Heston Blumenthal's pan-seared cod with leek and potato sauce recipe
A rich fish dish. Serve on a bed of diced waxy potatoes (steamed or boiled), dressed with a simple vinaigrette. Also delicious with buttered leeks and green beans.
Heston says: "Cod is a delicious, robust fish, but be careful not to overcook it. It is also really important to use both the white and the green parts of the leeks and to chop them very finely so they cook as quickly as possible without losing their colour or flavour."
Ingredients
- 50 g potato, peeled and finely sliced
- 10 g unsalted butter
- 0.5 onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 160 g leeks, washed and v. finely sliced
- 200 ml fish stock, warmed
- 1 bouquet garni
- 1 tbsp whipping cream
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp groundnut oil
- 300 g cod fillets
- 1 bunch chives, finely chopped
- 20 g pea shoots, to garnish
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Main
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 40 mins
- Serves: 2
Step-by-step
- Rinse the sliced potato under cold water for 30 seconds then drain well.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion and potato for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the leeks and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Pour in the warm fish stock with the bouquet garni and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the cream and milk and continue to heat for a further 10 minutes.
- To finish the sauce, remove the bouquet garni, then liquidise and strain the sauce through a sieve into a clean pan. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and keep warm while you sear the cod.
- Heat the groundnut oil in a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Season the fish fillets on both sides with a little salt and place in the pan. After approximately 1–2 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish), flip the fillets and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
- Place the fillets on warm plates then, using a hand blender, froth the sauce and ladle it around the fish. Sprinkle with the chopped chives and garnish with the pea tops.
This recipe was devised by Heston Blumenthal for Waitrose
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