Cod with Cockles, Potatoes, Leeks, and Parsley Puree
Here is a dish to lift any seafood lover’s spirits – a classic pairing, cod and cockles, garnished with delicious diced Yukon potatoes and leeks. The fish and clams are served in a broth of the clam juice, wine, and pureed parsley. The potatoes soak up this sauce, turn green, and become very nice and flavorful. It’s a very satisfying dish – seafood, potatoes, leeks, and a brilliant shade of green.
This is very much French brasserie fare – fulfilling food, not too complicated, and visually appealing, yet not excessively garnished. The recipe is from the Balthazar Cookbook, a great source of classic French recipes from a classic Tribeca (NYC) restaurant.
Heat & Knives
The Recipe
Source: The Balthazar Cookbook
2 cups of flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 leeks, white parts only, quartered, sliced ½ inch thick, and rinsed well
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups white wine
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
¼ cup olive oil
6 cod fillets (about 8 ounces each), skin on if possible
1 pound cockles (about 36 of them)
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Prepare the Parsley Puree, Potatoes, and Leeks:
Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the parsley and blanch over high heat for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water. Place in a blender along with the reserved cooking liquid and puree. Refrigerate until needed.
Bring more salted water to a boil in a large pot. Drop the diced potatoes in and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes; try not to overcook as the potatoes will lose their shape. Drain through a colander and set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan (one with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the leeks and cook until soft and translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.
Steam the Cockles:
Pour the wine into the saute pan, along with the thyme and garlic. The cockles will be steamed in this while the fish cooks in the oven, so hold on the stovetop over low heat until needed.
Cook the Fish:
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large (preferably nonstick) saute pan over a high flame. Dry the cod fillets and season with the salt and pepper. When the oil smokes, add 3 of the cod fillets; shake the pan to distribute the oil. Let the fillets brown, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate while the other 3 fillets are seared in the same way, replenishing the oil if necessary. Flip the fish and return the first 3 fillets to the pan, seared side up. Sear the other side for 2 minutes, then transfer all the fish to the preheated oven. Cook for 8 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and just starting to flake.
Assemble the Dish:
Gently heat the potatoes and leeks in a saute pan. Raise the heat to high under the white wine, and add the cockles. When the cockles open their shells, about 3 to 4 minutes, add the reserved potatoes and leeks and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Replace the lid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and 2 to 3 grindings of pepper. A minute before serving, add the parsley puree. Spoon into shallow bowls, top with a cod fillet, and eat with a spoon.
