Cod with Crunch Salad
When the weather gets warm, I want fresh foods and I want crunchy foods. A light fish with a whole bunch of crunch fits the bill. The combination here is a little unique but it works and most seem to like random combinations of ingredients these days, so here you go. Cooking the fish fast and hot gives it a nice crust which also locks in juices and properly cooks the fillet as opposed to a long cooking time which dries it out and leaves it spongy. Clarified butter is without a doubt the best fat to do this although other cooking oils or butter will work.
Sea Bass with Crunch Salad
1 lb Cod
1 heaping tbsp clarified (ghee) butter
1 apple
2 handfuls snap peas
2 radishes
chives
lemon
olive oil
salt
Prepare the salad first. Chop the apple by setting it on a cutting board and making slices one half inch straight down working around the apple. Continue to work around the apple until you get to the core. Next chop the rounds you have just removed into cubes and add to a salad bowl. Cut lemon in quarters and squeeze over the apple, toss with a spoon.
Next, slice the peas from tip to tail, turning the knife to a slight angle. When you chop the peas this way you get nice slices and the peas with spill out.
Hold the radish by the stem and slice into rounds, then julienne slice them by cutting the rounds into matchsticks. Sprinkle salad with salt and olive oil and mix. Next chop chives and sprinkle on top. Set salad aside.
Add a heaping tbsp of ghee butter to a skillet and bring to high heat. Salt the fish fillets and place top down in skillet. Let them rest for about 3 minutes before turning heat down to med-high. Cook 2-3 minutes more and flip. Turn the skillet slightly to allow a little butter to pool. Use a spoon to ladle the butter over the fillets as they cook.
Hopefully you were able to get a crust on the top side of the fish. Next, you will need to be able to tell when the fish is done. The thickness varies so it’s up to you. Unlike a steak, fish is easy to peep into without cutting open. Cod is a flaky fish and when it is ready it will fall apart slightly at the edges allowing you to peek in. Honing your finger poke skills is also good method to check doneness, it should feel fairly solid rather than spongy.
When fish is ready, remove fillets and set on a platter to rest for two minutes. Plate the fish and top with the crunchy salad.
by the handful 