Cod à la Crème

Ingredients

• 1 large slice cod
• 1 oz butter
• 1 shallot, chopped
• parsley, minced
• 60 ml white stock
• 120 ml milk or cream
• flour
• cayenne pepper
• lemon juice
• 0.25 tsp powdered sugar
• croûtons

Method

Poach the cod gently in salted water — not a rolling boil, which breaks apart the delicate muscle fibres and turns the flesh woolly. Aim for barely a tremor on the surface, around 75°C. A thick fillet will take 10–12 minutes; you'll know it's done when the flesh flakes at the gentlest pressure of a fork and the thickest part is opaque right through. Drain it well and set aside. If the poaching liquid is clean and well-seasoned, keep it; if it's cloudy or bitter, discard it.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over moderate heat and add the shallot with a pinch of salt. Cook until the shallot is translucent and soft, around 4 minutes — this is braising territory, though we're building a base, not braising the fish itself. Add the white stock and bring to a proper simmer. Let it bubble gently for 3–4 minutes to concentrate slightly and marry the flavours. The parsley goes in now — fresh, minced, added at this point so it stays bright rather than turning grey and bitter.

Dust the flour over the surface in a thin rain, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste with the butter before the liquid absorbs it. This is a cream-based-sauces|beurre manié finish, simpler and faster than a proper roux and perfectly adequate here. Pour in the milk or cream — cream gives a richer, more luxurious result; milk is lighter but demands careful seasoning to compensate. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will tighten and lose its raw flour taste. When it coats the back of a spoon and no granular texture remains on your tongue, it's ready.

Season with cayenne — a small pinch unless you like genuine heat — and the sugar, which rounds the acidity without making the sauce sweet. Add lemon juice in half-teaspoon doses, tasting between each, until the sauce tastes bright and lifted; you're not looking for sourness, just enough acid to prevent the cream from sitting flat on the palate. Fold the flaked cod gently into the sauce. Keep the heat low — the fish is already cooked, and boiling will scramble its texture further. Warm it through for 2–3 minutes only, stirring with care.

Transfer to a shallow dish. Scatter the croûtons over the surface and serve at once. The contrast between the soft fish and crisp bread is the entire point of the garnishing.