Cold Poached Pacific Cod with Spices

Name: Cold Poached Pacific Cod with Spices
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: mediterranean, middle eastern
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds Pacific cod fillets; Salt and freshly ground pepper; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice; 1/2 teaspoon ground caraway; 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (to taste); 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 onions, sliced thin; 4 garlic cloves, minced or puréed; 2 1/2 cups vinegar court-bouillon (recipe follows; more as needed); 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro; 1 quart water; 1/2 cup quality red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar; 1 onion, sliced; 2 leeks, cleaned and sliced; 1 carrot, sliced; 1 stalk celery, sliced; 2 whole garlic cloves, peeled; A bouquet garni made with 1 sprig each parsley and thyme, and a bay leaf; 6 peppercorns; Salt to taste

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 4(36)
Comments: Read comments

If you use a whole fish, you can use the bones to make a fish stock for poaching. But fillets can also be poached in a lighter broth. They are rubbed with a Middle Eastern spice mix.

Featured in: Cool Summer Fish

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:Serves 4

1½pounds Pacific cod fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1teaspoon sweet paprika
½teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼teaspoon ground allspice
½teaspoon ground caraway
⅛ to ¼teaspoon cayenne (to taste)
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2onions, sliced thin
4garlic cloves, minced or puréed
2½cups vinegar court-bouillon (recipe follows; more as needed)
3 to 4tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2tablespoons chopped cilantro

Vinegar Court-bouillon

1quart water
½cup quality red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1onion, sliced
2leeks, cleaned and sliced
1carrot, sliced
1stalk celery, sliced
2whole garlic cloves, peeled
A bouquet garni made with 1 sprig each parsley and thyme, and a bay leaf
6peppercorns
Salt to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Slap fish fillets a few times with the flat side of a knife to break down fibers so they don’t curl when you poach them. Season with salt and pepper. Combine paprika, cinnamon, allspice, caraway and cayenne and sprinkle evenly over fillets. Using the back of a spoon, rub the spice mix into the fish. Set aside.
Step 2
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet or pot that can accommodate the fish in one layer (if you don’t have a wide enough pan, fold the fillets in half or poach the fish in batches.) Add onions to the pan and cook, stirring often, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic and continue to cook, stirring often, until onions are very soft, another 3 to 5 minutes. Set fish fillets, whether flat or folded, on top of onions and pour in the court-bouillon. It should just cover the fish. Add water or additional court-bouillon as necessary.
Step 3
Bring liquid in the pan to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes. Cover pan and simmer very gently (the liquid should be barely moving) for another 5 minutes, or until fish pulls apart easily when you insert a fork. If fillets are not submerged, you can gently push them down into the stock with a spatula. Using a slotted spatula, transfer fish fillets to a platter.
Step 4
Turn up heat and reduce liquid until thick, almost a glaze. Stir in lemon juice and spoon the mix over the fish. Add half the parsley and cilantro and allow to cool. Refrigerate if not serving within an hour.
Step 5
Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle fish with the remaining parsley and cilantro. Serve with rice.
Vinegar Court-bouillon
1. Step 6
  Combine all ingredients except peppercorns in a large saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add peppercorns, simmer for another 15 minutes and remove from heat. Place a strainer over bowl and strain broth. Freeze what you don’t use for poaching the fish.

Ratings

4 out of 5

36 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Lydia7 years ago

Nice flavors, but poaching is a bit too finicky for my slapdash style of cooking. I overcooked the fish because I was worried about it not being done enough. Next time I might use an instant vegetable broth mix (a good-quality one) rather than having to go through the effort of making a special bouillon.

Tim2 years ago

This recipe just simply didn't work for us at all, won't make it again. A lot of work for not much joy. It wasn't bad, it simply didn't have the complexity & richness of flavor one might expect from a recipe with so many ingredients.

Bill4 years ago

I wasn't sure what to do with the onions; I didn't see how the liquid would reduce to a glaze with the onions still in there, so I strained them out before reducing. Maybe that was a mistake, but it was still delicious.

John6 years ago

Use the caraway & make the poaching liquid. Don’t overcook. Amazing flavor!

Private comments are only visible to you.