INGREDIENTS
1 whole Murray cod (about 1kg)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt flakes
Red wine glaze
Small sprig fresh thyme
3 shallots (finely chopped)
½ cup fish stock
½ cup ‘Prues Verjus’
1 cup Shiraz
200g unsalted butter (cut into ½ cm cubes)
Fish sauce/salt to taste
Winter vegetables
4 Jerusalem artichokes
1 baby fennel bulb
4 shallots
4 garlic cloves
½ lemon
30ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
METHOD
Red wine glaze
1. Add thyme to a small saucepan with the shallots, stock, Verjus and red wine, reduce over a low heat until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.
2. Remove from the heat and add ¼ of the butter, stirring constantly until incorporated.
3. Put pan back on the lowest heat possible and add remaining butter a few cubes at a time, once again stirring constantly until butter is used up.
4. Check if sauce requires salt, strain through a fine sieve into clean, warm container, keep warm until required.
Winter vegetables
1. Scrub artichokes well and cut in half, trim fennel and cut into quarters, peel shallots and garlic, combine all and toss well with lemon, oil and seasonings.
2. Place on a tray lined with baking paper and cover with foil, bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes, remove foil and allow to colour up slightly – keep warm.
The cod
1. Scale and fillet the fish (or have somebody do this for you). Trim bones from ribcage and cut each fillet into 2 portions.
2. Heat oil in a heavy-based cast iron or non-stick skillet (not to smoking point), turn heat down to low. Pat fish dry with paper towel, score lightly in 3 or 4 places, sprinkle with salt and place skin side down in the hot pan.
3. Do not be tempted to flip and turn fish, leave to cook slowly until edges of each portion start to appear cooked. Check that skin side looks crisp and a light golden colour, season flesh and turn portions. Leave to cook on low for a further couple of minutes.
4. Serve fish on roasted vegetables with reserved sauce.