French cuisine · Fish & Seafood

Cod Loin with Beurre Blanc

Tender cod loin with a frothy beurre blanc of shallots, white wine and ice-cold butter.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 cod fillets (about 150 g each, or halibut)
• 3 shallots
• 150 ml white wine
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 200 g ice-cold butter
• 2 tbsp cream
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 bunch chives
• 1 lemon
• Salt, white pepper

Instructions

1. Take the cod fillets out of the fridge 20 min. before cooking, pat dry, salt and drizzle with a little lemon juice; cut the ice-cold butter into small cubes.
2. Finely dice the shallots and reduce with white wine and white wine vinegar in a small pot uncovered for 8–10 min. until only about 2 tbsp of syrupy liquid remain.
3. Add the cream, bring to a boil once and take the pot off the heat until the reduction is only lukewarm.
4. Whisk in the butter cubes gradually without letting the sauce boil again – it will turn pale, thick and frothy; season with salt and white pepper and keep warm.
5. Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan and fry the fillets for 3–4 min. per side over medium heat, until the flesh is white at the edge and flakes into thick lamellae.
6. Pour the sauce onto warmed plates, place the fish on top, sprinkle with chive rings and serve immediately – beurre blanc cannot be kept warm above 60°C.