Steamed cod with squash purée and a yoghurt and pumpkin seed cracker
Perfectly steamed cod loin sits on a bed of smooth butternut purée and is topped with discs of sweet and sharp pickled squash in Stuart Collins' light, simple recipe. The dish is finished with an interesting yoghurt-based cracker adorned with pumpkin seeds and fresh thyme leaves.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Cod
- 4 portions of cod loin, weighing approx. 120g each
- coarse sea salt
Pickled squash
- 100g of butternut squash
- 200ml of water
- 100g of sugar
- 100ml of white wine vinegar
Squash purée
- 250g of butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 25g of unsalted butter
- 50g of shallots, sliced
- 100ml of vegetable stock
- 3g of cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seed butter, (optional)
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Cracker
- 125g of Greek yoghurt
- 40g of cornflour
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted and chopped
- 5 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
Equipment
- Blender
- Bamboo steamer
Method
Begin with the pickled squash, as this can be done in advance. Peel the squash then slice it as finely as possible, using a mandoline if you have one. Use a small round cutter to stamp out around 24 small discs of squash (you could also use a knife and try to make them as neat as possible), then set aside
- 100g of butternut squash
Pour the water, sugar and vinegar into a small pan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, tip in the squash discs and immediately remove from the heat. Set aside to cool in the liquid
- 200ml of water
- 100g of sugar
- 100ml of white wine vinegar
To make the purée, melt the butter in a saucepan. Once foaming, add the shallots and cumin and gently cook for a few minutes until the shallots are soft but without colour. Tip in the squash with a pinch of salt and continue to cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock, bring to the boil then cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the squash is soft
- 25g of unsalted butter
- 50g of shallots, sliced
- 3g of cumin seeds, toasted and ground
- 250g of butternut squash, peeled and diced
- 100ml of vegetable stock
- sea salt
After around 5 minutes, lightly season the cod fillets with coarse sea salt and set aside to cure, and preheat an oven to 160°C/gas mark 2
- 4 portions of cod loin, weighing approx. 120g each
- coarse sea salt
Make the cracker by mixing the yoghurt and cornflour together. Spread this mixture thinly onto a silpat mat or baking tray lined with baking paper, then scatter over the pumpkin seeds and thyme leaves. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper
- 125g of Greek yoghurt
- 40g of cornflour
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted and chopped
- 5 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
After 20 minutes, strain the cooked butternut (if the stock hasn't all reduced) and transfer to a blender. Blitz until smooth, adding in the pumpkin seed butter (if using) then season with salt and pepper, Transfer to a pan ready to reheat before serving
- 1 tbsp pumpkin seed butter, (optional)
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Set up a bamboo steamer and place the cod fillets on a sheet of baking paper
Place the tray of yoghurt into the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes until crisp, dry and beginning to brown around the edges
Meanwhile, gently reheat the purée and steam the cod fillets (still on their sheet of baking paper) for 5-6 minutes
To serve, place a spoonful of purée in the base of each bowl. Top with a cod fillet, then arrange discs of drained pickled squash on top. Finish with a shard of the yoghurt cracker
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