Roast Cod & Winter Ratatouille Recipe
by Galton Blackiston
6
1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients

Roast cod

  • 6 cod fillets, each weighing 120g, skin on
  • 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • salt
  • black pepper, freshly ground

Winter vegetable ratatouille

  • 175g of swede
  • 175g of parsnip
  • 175g of carrots
  • 175g of beetroot
  • 175g of butternut squash
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 6 tbsp of olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper, freshly ground

Lemon beurre blanc

  • 2 shallots, finely sliced
  • 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon, zest grated plus 5 tbsp lemon juice reserved
  • 4 tbsp of white wine
  • 1 tbsp of ice cold water
  • 225g of salted butter, cut into cubes
  • salt
  • black pepper, freshly ground
Method
1
For the winter vegetable ratatouille, preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6. Prepare the vegetables by peeling and dicing them into 1cm cubes
  • 175g of swede
  • 175g of parsnip
  • 175g of carrots
  • 175g of beetroot
  • 175g of butternut squash
2
Mix all of the vegetable cubes, the onion and the garlic in a deep-sided roasting tin until well combined. Drizzle over some of the olive oil and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 6 tbsp of olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • salt
  • black pepper
3
Place the roasting tin over a medium heat and stir the vegetables well to coat all of the vegetables in the oil
4
When the vegetables start to sizzle, transfer the roasting tin to the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes, stirring the vegetables occasionally and adding more of the remaining oil, as necessary, until the vegetables are tender
5
Meanwhile, for the lemon beurre blanc, bring the shallots, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest and white wine to the boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Continue to boil until the volume of liquid has reduced to two tablespoons
  • 2 shallots
  • 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon
  • 4 tbsp of white wine
6
Add the cold water and return the mixture to the boil. Boil again until only one tablespoon of liquid remains in the pan
  • 1 tbsp of ice cold water
7
Reduce the heat to low, then whisk in the butter, a cube at a time, waiting until each cube has melted before adding the next
  • 225g of salted butter
8
Continue to whisk until the sauce is pale and thick, then remove the pan from the heat and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add more lemon juice, as necessary, to taste
  • salt
  • black pepper
9
Strain the sauce through a sieve into a clean saucepan and set aside until needed (do not refrigerate or the sauce will separate)
10
Meanwhile, for the roast cod, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/Gas mark 4
11
Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter has stopped foaming, place the cod fillets into the pan, skin-sides down, and fry until the skin is crisp and golden-brown
  • 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • 6 cod fillets
12
Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Carefully turn the fillets over and continue to fry until golden-brown on both sides
  • salt
  • black pepper
13
Transfer the cod fillets to a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 4-5 minutes, or until just cooked through. The cod is cooked through when the flesh is opaque. While the fish is cooking, gently reheat the beurre blanc sauce, stirring well
14
To plate, spoon the lemon beurre blanc over six serving plates, divide the winter ratatouille equally among them and place one roasted cod fillet on top of each serving