Pan Roasted Cod with Asparagus Puree

Both parts of this cod with asparagus puree recipe are adapted from Michael Ruhlman’s exceptional book, Ruhlman’s Twenty, in which the author teaches his top twenty culinary techniques that every competent cook should know. The techniques range from the use of salt to how to sauté like a pro. I highly recommend it. In Ruhlman’s book, he tops the asparagus puree seen here with scallops, but I’ve chosen to use some nice cod filets instead. The puree is so versatile that it can be paired with a variety of proteins for a very polished looking finished dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 lb asparagus
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest, for garnish
• 3/4 cup butter, cut into 3 pieces
• 2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

PREPARATION:

Trim the ends of the asparagus stalks and blanch in a large pot of boiling, heavily salted water, about 5 minutes. Remove the stalks with a slotted spoon or tongs and shock in a large bowl of ice water. This process is a must for all kinds of green veggies because it makes them tender, infuses flavor by way of the salt, and maintains their bright color.

When cool, drain the asparagus. Cut the tips off at an angle and set to the side for later. Chop the remaining stalks into smaller pieces and put them in a blender with a few tablespoons of water. Puree until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender a few times.

Transfer the puree to a saucepan and heat on low. Stir in two pieces of the butter and stir until creamy and smooth. Add the lemon juice to the puree only when you’re just about to serve it, because the citrus will quickly change the coloring, making the beautiful green slightly brown. It still tastes delicious, though.

Melt the last piece of butter in a small skillet and saute the reserved asparagus tips over low heat.

Pan Roasted Cod:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the cod filets with a little bit of vegetable oil, just to coat, and season them with sea salt on both sides. Heat an ovenproof skillet with 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot (but not spitting or smoking), place the filets in the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes without moving them around so they get a good sear. Then, flip the filets and place the skillet in the oven for 4-5 minutes to finish cooking.

Once you’ve added that lemon juice to the asparagus puree, immediately ladle the puree onto plates or into shallow bowls. Place the cod on top. Arrange the asparagus tips on top of the cod. Using the tip of a knife, place some lemon zest on top of the asparagus.

Voila, look how pretty!