3999. FISH TACOS with SMOKED BACON

Makes 6 tacos


2 cod fillets cut into cubes

2 slices of thick smoked bacon, chopped into small pieces

1/2 white onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small tomato, chopped

1/4 cup fresh, chopped cilantro

A pinch of lemon zest and the juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (adjust according to taste)

salt to taste

6 corn tortillas

avocado, limes, and salsa for serving

In a large pan, cook bacon for 3-4 minutes. Add onion and continue to cook until onions soften. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add tomato and continue to stir. Add butter into pan. Add cod and cook until the fish begins to flake. Using a spoon, break the cod apart into smaller pieces. Add oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt.

Stir until fish cooks and juices from the stew begin to evaporate. Turn heat off. Add the lemon zest and juice. Stir. Taste and adjust seasonings according to taste. Fold in cilantro right before serving. Warm tortillas on the stovetop. Serve with avocado, limes, and your favorite salsa.

bacon recipe source: Ariana, Mexicrave, May 25, 2014

3359. BAKED COD with LEEKS, MORELS and BACON

serves four


3/4 oz. dried morel mushrooms 
1/2 cup boiling water  
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 
4 bacon slices 
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green portions 
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste 
1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar 
4 cod fillets, each about 6 oz. 
Freshly ground pepper, to taste 
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Preheat an oven to 375°F.

In a small heatproof bowl, soak the mushrooms in the boiling water for 20 minutes. Squeeze the mushrooms dry and roughly chop the larger ones into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

In a large ovenproof fry pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter. Add the bacon and fry until crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 3 Tbs. of the fat from the pan. Add the leeks and the 1/4 tsp. salt, stir until evenly coated with the fat and cook, stirring often, until tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Crumble the bacon and add half to the leeks along with the reserved mushrooms and the vinegar. Toss to combine well and spread the leek mixture over the bottom of the pan.

Season the cod fillets with salt and pepper and lay them on top of the leeks. Dot with the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. Bake until the fish flakes with a fork, about 12 minutes. Garnish with the remaining bacon and the chives and serve immediately.





bacon recipe source: Williams-Sonoma's One Pot of the Day: 365 recipes for every day of the year, by Kate McMillan (Weldon Owen, 2012)

3094. SEAFOOD CHOWDER with BACON, DILLISK and CARRAGEEN (SEAWEED)

serves 6-8


1 lb. pollock, cod, or other white fish fillets
8 oz. shellfish (mussels, cockles, prawns)
4 oz. salmon, cubed
1/4 stick butter
2 oz. streaky bacon, cut into matchstick strips
2 lb. mixed vegetables (onions, leeks, carrots, celery, waxy potatoes), diced
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 oz. dillisk (purple-reddish seaweed)
1/4 oz. Carrageen, a.k.a. Irish moss
2 1/4 cups milk
Garnish: fresh parsley and chives

Cook the bacon strips in butter until crisp. Add all the vegetables except the potatoes. Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook slowly without coloring for 5 minutes. Add water, dilisk and Carrageen and cook for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and milk and cook until potatoes are soft. Add fish and shellfish and cook for 3-5 minutes. Check seasoning and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley and chives.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Best of Irish Potato Recipes by Biddy White Lennon, pp. 62-63. Dublin: The O'Brien Press, 12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6, Ireland, 2002

3061. BLUE COD wrapped in SMOKED BACON

2 x 100-150 gram blue cod fillets

2-3 rashers smoked bacon
80 ml cream
80 ml white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh seasonal herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, mint, coriander)

3-5 cockles

 

Preheat oven to 180°C. Wrap cod in bacon, place on a baking tray and bake 10-15 minutes until fish is opaque and cooked through. Meanwhile, combine cream, wine and herbs in a small pan, add cockles and simmer until liquid is reduced to a thin sauce consistency and cockles have opened. To serve, place wrapped cod on a plate, surround with cockles and pour over sauce from pan.

