it is just the two of you, you are entitled to impress yourselves.
Ten Minute Cod
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
- · 4 skinless center-cut cod fillets (about 5 ounces each)
- · ½ cup kosher salt
- · 2 ears of corn, shucked
- · 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- · 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- · Freshly ground white pepper
- · ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- · Wondra flour, for dusting
- · 20 littleneck clams, scrubbed
- · 2 garlic cloves, minced
- · 2 cilantro sprigs
- · 1 thyme sprig
- · ½ cup dry white wine
- · ½ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
- · 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- · Crusty bread, for serving
Preparation:
Set the cod on a plate and cover all over with the salt. Let stand for exactly 10 minutes. Rinse off the salt and pat the cod dry.
Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the corn and cook for 2 minutes; drain and pat dry. Cut the kernels off the cobs. In a small skillet, toss the corn with the butter and lemon juice and season with white pepper. Cook until heated through, about 1 minute.
In a large, deep nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil. Dust the cod with Wondra flour and season with white pepper. Add the fish to the pan, skinned side down and cook over high heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Flip the cod and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute. Add the clams, garlic, cilantro and thyme and season with pepper. Add the wine, cover and cook over moderate heat until the clams open and the fish is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and any clams that do not open.
Rewarm the corn and spoon it into 4 shallow bowls. Top with the cod and sprinkle with the smoked paprika. Spoon the clams and broth all around and garnish with the parsley. Serve with crusty bread.
Source: Chef George Mendes of Aldea in Food and Wine, July 2011
Photo Credits: Canon T2i, 18-55MM Macro lens, F/3.5, 1/25th second, ISO 3200