LOCAL CHANTERELLES TURNED UP AT THE MARKET ON SUNDAY. THEY WERE LARGE AND GNARLY, SOMEWHAT MISSHAPEN, BUT QUITE DRY AND AT $22 A POUND I COULDN'T RESIST. DRY IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN WILD MUSHROOMS ARE SOGGY WITH MOISTURE THEY ARE HARD TO COOK, PLUS YOU ARE PAYING FOR THE ADDED WEIGHT. I PAIRED THEM WITH ATLANTIC COD AND STEAMED CABBAGE. EACH COMPONENT -- FISH, CHANTERELLES, AND CABBAGE -- IS COOKED SEPARATELY AND PRACTICALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY, SO WITH MINIMAL PREP, YOU CAN PUT TOGETHER THIS LOVELY DISH IN THIRTY MINUTES. THE WOODSY TANG OF THE CHANTERELLES AND THE DELICATE GREEN CRUNCH OF THE CABBAGE COMPLIMENTS THE COD WITHOUT OVERPOWERING IT.
TRIM THE CHANTERELLES. SCRAPE OFF ANY GRIT CLINGING TO THE STEMS AND GILLS. IF SMALL, LEAVE WHOLE. IF LARGE, SLICE LENGTHWISE IN QUARTERS.
PEEL AND SLICE THE SHALLOTS.
CUT THE CABBAGE LENGTHWISE. TRIM OUT THE CORE. BRING A FEW CUPS OF WATER TO BOIL IN A STEAMER.
HEAT A FRYING PAN ON HIGH HEAT FOR TWO MINUTES. DRY THE COD THOROUGHLY WITH PAPER TOWELS. SEASON WITH SALT AND FRESH- GROUND WHITE PEPPER.
ADD 3 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL TO THE PAN. WHEN IT RIPPLES, GENTLY LAY IN THE FISH. SHAKE THE PAN TILL THE FILLETS STOP STICKING. REDUCE THE HEAT TO MEDIUM. COOK FOR 3 MORE MINUTES. ADD 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER TO THE PAN, REDUCE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND COVER. CONTINUE COOKING ON A LOW FLAME, BASTING WITH BUTTER AND PAN JUICES. FISH IS DONE WHEN A KNIFE INSERTED IN THE THICKEST PART FEELS WARM TO THE TOUCH ON YOUR BOTTOM LIP.
MEANWHILE, PRE-HEAT A FRYING PAN ON HIGH HEAT. ADD A SPLASH OF OLIVE OIL AND THE CHANTERELLES. SALT AND PEPPER. COVER AND CONTINUE COOKING, SHAKING THE PAN OCCASIONALLY. THE CHANTERELLES WILL DISGORGE THEIR MOISTURE AND START TO BROWN. UNCOVER, LOWER THE HEAT. ADD 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER AND THE SLICED SHALLOTS. STIR WITH A WOODEN SPOON TILL THE SHALLOTS ARE SLIGHTLY BROWNED.
LAY THE CABBAGE LEAVES IN THE STEAMER. COOK FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE CABBAGE IS WILTED BUT STILL CRUNCHY. TOSS WITH BUTTER AND CHOPPED CHIVES.
TO ASSSEMBLE, PLACE A BED OF CABBAGE LEAVES ON EACH INDIVIDUAL PLATE. LAY A COD FILLET ON THE CABBAGE AND THE CHANTERELLES ON TOP OF THE FISH. GARNISH WITH FRESH PARSLEY LEAVES AND SLICES OF LEMON.
SERVES 4
Ingredients
Directions
TRIM THE CHANTERELLES. SCRAPE OFF ANY GRIT CLINGING TO THE STEMS AND GILLS. IF SMALL, LEAVE WHOLE. IF LARGE, SLICE LENGTHWISE IN QUARTERS.
PEEL AND SLICE THE SHALLOTS.
CUT THE CABBAGE LENGTHWISE. TRIM OUT THE CORE. BRING A FEW CUPS OF WATER TO BOIL IN A STEAMER.
HEAT A FRYING PAN ON HIGH HEAT FOR TWO MINUTES. DRY THE COD THOROUGHLY WITH PAPER TOWELS. SEASON WITH SALT AND FRESH- GROUND WHITE PEPPER.
ADD 3 TBSPS OF OLIVE OIL TO THE PAN. WHEN IT RIPPLES, GENTLY LAY IN THE FISH. SHAKE THE PAN TILL THE FILLETS STOP STICKING. REDUCE THE HEAT TO MEDIUM. COOK FOR 3 MORE MINUTES. ADD 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER TO THE PAN, REDUCE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND COVER. CONTINUE COOKING ON A LOW FLAME, BASTING WITH BUTTER AND PAN JUICES. FISH IS DONE WHEN A KNIFE INSERTED IN THE THICKEST PART FEELS WARM TO THE TOUCH ON YOUR BOTTOM LIP.
MEANWHILE, PRE-HEAT A FRYING PAN ON HIGH HEAT. ADD A SPLASH OF OLIVE OIL AND THE CHANTERELLES. SALT AND PEPPER. COVER AND CONTINUE COOKING, SHAKING THE PAN OCCASIONALLY. THE CHANTERELLES WILL DISGORGE THEIR MOISTURE AND START TO BROWN. UNCOVER, LOWER THE HEAT. ADD 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER AND THE SLICED SHALLOTS. STIR WITH A WOODEN SPOON TILL THE SHALLOTS ARE SLIGHTLY BROWNED.
LAY THE CABBAGE LEAVES IN THE STEAMER. COOK FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE CABBAGE IS WILTED BUT STILL CRUNCHY. TOSS WITH BUTTER AND CHOPPED CHIVES.
TO ASSSEMBLE, PLACE A BED OF CABBAGE LEAVES ON EACH INDIVIDUAL PLATE. LAY A COD FILLET ON THE CABBAGE AND THE CHANTERELLES ON TOP OF THE FISH. GARNISH WITH FRESH PARSLEY LEAVES AND SLICES OF LEMON.
SERVES 4
Notes
