Porcini-Crusted Cod & Asparagus With Beurre Blanc
While this recipe might seem daunting at first glance — fancy sauce, lots of steps — don’t be fooled. The steps are straightforward and the directions are thorough. We guide you every step of the way. And if you haven’t tried beurre blanc before, you’re in for a treat. Lots of butter makes it creamy and satisfying, but it’s not overly heavy thanks to the shallot-wine-vinegar reduction. It’s one of our favorite sauces to pair with white fish.
We added tarragon to give the beurre blanc an herby, summery flavor that plays off the umami in the porcini-crusted cod. The rich, creamy butter sauce rounds out the flavors and adds an irresistible texture to help create the perfect bite. The char on the roasted asparagus brings a textural balance to the creamy sauce, completing the meal.
Prep time for this dish is only 20 minutes, so you can whip up a showstopping meal without a lot of work. Make it to impress the in-laws, woo a special someone or celebrate a milestone with the ones you love. We won’t tell them how quickly and easily it all came together.
4 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
For the beurre blanc:
2 sticks cold unsalted butter
1 small shallot, minced
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
For the asparagus:
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
2 teaspoons L&B Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
For the cod:
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 pound skinless cod, pin bones removed, cut into 4 fillets
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
Directions
- Heat oven to 425 F.
- To make the beurre blanc: Medium dice the 2 sticks of butter and store in the refrigerator until needed.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine shallot, white wine and vinegar, stir to combine and bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce liquid until about 2 teaspoons remain.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the cold butter 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until the butter has melted before adding more. Note: The sauce should be the consistency of hollandaise sauce. If it’s too thick, e.g., more like mayonnaise, whisk in 1 tablespoon of water.
- Once all of the butter has been added , whisk in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm while you prepare the asparagus and fish.
- To make the asparagus: Toss the asparagus in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Lay the asparagus flat on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until it is tender and beginning to brown in some spots. Set aside.
- To make the cod: Using a spice grinder, blend the dried porcini mushrooms into a powder and transfer the powder to a plate.
- Pat the cod fillets dry. Season them with a pinch of salt on one side, then dip that side into the porcini powder, pressing down slightly. Shake off any excess.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat, place the fillets in porcini-side down, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan a bit to ensure the fillets don’t stick.
- Flip the fillets over and add the butter. Once the butter has melted and begins to foam, baste it over the fillets for about 3 minutes. Transfer the fillets to a plate lined with paper towels.
- Divide the cod fillets among 4 plates, spoon the beurre blanc over the fillets and set the asparagus alongside them. Serve hot.