 

 

bacon recipe courtesy of: Fleur Sullivan, for NZ House & Garden; Fairfax Magazines, 317 New North Road, Eden Terrace, PO Box 6341 Wellesley St, Auckland, New Zealand

2713. BACON-WRAPPED COD with LITTLENECK CLAMS

serves two


4 small fillets blue cod, skin and bones removed
4 rashers streaked bacon or smoked pork belly
25 ml olive oil
100 ml white wine
150 ml cream
10 littleneck clams, washed
chopped garden herbs, including parsley, chives

Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Lay two cod fillets together for each portion and wrap two slices of streaky bacon around the centres. Place the two portions of bacon-wrapped cod fillets in an ovenproof frying-pan and drizzle with olive oil. Select a pan that first the portions snuggly. Roast in the hot oven until the bacon begins to crisp and the cod is almost cooked. Remove from the oven to the stove-top and, on a moderate heat, deglaze (lift the flavours from the bottom of the pan) with the white wine while the cod is still in the pan. Allow to boil then add the cream. (This should come halfway up the cod fillets). Add the clams. Boil gently until the sauce begins to thicken slightly and the clams open, then add chopped herbs, ground black pepper and salt (but only if needed on tasting).  Serve with steamed seasonal vegetables and freshly dug new-season potatoes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Fleur Sullivan, The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, Australia, October 19, 2011

2710. CIOPPINO with MUSSELS and BACON

serves 4-6 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 slices smokehouse bacon, diced 
1 yellow onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 can diced tomatoes 
1 carton vegetable broth 
1/2 pound fresh mussels, washed 
1 package frozen cod fillets, thawed and cut into bite-size chunks 
1 tablespoon Mediterranean seafood seasoning 
 2 tablespoons chopped basil 

Heat oil and bacon over medium-high heat in a large saucepan until bacon is cooked but not crispy. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and vegetable broth and simmer 20 minutes. Add mussels, fish and seasoning. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and mussels are opened. Be careful not to overcook. Ladle into bowls and garnish with basil.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Whole Foods Market.com 

2320. SABLEFISH with GALA APPLE, SAVOY CABBAGE and PEPPER BACON RIESLING BUTTER SAUCE

serves four


4 8-ounce black cod fillets, skin on
4 oz butter
1/2 cup of dry Riesling
4 slices of crisp pepper bacon
1 slice crisp bacon strip julienne
8 oz of Napa cabbage thinly sliced
1 each peeled and cored wedged Gala apple
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a nonstick ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place fillets flesh side down in the pan and sear until nicely browned, being careful not to burn, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and place the pan in the preheated oven. Roast until the centers of the fillets are pearly white, about 5 minutes.

For Sauce: In medium size pre-heated fry pan add olive oil and sauté apples, Napa cabbage quickly stir a few times, about 2 -3 min. Add fresh thyme leaves and sliced crisp bacon. Finish with dry Riesling, season with salt and pepper. Remove fish from oven and slowly stir in butter to saute pan. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle Riesling butter over and around cabbage and apples. Garnish with bacon slice


bacon recipe courtesy of: Charles Ramseyer, Today Food

2301. SALT CODFISH with BACON and EGG-CAPER SAUCE

serves four


1 1/2 lb. salt codfish
2 strips bacon, fried and crumbled
1/4 cup American cheese, cubed
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 stick butter
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 tablespoon capers
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Soak the codfish 24 hours, changing the water several times. Boil it gently for 20 minutes. Drain, remove the skin and bones and cut the fish into 2-inch squares; keep it hot. Fry the bacon until brown and crisp; drain it and crumble it.

Melt the butter in a skillet, remove from the heat and add the flour; mix well, then add the milk a little at a time, stirring constantly. Return to the fire and add the cubed cheese, capers and crumbled bacon; mix well. Place codfish pieces on heated serving plates, cover with the egg sauce and serve at once.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Provincetown Seafood Cookbook by Howard Mitcham, page 199. Provincetown, Massachusetts: The Hermit Crab Press, 1975

2258. BACON-WRAPPED COD with HOMINY CAKE

makes six servings


Hominy
2 1/2 cups hominy
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 egg whites
1/2 cup canola oil, divided

Cod
6 (6-ounce) cod fillets
6 strips thick-cut smoked bacon
2 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the hominy: Combine the hominy, egg yolks, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, paprika and baking powder in a bowl and mix. In another bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the hominy mixture. Heat 1/4 cup of the canola oil in a nonstick saute pan. Spoon one-sixth of the hominy into the pan, flipping the cake when golden brown and firm to the touch on one side, about 1 minute per side. Cook the remaining hominy cakes, adding more canola oil when needed. Place the cakes on a cookie sheet while making the entire batch.

