Baked cod with mushrooms

Delicate and flavoursome, this baked cod with mushrooms is a dish that highlights the natural sweetness of fresh white fish and the earthy depth of mushrooms.  The cod remains moist and tender as it bakes, while the mushrooms develop a rich, savoury aroma that fills the kitchen.

Serve as a starter or as a supper dish.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 20 Mins

Total Time: 30 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

3 tbs               Olive oil    

                     Salt          

4 fillets            Cod         

90 gms            Butter       

300 gms           Mushrooms  - chestnut - cut into ½ cm slices         

1 squeeze         Lemon juice            

2 tbs               Chives  - chopped finely         

Method

Heat an oven to 180°C.

Use a baking dish large enough to hold all the fish fillets.  Rub it with one tablespoon of the olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt, lay the fish on it and season well with salt.  Place a knob of butter on each fillet.

Bake for about 10 minutes then remove from the oven and baste the fillets with the butter that will have collected in the dish.  Return to the oven to continue cooking for about another five minutes.  Remove from the oven and baste again.  Then cover the dish with loose foil and set aside for the fish to continue cooking in the residual heat.

Meanwhile, make the sauce…

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the remaining olive oil followed by the mushrooms.  Give the pan a good shake to distribute the contents evenly.  The mushrooms will absorb the oil but just let them cook for five minutes, shaking the pan and turning over them once.

When the mushrooms have turned an even, golden brown, add a good pinch of salt and cook them for another two minutes

Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 50g butter to the warm pan.  Allow this to melt to form the sauce for the fish.  Check the seasoning and add a squeeze of lemon juice and the chives.Serve the cod on four plates, using any juices from the baking dish to dress the fish.  Spoon over the mushrooms and their sauce and serve.

Serve With

          New potatoes

          Runner beans

Variations

The mushrooms can be replaced with ceps

Wine recommendations

          A white wine.

  Conventional

           Burgundy blanc

  Interesting

           Chinon blanc

           Picpoul de Pinet

           Riesling

  Special

           Chablis 1er cru