Preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
Serves
Serves 2
By Andi Oliver
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the Fresh Cod “Salt Fish”
- Cod fillets: 2 (150g/5½oz each), skin on and pin boned
- Sea salt: 100g/3½oz
- Bay leaves: 3, torn
- Thyme sprigs: 3
- Curry leaves: 20
- Lime leaves: 2, torn
For the Curried Fennel
- Olive oil: 2 tbsp
- Unsalted butter: 25g/1oz
- Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
- Black mustard seeds: ½ tsp
- Turmeric: 1 tsp
- Fennel: 1, thinly sliced
- Onion: 1, thinly sliced
- Garlic cloves: 2, thinly sliced
- Chicken stock: 100ml/3½fl oz
For the Cucumber, Mint, Jalapeño Gazpacho
- Cucumber: 1, chopped
- Granny Smith apples: 2, cored and chopped
- Fresh jalapeños: 2, chopped
- Tarragon: 1 small bunch
- Parsley: 1 small bunch
- Chervil: 1 small bunch
- Mint: 1 small bunch
- Gooseberries: 200g/7oz
- Lime: 1, peeled
- Chives: 1 bunch
- Avocado: 1, chopped
- Spring onions: 1 bunch
To Serve
- Avocado: 1, chopped
- Cucumber: ¼, finely chopped
- Gooseberries: 100g/3½oz, thinly sliced
- Jalapeño: 1, finely chopped
- Granny Smith apple: 1, cored and chopped
- Chives: 1 tbsp, chopped
- Lime juice: from 1 lime
Method
For the Salt Fish
- Cure the Cod: In a deep tray, combine the cod fillets with all the other curing ingredients. Allow the cod to cure for 30 minutes, but do not exceed 1 hour.
- Rinse: Before cooking, rinse off the curing mixture from the cod.
For the Curried Fennel
- Heat the Pan: In a lidded sauté pan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat.
- Add Spices: Once the oil is hot and the butter has melted, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and turmeric. Sauté for 1–2 minutes.
- Add Vegetables: Incorporate the sliced fennel, onion, and garlic into the pan. Cook for an additional 1–2 minutes.
- Add Stock: Pour in the chicken stock and let it simmer for 3–4 minutes.
- Cook the Cod: Place the cured cod on top of the vegetable mixture. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 8–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
For the Cucumber Gazpacho
- Blend Ingredients: In a high-speed blender, combine all gazpacho ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Prepare for Serving: Transfer the gazpacho into a squeezy bottle for easy serving.
To Serve
- Mix Salad Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the chopped avocado, cucumber, gooseberries, jalapeño, apple, chives, and lime juice. Mix well.
- Plate the Dish: Serve the fennel and cod on a plate, with the cucumber gazpacho on the side and the avocado mixture placed on top of the cod.