For the cod: Wrap each piece of cod in a slice of bacon. Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add the butter and when melted and foaming, add the cod. Saute until the bacon is lightly crisp and the cod is cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side. Place one hominy cake on each plate and top with the bacon-wrapped cod. Serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Maine Classics: More Than 150 Delicious Recipes from Down East by Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier. Running Press, 2011

2125. ROAST COD with COCKLES, BACON and LEEK

serves one


vegetable oil, for shallow-frying
1 cod fillet, (150g)
freshly ground salt and black pepper
200 grams cockles, in their shells
2 rashers smoked streaky bacon
1 leek, finely chopped
150 ml double cream
1/2 teaspoon English mustard
small handful of chopped parsley
squeeze of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Heat the oil in a frying pan, season the cod with salt and freshly ground pepper and fry gently until the cod is golden on both sides. Transfer the cod to a roasting tray and roast for 5-6 minutes. Meanwhile, place the cockles in a saucepan with a little water. Cover and heat until the cockles are steamed open, discarding any that have not opened. Reserve the cockle cooking liquor and shell the cockles. In a frying pan, heat the bacon and fry gently. Add the cockle cooking liquor and the leek and cook gently until the leek is tender. Drain off two-thirds of the liquor from the cockle mixture. Add the shelled cockles, cream, mustard and parsley. Season generously with freshly ground pepper. Cook for two minutes. Place the leek and cockle mixture on a plate. Top with the roast cod portion. Season with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve at once.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Mitch Tonks, Good Food Live, UKTV

2008. PAN-SEARED COD with BACON and CREAMY FENNEL RAGOUT

makes 4 servings


4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 fennel bulbs (sometimes called anise; 2 pounds), stalks discarded and bulbs cut lengthwise into 1-inch wedges
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (14 fluid ounces)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped drained sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 (7-ounce) pieces cod, scrod, or halibut fillet (about 1 inch thick)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Garnish: fennel fronds

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.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, December 2003

1661. TERIYAKI BACON BLACK COD BLUE CHEESE BURGER

1/4 pound black cod
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 handful shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 strips bacon
1 bun
lettuce
tomato
blue cheese

Marinate the black cod in the teriyaki sauce up to over night. Heat the oil in a pan. Saute the black cod in the oil until just crispy. Melt the butter in a pan. Saute the mushrooms in the butter until golden brown. Add the teriyaki sauce and sesame oil and saute until evaporated. Fry the bacon until crispy. Assemble sandwich.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kevin, Closet Cooking (July 1, 2008), Toronto, Ontario, Canada, lynch.kevin@gmail.com

1628. BACON-WRAPPED BLACK COD, ROASTED with BABY BEETS and MICRO GREENS with BEET BEURRE BLANC

yields four entree-size servings


4 bunches assorted baby beets (about golf ball size)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large red beets
3 shallots, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
8 ounces butter, cut into small pieces plus 1 tablespoon
ground white pepper
4 (6-ounce) pieces black cod
16 to 20 pieces thinly sliced bacon
2 cups micro arugula

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Scrub the beets, trim the stems and cut off the tails. Place in a baking dish lined with aluminum foil. Toss the beets with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and add about a 1/4-inch of water. Cover the baking dish and bake until the beets are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside, covered, to cool. Peel the beets by gently rubbing the skin off of the beet with a paper towel. Slice the beets into very thin rounds or wedges. Set aside until ready to serve the fish.

Peel the 3 large red beets and cut them into wedges. Place the beets in a medium saucepan, cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender about 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside let cool. Puree the beets with 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Strain slowly through a fine mesh sieve. Transfer the liquid to a small pan and reduce to 1/4 cup.

Make the beurre blanc in a small pan by combining the shallots with the white wine and the champagne vinegar. Cook until the liquid is almost completely reduced, about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the beet reduction. Whisk 8 ounces of butter, little by little, making sure to completely incorporate each addition before adding more. Season the sauce with salt and ground white pepper, to taste, and set aside to keep warm while you prepare the fish. Do not allow sauce to boil or it will separate.

Wrap each piece of cod with about 4 slices of bacon, overlapping the edges slightly, until the entire piece of fish is covered with bacon. Ideally, the edges of the bacon will meet on the skin side of the fish. Place the wrapped fillets on a sheet pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, season the micro greens with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.

When ready to serve the fish, heat the beets in a small saucepan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and just enough water to submerge them. Season the beet slices lightly with salt and pepper and serve the beets on the side of the fish.

