COOKING BROOK TROUT

Baked Cod in a Saffron Broth over Mashed Potatoes with a Tomato and Black Olive Ragout

Tomato and black olive ragout:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 pound very ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/4 cup basil chiffonade
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

In a saucepan heat olive oil and saute onions until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste and olives and cook until sauce is thick and most liquid has evaporated. Season with herbs and salt and pepper to taste, adding sugar if necessary to correct acidity.

Mashed potatoes and saffron broth:
2 quarts chicken stock
1 large pinch saffron (about 1/4-ounce)
Salt
5 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 1/4 cups warm milk
Freshly ground white pepper
3 large shallots, minced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

In a large saucepan combine chicken stock and saffron and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, add potatoes and cook, covered, until fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Strain liquid into another large saucepan and reserve. Add butter to potatoes and stir and mash until completely melted. Add milk, stir well, and add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm while making the Cod. In a saucepan saute shallots and garlic in olive oil until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add reserved saffron stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add green onions and simmer 5 minutes.
Keep warm until ready to serve.

Cod:
8 (6-ounce) Cod fillets
Creole seasoning
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup saffron broth from above

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Season Cod fillets with Creole seasoning on both sides. Rub fillets with olive oil and place on a lightly oiled shallow casserole or baking sheet with sides and pour saffron broth around fillets. Cover filets loosely with parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake for 5 minutes uncover and bake another 5 minutes, or until flesh flakes easily.

Serve fillets in a large bowl on top of mashed potatoes with saffron broth ladled over all and fish topped with a generous helping of tomato and black olive ragout.

3 large potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks
300g skinless cod fillet, boneless, skinless and cut into chunks
200g salmon fillet, boneless, skinless and cut into chunks
200g jumbo prawns, shelled and can be cooked already if you like
250 ml milk
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 leek, sliced in 1/4 inch chunks
1 tsp powdered vegetable stock
40g unsalted butter
2 level tbsp corn flour (or corn starch to us Canadians)
150 ml creme fraiche
150g emmental cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 200C /400F /gas 6.

Cut the potatoes into even size pieces and cook in boiling water for 15-20 min until tender. Set aside 50 ml of the milk.

While the potatoes are cooking, saute the onion, celery and leeks in a large deep dish pan & a bit of olive oil for about 5 min

Pour 200 ml of the milk into the pan, add the vegetable stock and bring to simmer, then add the fish and cook for 6 min.

Lift the fish & veggies out of the liquid and transfer to an oven proof dish. Pour the milk into a container and set aside.

Put the corn flour into the frying pan, add a little of the fishy milk and stir to a smooth paste. Add the remaining milk, then place over the heat and bring to simmer and stir until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche and season if needed and pour over the fish.

Drain the potatoes and mash with the reserved milk and the unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add the grated cheese then spoon roughly over the fish. Bake in the oven 15-20 min until the top is golden.

It was fab :)