Pan-fried cod with mushrooms Tender, light and delicious

COD is becoming more popular these days. The only downside about this popularity, as with many fish, is that the prices rise. I use cod on the menu from time to time, but as well as cod I use coley, hake and haddock, which comes from the same family as cod. I use cod either on a la carte or on the lunch menu but that depends mainly on the availability but especially the price.

What I love about cod is that it produces big flakes that are tender and light.

PAN-FRIED COD WITH OYSTER MUSHROOMS AND CREAMED SPINACH Serves 4

(Cooking time 1 hour)

Four cod fillets

One large packet of spinach (large leaf) 150g oyster mushrooms 200ml cream 100ml olive oil Three plum tomatoes 200ml light jus 10g butter

Preheat your oven to 180C.

Starting with the cod. When going to the fishmonger or supermarket, make sure that you buy the cod portions with the skin on and scaled. However, if, like me, you enjoy filleting fish then just start from the very beginning. Keep in the fridge until the very last minute before serving. You will be able to buy the cod in prepacked portions as well for convenience.

Take the spinach and remove the stalks, then wash two or three times to take off any excess dirt. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, then blanch the spinach in the boiling salted water for just 4-5 seconds. Take it out and place in a bowl of iced salted water, then squeeze the excess water out of the spinach. Once the spinach is dry, chop it coarsely.

With the oyster mushrooms, take off the stalk, then strip up the mushrooms. Fry them lightly in olive oil, seasoning lightly, then drain well in a colander. You will need to reheat the mushrooms a wee bit later on, as explained below.

Score the top of the tomatoes and take the core out, then blanch in boiling salted water for 10-15 seconds, then refresh in iced salted water. Take out as soon as cold, then peel, quarter and deseed, then cut into nice even diced pieces.

For the sauce, you could mix a little gravy with a little white wine.

Add the double cream to a pan, bring to the boil and reduce down until it is thick, then fold the cream little by little to the spinach, taking care only to coat the spinach and not to flood it.

Dip the cod fillets in a little flour. Make sure your frying pan is very hot and add the fillets skin side down to get a nice colour, then turn over and do the same, then turn back to the skin side down and place in the oven for 3-4 minutes.

While the cod is in the oven, reheat the oyster mushrooms by putting them in a hot frying pan with a little butter and frying lightly.

Dressing the plate

Put the creamed spinach in the middle of the plate, take out the cod from the oven and place on top of the spinach. Then put the mushrooms and tomatoes all around and drizzle the sauce around.

Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or Restaurant, 176 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 4RL Telephone 0141 248 3801 email: info@ brianmaule.com website: www.brianmaule.com

PHOTOGRAPH: ALAN DONALDSON