Steamed Cod loin
Recipe by Scott Davies MCGB, Executive Chef, The Old Manse of Blair
Cod tail salted - brandade
Cod tail, place on a bed of fine salt and then cover in salt. Leave in the fridge for a week, re-cover in salt if needed. Wash off salt and pat dry. Hang in a dark, cool and well-ventilated room for 7-10 days. Or until dried, firm to the touch and salt crust on the outside. Same principle for the bones, just use the collars & main body bone
Cod stock for brandade
Ingredients
250g white leeks (washed & finely sliced)
1 clove of garlic (peeled & lightly crushed)
250g salted cod bones (re-hydrated in fresh cold water, left for 24 hours. Water change 3-4 times)
1 large potato (peeled & sliced)
500g water
100g Extra virgin olive oil
Method
Add all ingredients to a pan, except for EVOO. Bring to the simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, remove bones and blend in the EVOO. Pass through a fine sieve and leave to cool.
Cod brandade
Ingredients
125g re-hydrated/wash salted cod. Pat dried
2 small cloves of garlic peeled
175g extra virgin olive oil
100g Cod stock
½ lemon juice
Pinch of cayenne
Pepper
Method
Add 50ml EVOO to pan, finely grated in the garlic. Over a low heat cook for couple, until soft, release the flavour of the garlic. No colour, this will make the garlic bitter. Roughly chop up the cod, add this to pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the fish is cooked. Remove from the heat. Add the cod stock, with a stick blender blend. Slowly pour in the rest of EVOO, season with salt if needed, cayenne, pepper and lemon. Serve at room temperature.
Cod trim and belly - fish mousse
Ingredients
250g cod/white fish meat (sinew, bones, skin removed & diced) take extra care for any worms
5g fine sea salt
20g egg white
400-500g double cream
Method
30 minutes before making the fish mousse. Place the robo coup or blender in a freezer, also making sure ingredients are fridge cold. Add to the blender, fish meat, salt and egg whites, blend high for 30 seconds, stop scrape down, blend again. Whilst blend slowly pour 100ml cream. Stop place the blender in freezer, leave for 10 minutes. Blend mousse with 150ml cream, scrape down. Place back in freeze and repeat process. The mousse should be smooth, glossy and thick. Be careful not to over work, as this can heat the mousse up with friction and split. Or add the cream to slowly, which can whip the mousse/cream. Store in fridge for two days or freezers really well.
Cod stock
Ingredients
1kg cod bones (soaked & wash off, removing any blood, etc)
250g onion (peeled & sliced)
250g white leeks (washed & sliced)
2 bay leaves
5g thyme
1 tsp White peppercorn
250g celery (washed & sliced)
250g fennel (sliced)
5 parley stalks
2.5 litres of water
20g sea salt
Method
Add ingredients to a large pan, bring to the simmer. Skim and simmer for 50 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve, cheese cloth. Cool, keep for 2 days in the fridge or freeze.
Cod head ideas
Roasted cod head, sea herbs & cockles
Braised Cod head in Thai red curry
Tandoor Cod head, naan
Fried tongues
Seaweed butter sauce reduction
Ingredients
150ml gooseberry wine
25ml gooseberry vinegar
2g sea salt
1 banana shallots finely chopped
5ml fish sauce
5g flaked seaweed
Method
Add all ingredients and reduce by 2/3. Whisk in 200g lightly smoked unsalted butter, check seasoning and acidity. Keep warm.
Garnish
Cooked, picked mussels
Herring roe caviar
Keta/salmon/trout caviar
Cod loin brine for 10 minutes in 10% saltwater brine
Seaweed butter sauce reduction
Ingredients
150ml gooseberry wine
25ml gooseberry vinegar
2g sea salt
1 banana shallots finely chopped
5ml fish sauce
5g flaked seaweed
Method
Add all ingredients and reduce by 2/3. Whisk in 200g lightly smoked unsalted butter, check seasoning and acidity. Keep warm.