Chorizo-Crusted Cod with White-Bean Puree and Sherry-Vinegar Jus

My apologies for not keeping up with you guys lately. I logged into my Google Reader today and it told me I had 100+ entries to read... And considering I probably have close to 100 blogs in my reader, I would guess that the entries available to me are much higher than the 100+. I promise I'll catch up!

We revisited the cucumber soup tonight, but I added a porch chile and swapped out the basil for cilantro. Still a keeper. I still recommend using greek yogurt for a creamier soup.

That said, since its something you guys have seen before, I'll post this dish from the weekend! (Yet another from Giada's Weekend Getaway! We had a handful saved up and blew threw them quickly.) I'll grant you that the picture doesn't look like much, the chorizo wouldn't stay put as I had it in the pan, and the sauce sort of oozed all over... but don't let all that prevent you from trying this! (If anything, check out the fantastic photo on the recipe's link)

I really adored the white bean puree. Its at least equal parts mashed potato, but thats ok - I love them too! I'd never used sherry vinegar before, and I really loved the flavor it gave to the puree and to the sauce. I think I'm going to google-search recipes that list it as an ingredient, just so I can have more.

So yah, keeping the chorizo on the fish was tricky - but only getting it INTO the pan. The flip was easy enough. The sausage's smokiness was dreamy with the fish, and especially nice with the puree (think bacon and potatoes - YUM!). Oh, and this dish has a lot of butter in it... so while I liked this dinner, its def. going in my Special Occasions file. Yikes. Butter is delicious, though.


Chorizo-Crusted Cod with White-Bean Puree and Sherry-Vinegar Jus
C/o The Modern, New York City
http://www.rimag.com/recipes/recipe.asp?id=884

4 thick cod fillets, skinned, 3 to 4 ounces
1 egg yolk
½ lb chorizo sausage, sliced very thin
1 cup rich chicken stock
6 ounces unsalted butter
3 ounces sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 ounces olive oil
White-Bean puree (recipe follows), as needed
Whole white navy beans, cooked, for garnish
Fresh herbs, for garnish
Brush cod fillets on side where skin was removed with egg yolk; arrange chorizo in overlapping layers on fish to resemble scales.

Place chicken stock in pot and reduce by two-thirds. In another pot, reduce sherry vinegar by half. Combine reduced chicken stock and vinegar, add butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in blender; set aside.

Heat nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat; add olive oil. Place fish chorizo-side down in pan; cook about 2 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully flip fish over and finish in 325F oven, about 2 minutes.

Place large spoonful of bean purée on one side of plate, place fish with chorizo side facing up in center, and scatter whole beans around. Drizzle sauce around plate and finish with fresh minced herbs.

Yield: 4 servings


White-Bean Puree

1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled, chunked
10 oz. white navy beans, cooked in vegetable broth or water with smoked bacon
3 ounces sherry vinegar
5 ounces butter, softened
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender; press through ricer. Reserve, warm.

Drain hot cooked beans well, reserving some for garnish; smash rest with fork. Mix with potatoes. Add vinegar and butter; mix until smooth. If mixture is too thick, add chicken stock little by little as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yield: 5 ½ cups