If you say fish, a Faroe Islander will most likely answer cod. The Atlantic cod has had a significant role in the Faroese economy and gastronomy throughout history.
A piece of fresh cod is some of the best tasting seafood you can get. The flaky flesh of the cod has a slightly sweet, delicate taste and almost shines on the plate. The taste is mild so cod works well with many other flavours.
Poached cod with French style peas is an easy dish to make. A delicious spring and summer meal that highlights the fresh taste of the cod, complemented with the sweet peas and shallots, crunchy carrot and the salty, crusty taste of pork.
- Author : Gutti Winther
- Category : Dinner
- Cuisine : Nordic/French
- Yield : 2 servings
Ingredients
- 2 loin fillets of cod (150-200 gr. each)
- 200 gr. quality bacon or jamón (cured ham)
- 2 large handfuls of fresh peas (if you can’t get fresh peas, frozen peas will work fine)
- 6-8 baby carrots
- 2 shallots
- A handful of dill, chopped
- 50 gr. butter
- A glass of white wine
- 1 dl chicken stock
- A couple of mint leaves
- Salt
Instructions
- Salt the fillets lightly and set the fillets aside while you prepare the other ingredients. If your fillets have the skin on, leave it on, because it gives the fish more flavour while cooking.
- Cut the bacon or jamón into lardons (cubes) and fry the lardons in a pan until they have a crunchy crust. Remove from the pan. There is no need to clean the pan, because the remaining fat gives the dish more flavour.
- Put the peas and carrots in boiling water for 15 to 30 seconds and transfer them to a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking.
- Cut the shallots into chunky slices. These will give the dish sweetness and texture.
- Melt the butter in the pan, but don’t let it brown, because we only want the clean simple taste of butter in this dish.
- Add the wine before the butter starts browning and lower the heat. Place the fillets in the pan skin-side up and poach gently in the butter and wine for about 6-8 minutes. Don’t turn them, but baste the fillets with the liquid while poaching, so they also get moisture and heat from the top.
- When the cod is poached, put it on a plate to rest. Pour a spoon of the butter and wine liquid over the cod, and put a lid on (you can use an upturned bowl).
- Sauté the shallots in the pan in the remaining liquid for a couple of minutes until they soften.
- Pour in the chicken stock, add the peas and carrots and glaze them.
- When the vegetables are done you are ready to plate the dish.
- Peal the skin off the fillets. Top with the peas, carrots, shallots and some of the poaching juice. Finish with the lardons and garnish with mint and pea leaves.
- You can serve the dish with boiled new potatoes.