Serve the cod immediately with the warm beets, beurre blanc and the micro green salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, "Seafood Specials," The Essence of Emeril, 2007

1513. BASQUE SALT COD with BACON and TOMATOES

makes 4 to 6 servings


1 pound filleted salt cod
1 cup chopped drained pimentos
one 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped and juice included
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 thick, lean slices hickory-smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Place the cod in a large glass dish or bowl with enough cold water to cover and let soak 24 hours, changing the water several times.

In a blender or food processor, purée the pimentos, ¼ cup of juice from the tomatoes, and the cayenne and set aside.

Drain the cod and cut or break it into 1½-inch pieces, removing any bones or skin. Place the pieces in a bowl with the flour and toss till the pieces are well coated.

In a large, heavy skillet, fry the bacon over moderate heat till crisp and transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to the skillet, brown the cod pieces on all sides in the fat, and add them to the bacon. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, add the onion and garlic, and stir about 3 minutes. Add the reserved pimento mixture, the tomatoes and their remaining juices, the cod and bacon mixture, and stir well. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer the mixture for 1 hour. Serve hot.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food by James Villas. Wiley, 2007

1490. BACON-WRAPPED COD with LITTLENECK CLAMS

serves two


4 small fillets of blue cod, skin and bones removed
4 rashers streaky bacon or smoked pork belly
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup cream
10 New Zealand littleneck clams, washed
chopped garden herbs including parsley, chives, chervil. etc.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lay two cod fillets together for each portion and wrap two slices of streaky bacon around the centers. Place the two portions of bacon wrapped cod fillets in an ovenproof frying pan and drizzle with olive oil. Select a pan that fits the portions snugly. Roast in hot oven until the bacon begins to crisp and the cod is almost cooked. Remove from the oven to the stove top on a moderate heat, deglaze (lift the flavors from the bottom of the pan) with the white wine while the cod is still in the pan. Allow to boil, then add the cream. (This should come halfway up the cod fillets.) Add clams. Boil gently until the sauce begins to thicken slightly and the clams open, then add chopped herbs, ground black pepper and salt. Serve with steamed seasonal vegetables and freshly dug new-season potatoes.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Fleur's Place by Fleur Sullivan, Paul Sorrel and Graham Warman | Homer News, 3482 Landings Street, Homer, Alaska 99603-7999, March 4, 2009

1477. COD CHOWDER with BACON, SAFFRON and FINGERLING POTATOES

makes 6 servings


4 thick-cut slices bacon (about 1/4 pound), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 leeks)
3 8-ounce bottles clam juice
1 pound fingerling or baby Dutch yellow potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/2 cup whipping cream
6 5-ounce cod fillets

Cook bacon in heavy large pot over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Add leeks to same pot. Cover and cook until leeks are very tender, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Add clam juice, potatoes, 1/2 cup water, thyme, and saffron. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer until potatoes are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Stir in cream and reserved bacon. Season chowder to taste with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle cod with salt and pepper; place atop chowder. Cover and cook until cod is opaque in center, about 10 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, transfer 1 cod fillet to each of 6 bowls. Ladle chowder over fish and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Bon Appétit, October 2004

1471. GRILLED COD and LEEK with BACON

makes four servings


14 ounces cod, halibut, or Japanese bluefish fillets, skinned
1 leek (7 1/2 oz.)
8 strips (7 1/2 oz.) bacon, each cut into 5 pieces
20 thin slices ginger root with skin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
40 toothpicks
1/4 cup parsley, cut 1 inch long

Cut fillets into 20 equal pieces (1 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch.) Season with salt and pepper. Cut leek into 10 equal pieces; cut in half, lengthwise. Place a ginger slice on a fish; wrap bacon around it and fasten the ends with a toothpick. Wrap bacon around leek; fasten ends with a toothpick. Place the fish on a bacon rack and put it on the turn table. Do not cover. Cook on high for 5 – 6 minutes or until fish is done. Transfer to a plate. Place the leeks on a bacon rack and place it on the turn table. Cook on high for 3 – 4 minutes. Serve cod and leek together. Garnish with parsley.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Sachiko Murakami, Sachiko Cooking Tokyo/Fukuoka, Japan, info@sachikocooking.com

1250. POACHED SMOKED SABLEFISH with BACON, CLAMS and CABBAGE

serves 4


Poached Smoked Sablefish

4 cups milk
4 5-oz pieces wild sablefish (black cod)
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Fish Velouté Sauce

16 savoy cabbage leaves
1 large carrot, cut into sticks
1 1/2 oz butter
1 tablespoons flour
1 cup fish stock
salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
20 clams
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
juice of 1 lemon

Bacon Garnish

12 thin strips of bacon

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place bacon between 2 sheets of parchment paper on baking sheet. Top with a second baking sheet and bake in oven until bacon is crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

For fish velouté sauce, fill large saucepan with water, add salt to taste, and bring to boil. Add cabbage and carrot and boil until just cooked, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.

