Confit line-caught cod with juniper ashes, butternut squash and liquorice sabayon
Item 1 of 1
- medium
- 4
- 60 minutes
What makes this cod and juniper recipe from Pascal Aussignac so special is the intensity of both flavour and colour - the butternut squash purée makes for a vibrant shock across the plate whilst the liquorice and juniper flavours set the tastebuds alight.
First published in 2015
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Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Confit cod
- 500g of cod fillet, skinned and portioned into 4
- 20g of juniper berries
- 30g of salt
- 400ml of olive oil
Squash purée
- 2 butternut squash
- 1/2 lemon
- 30g of sugar
- 50ml of olive oil
- 100g of butter
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Squash dice
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- black pepper
- salt
Liquorice reduction
- 40g of liquorice stick
- 25g of sugar
- 15 black peppercorns
- 10 fennel seeds
- 200ml of white wine vinegar
- 200ml of water
- 1 star anise
Black treacle sauce
- 50g of black treacle
- 200ml of water
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- 1/2 tsp garlic purée
- salt
Liquorice sabayon
- 3 egg yolks
- 130g of clarified butter
To plate
- 4 tbsp of micro cress
SAVE RECIPE
Equipment
- Fine sieve
- Blow torch
- Sugar thermometer
- Blender
Method
1
For the cod, heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4
2
Roast the juniper berries for 5 minutes, then cool. Blend to a powder. Blend half of the powder with the salt to make a juniper salt
- 20g of juniper berries
- 30g of salt
3
Take a blow torch and carefully burn the other half, to make a juniper ash. Add this to the olive oil
- 400ml of olive oil
4
Season the cod with the juniper salt and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to add flavour and firm the fish texture
- 500g of cod fillet, skinned and portioned into 4
5
Warm the olive oil to 52°C in a shallow pan. Add the cod and cook for 15-20mins. Do not allow the oil to rise above 56°C as it will overcook your cod
6
The cod should remain opaque and will gently flake apart. Keep in a warm place until ready to serve. The fish should be served warm not hot
7
For the squash purée, heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4
8
Peel and dice the squash into equal size pieces. Reserve the top of one of the squashes
9
Take a roasting tray and add all the ingredients for the purée and half the butter. Roast for 45-60 minutes. Remove the rosemary and lemon, and blend for 5 minutes
- 1/2 lemon
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 50g of butter
- 30g of sugar
- 50ml of olive oil
10
Add the rest of the butter and some water to make a purée. Pass the purée through a sieve, and add seasoning if needed. Keep chilled; reheat when needed
- 50g of butter
11
For the squash dice, using one of the squash tops from the purée, dice into small cubes
12
Cook for 1 minute in boiling salted water. Refresh in cold water then drain. To serve, mix with a splash of olive oil and season
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
13
For the liquorice reduction, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, then bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and slowly reduce by half. Set aside until needed
- 200ml of white wine vinegar
- 200ml of water
- 40g of liquorice stick
- 1 star anise
- 10 fennel seeds
- 15 black peppercorns
- 25g of sugar
14
For the treacle sauce, pick the leaves off 4 sprigs of rosemary and blend with 200ml of water. Pass through a sieve
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- 200ml of water
15
Place the treacle and rosemary water in a pan with the garlic. Bring to the boil and slowly reduce by half. Adjust the seasoning
- 50g of black treacle
- 1/2 tsp garlic purée
16
For the liquorice sabayon, melt the butter in a pan or microwave. Leave for 5 minutes. The fat and the milk solids will separate
- 130g of clarified butter
17
The milk solids will be at the bottom, so tip out the clear fat and discard the milk solids
18
Put 40ml of the liquorice reduction and egg yolks in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk continuously until the yolks are light, fluffy and ribbons are forming. This should take 3 minutes maximum
19
Do not allow the eggs to get too hot or stop whisking or you will have scrambled eggs
20
Remove the bowl from the heat and place on a work surface with a towel underneath to stop the bowl from moving
21
Slowly whisk in the melted butter little by little, until you have a rich, thick and glossy sauce. Add seasoning and a splash more reduction if needed
22
To serve, warm the purée, then using a paint brush decorate your plate with liberal strokes to give a dramatic effect
23
When brushing use the full width of the brush with plenty of purée; this will give a layered effect to the purée, rather than a smeared effect
24
Place the squash dice around the plate, and spoon the treacle sauce over
25
Remove the cod from the oil and place on the plate, then dot the sabayon on and around the dish. Garnish with some micro cress
- 4 tbsp of micro cress
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