Pan Seared Cod With Creamy Fennel Ragoût Food

PAN-SEARED COD

Steps:

• Salt the blocks of fish well and set in the refrigerator for one hour.
• Get your pan hot over a high heat burner, about 2 minutes. While this is happening, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Make sure it's dry. Add the tablespoon of oil and swirl it around. It will heat up very fast.
• As soon as you see a wisp of smoke coming from the oil, lay the fish pieces down in the pan, well spaced, skin side down (or the side where the skin used to be). Turn the heat down to medium-high and let them cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, or until you see the bottom starting to caramelize. Using a thin metal spatula, ideally a fish spatula, carefully try to lift the fish from the pan. It should come up easily, or stick in only one or two spots. If not, keep cooking it -- the fish will release when it's ready.
• When that happens, add the butter, and once it melts, drop the heat all the way to low. Use a spoon to baste the butter over the pieces of fish until they turn opaque. You will need to tilt the pan to do this properly. Serve the fish seared side up.

COD WITH TOMATO-FENNEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel and a pinch each of salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic, oregano, olives and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vermouth and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Generously season the cod with salt and pepper and nestle in the sauce. Cover and cook until the fish is mostly cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the fish finish cooking in the sauce, about 3 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, brush the ciabatta with olive oil and broil until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Rub with the smashed garlic.
• Divide the sauce and fish among shallow bowls; drizzle with olive oil. Top with fennel fronds and serve with the ciabatta.

30-MINUTE COD WITH LEMONY BRAISED FENNEL

Steps:

• Trim the tops and bottoms from the fennel bulbs, reserving a handful of the fronds for garnish. Quarter the bulbs. Set each quarter on its side and slice off most of the core. Cut the quarters into wedges about 1-inch thick (don't worry if some pieces fall off the wedge-use those too).
• Put 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Place over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the fennel and cook without stirring until fennel is brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Stir and let the fennel continue to cook until some more pieces brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup water to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and several grinds of pepper. Lower the heat to medium, cover the skillet, and cook 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the cod with salt and pepper and place on top of the fennel. Cover the pan again and simmer, adding more liquid occasionally if the pan is dry, until the fennel is very tender and the cod is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, chop the reserved fennel fronds (you should have about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons) and remove the zest from the lemon. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cool. Mix the fennel fronds and lemon zest into the breadcrumbs until combined.
• Juice the lemon. Roughly chop the olives.
• When the cod and fennel are done, stir in the lemon juice and the olives. Remove from the heat and let stand for about 1 minute to warm the olives. Transfer the fennel and cod to serving bowls and top the fish with the toasted breadcrumbs. Pour any remaining pan juices over the fennel.

PAN SEARED PACIFIC COD WITH CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE AND CREAMED CORN

Steps:

• For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine cilantro, garlic, lemon zest and juice and season with salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to incorporate all the ingredients. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary, and set aside.
• For the fish: Heat the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet placed over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the cod with salt and pepper. Once the pan is hot, sear the cod for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. Add the butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Once the butter has melted, flip the cod and finish cooking it on the other side, 3 to 4 minutes more, or until just cooked through.
• To plate: Place a spoonful of Creamed Corn onto a plate. Set a piece of fish over the corn and spoon over the cilantro vinaigrette.
• In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the corn kernels and corn milk to the pan, as well as the garlic. Season the corn with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Add the cream, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until it has reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Once the cream has reduced, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully transfer half of the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add the pureed portion back to the pan and place over heat to warm through. Season the creamed corn with salt and pepper.

PAN-SEARED COD WITH CREAMY FENNEL RAGOûT

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon oil to fat in skillet, then cook fennel with salt and pepper over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add broth, cream, tomatoes, and garlic to fennel and cook, partially covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until fennel is tender and cream is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
• While fennel cooks, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Season fillets with salt and pepper, then sauté 4 minutes. Turn over and sauté until just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.
• Stir mustard and bacon into fennel ragout and season with salt and pepper. Serve cod over fennel ragout.