Melt butter, stir in flour, and cook over low heat until mixture browns slightly. Gradually add fish stock and blend until smooth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Simmer 10 minutes and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place cabbage and carrots in medium saucepan with fish velouté sauce and mustard. Add clams, thyme, and bay leaf and cook over low heat, simmering until clams open. Remove clams and vegetables and set them aside. Continue to cook sauce until reduced by half and it coats back of spoon. Season with lemon juice.

To poach sablefish, in a separate saucepan, bring milk to simmer over medium-high heat. Add sablefish and cook until fish flakes with a fork, about 7 minutes.

Arrange vegetables on a plate and top with sablefish. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with parsley and crisp bacon.


courtesy of: Alive Magazine, 100-12751 Vulcan Way, Richmond, British Columbia V6V 3C8 CANADA, 1-800-663-6580

1228. PAN-FRIED BLUE COD on BUTTERED LEEKS with a scattering of CRISP BACON

serves two people


for the bacon:

2-4 rashers streaky bacon, shaved or thinly sliced
splash peanut oil

Cut the bacon across into slivers and put in a medium sized heavy frying pan with a splash of peanut oil. Fry over low to medium heat until the slivers of bacon are very crisp. Remove pan from heat and use a fish slice to remove the bacon and place on paper towels to drain. Set the pan aside so that it will be ready for frying the fish later.


for the buttered leeks:

2 slender leeks
good knob of butter
salt and pepper
splash of cream
lots of freshly chopped parsley

Cut off the toughest of the leek leaves and pull off the outer layer. Slit the leeks down the middle and put in a sink of cold water, wash well, making sure that there is no mud hiding between the layers. Put the leeks on a chopping board and cut across into 2 cm sections. Transfer leeks and the water clinging to them to a heavy saucepan and add a knob of butter and a little salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and put over gentle heat for a few minutes until the leeks are fork-tender but still bright green. There should be almost no liquid in the bottom of the saucepan. Add a splash of cream and set aside while you cook the fish. When ready to serve, reheat gently, adding lots of freshly chopped parsley.


for the pan-fried blue cod:

2 blue cod fillets, (or tarakihi or butterfish)
seasoned flour for dusting
splash of peanut oil
dab of butter
squeeze of lemon

Cut the blue cod fillets into 3 - 4 pieces. Put seasoned flour on a plate, or in a plastic bag and lightly dust the fish in it. Add a little more peanut oil to the frying pan used for the bacon and a dab of butter. Put over high heat and when the butter foams add the pieces of fish. Fry on one side until golden brown on the bottom and showing translucence at the edges. Turn over and lower the heat, or turn the heat off if the pieces of fish are thin. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the fish and leave to coddle in the gentle heat until only just cooked.


courtesy of: Lois Daish, Nine to Noon, Radio New Zealand, August 13, 2007

1225. ROASTED COD wrapped in BACON with SAFFRON CRUSHED POTATOES and SAUCE VIERGE

serves one


For the cod
1 x 150g/5½oz cod fillet, skin removed
3 rashers smoked streaky bacon
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the saffron crushed potatoes
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
300ml/½ pint hot vegetable stock
pinch saffron strands
25g/1oz butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce vierge
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350F. For the roasted cod, wrap the cod in the streaky bacon. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan and fry the cod for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the bacon is lightly browned. Transfer to the oven and roast for five minutes, or until completely cooked through.

For the saffron crushed potatoes, place the potatoes into a pan with the vegetable stock and saffron. Bring to the boil and cook for eight minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Drain, then return the potatoes to the pan. Add the butter, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and roughly crush.

For the sauce vierge, place all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and mix together.

To serve, pile the crushed potatoes up on a serving plate, top with the cod and pour over the sauce.


courtesy of: Paul Rankin, Ready Steady Cook, BBC Food