Black Cod With Chanterelle Ragout Food

COD WITH CHANTERELLES AND PARSLEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the parsley sauce. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add parsley leaves. Blanch for 20 seconds only and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and press leaves against strainer to squeeze out water, then squeeze by the handful. Transfer to a small food processor fitted with the steel blade or a mini-chop and turn on the machine. When chopped leaves adhere to the sides of the machine, stop and scrape down sides with a spatula. Turn on again and add oil with the machine running. Purée until smooth. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and continue to work until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Oil a baking dish that can accommodate all of the fish. Season fish with salt and pepper. Place in baking dish. Drizzle oil over fish, add wine and a squeeze of lemon to pan and cover tightly. Bake 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillets), until fish is opaque and pulls apart when a fork is inserted.
• While fish is baking, cook mushrooms. Heat a medium-size or large skillet over high heat and add olive oil. Add mushrooms and let them sit and sear for several seconds, then stir and toss in the pan for about 1 minute, until they begin to sweat. Turn heat to medium and add garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Toss or stir in the pan for another minute or two, just until the mushrooms have softened. Add wine and cook, stirring and scraping up any residue from the bottom of the pan, until wine has evaporated. Stir in lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning. Turn off the heat.
• When fish is done, tip or spoon some of the liquid from baking dish into parsley purée and stir together with pestle until sauce is smooth and has a creamy consistency.
• Place a piece of fish on each of 4 plates. Spoon parsley sauce onto plate, next to fish. Place mushrooms on parsley sauce and serve.

BLACK COD WITH CLAMS, CHANTERELLES, AND FREGOLA

Steps:

• For the mushroom dashi: Put the shiitake and warm water in a small saucepan and let soften for 10 minutes. Add the soy sauce and mirin and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fregola and boil until al dente. Drain.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onion and fennel and sauté until softened and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the chanterelles and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until they soften and color slightly, about 3 minutes. Keep warm.
• Season the cod with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet over moderately high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, put the fish in the skillet, interior side down. Sear until lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes, then turn and cook until the flesh turns white and begins to flake, about 4 minutes longer.
• While the fish cooks, put the clams in a large pot and add the mushroom dashi. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and steam until the clams open, about 2 minutes. Discard any that fail to open.
• Ladle about 1/4 cup of the clam juices into a small bowl, add the miso, and whisk to blend. Return these juices to the clam pot, then gently stir in the onions, fennel, mushrooms, fregola, and cilantro. Taste and add a bit of lemon juice if desired.
• Divide the clams and vegetables among 4 warm bowls, making a space in the center for the fish. Place a cod fillet in the center of each bowl. Serve immediately.
• Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Napa Valley Chardonnay or a similarly full-bodied white wine with a silky texture.