Cod with Vegetables

For this meal, all you need is one pot, and you can substitute any delicate-tasting white fish, such as halibut or Chilean sea bass, or even salmon. This recipe calls for cooking the fillets in a poaching liquid that often includes vegetables. The liquid reduces during cooking and ends up as a sauce. If you can’t find fresh morel mushrooms, you can use dried ones (which need to be reconstituted in water) or button mushrooms.

Ingredients:

4 skinless cod fillets, 6 oz each

3 oz brioche, cut into ½ inch cubes

4 tbsp butter

½ lb fresh morel mushrooms, stems trimmed

½ bunch asparagus

1 cup pearl onions, peeled and halved

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

2 eggs, hard-boiled, then grated or finely chopped

2 tbsp chopped chives

2 tbsp dry vermouth

zest and juice of 1 lemon

salt and ground white pepper

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil and arrange brioche cubes in a single layer. Melt 2 tbsp of butter and drizzle over top. Bake in an oven preheated to 350̊ F until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle croutons with salt to taste, cool, and serve.

To clean the morels, dunk them in a bowl of cold water, drain and repeat until the water runs clear. Strain and pat dry with a towel.

Prepare the asparagus by breaking off and discarding any tough, white bottoms. Cut stalks, on an angle, into 1 to 2 inch pieces.

Season the cod fillets on both sides with the lemon zest and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Melt remaining butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add pearl onions and cook, stirring for 2 minutes until softened but not browned. Add mushrooms, asparagus and salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring until any liquid has evaporated, about another 3 minutes. Add vermouth and simmer until almost dry. Add chicken stock and cream and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add the cod, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 8 minutes or until the fish can be easily pierced with a toothpick. Pour lemon juice over the cod.

Divide the fish, vegetables and sauce among 4 dinner plates. Sprinkle each serving with egg, croutons and chives.