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Braised Cod with Wild Garlic Emulsion

Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients

  • 600 g 600g thick end cod fillet, any bones removed, cut into 4, skin on.
  • 100 g wild garlic leaves
  • 260 ml sunflower oil
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 ½ tsp white wine vinegar
  • 12-16 asparagus spears woody ends removed
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 200 ml fish stock
  • 1-2 tsp lemon juice
  • olive oil and butter for frying
  • fine sea salt

Instructions

  • Begin with preparing the wild garlic oil. Carefully rinse the wild garlic, then blanch for 30 seconds in a pan of salted boiling water. Drain and plunge the leaves into iced water. Once cold, thoroughly pat dry.
  • Chop the wild garlic roughly, add to a blender and pour in the oil. Blitz briefly on a low speed, then increase in speed for 30 seconds until the oil is a bright, vibrant green colour.
  • Pass through a fine sieve lined with a muslin. Transfer to a suitable sterilised container and store in the fridge until required.
  • Pour the stock into a pan, reduce by half, set to one side.
  • To make the emulsion: whisk together the egg yolks, mustard and vinegar in a bowl with a pinch of salt until smooth. Weigh out 200ml of the wild garlic oil and add this to the bowl in a slow steady stream, whisking continuously, until the mixture has emulsified to form a  green mayonnaise. The consistency should be that of double cream so you will most likely need to add a little of the reduced fish stock to loosen it. Season to taste.  Take 30ml of the remaining garlic oil to make the wild garlic dressing, add 1-2 teaspoon of lemon juice and taste, if you feel it needs more acidity add a little more juice, pour into a jam jar and set to one side.
  • Sprinkle a little fine sea salt on each piece of cod.
  • Heat a cast iron frying pan to a medium-high heat, add little sunflower oil.  Place the fish in the pan, after a minute or so add a tablespoon of butter. When the fish is three quarters cooked flip it over, add a 2-3 of tablespoons of the reduced stock, cook 30 seconds longer then turn the heat off. In the meantime boil or steam the asparagus and have 4 warm plates ready.  Place the vegetables on the plate, arrange the cod on top.  Swirl a little of the wild garlic emulsion around the plate and give the dressing a good shake before drizzling the dressing around the plate. Garnish with a wild garlic leaf and flowers if desired. Serve with new potatoes.

Notes

*Sadly I can't give precise timings on the cooking of the fish as size and thickness varies.