Name: Pacific Cod Confit With Potatoes and Fennel
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: PT1.1666666666667H10M
Total time: PT1.6666666666667H40M
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 (6 oz.) portions Pacific cod; 1 lb. fingerling or baby potatoes, cut in half; 2 fennel bulbs, cored and quartered; 4 sprigs thyme; 2 bay leaves; 3 garlic cloves; 3 strips of lemon zest; 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns; 1 serrano chili, scored; 2 tablespoons salt; 6 cups extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon dill, roughly chopped; 2 lemon wedges, for garnish; Extra lemon zest, for garnish

A Gentle, Tender Way to Poach Fish

This recipe cooks Pacific cod from frozen using a french cooking method called "confit." Cooking fish confit in extra-virgin olive oil is a great way to ensure that it ends up extra flaky and moist.

Confit (prounounced cown-FEE) is a technique that gently poaches ingredients in oil or fat, in order to cook food to a luscious, tender texture. It also infuses the oil with the flavors of everything that's cooked with it — aromatics like garlic, herbs, and citrus — to produce an intensely flavorful meal.

In order to poach food in oil, you'll be cooking at a relatively low temperature over longer cook times. This recipe requires about 45 minutes to cook sturdy vegetables using the confit technique, plus an added 10 minutes for fish. While it's a lot of time, you won't need to do much more than set a timer and wait.

Print Recipe

Pacific Cod Confit With Potatoes and Fennel

By Wild Alaskan Company

Prep time

30 minutes

Cook Time

70 minutes

Total time

100 minutes

Yield

2 servings

Ingredients

2 (6 oz.) portions Pacific cod
1 lb. fingerling or baby potatoes, cut in half
2 fennel bulbs, cored and quartered
4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves
3 strips of lemon zest
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 serrano chili, scored
2 tablespoons salt
6 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dill, roughly chopped
2 lemon wedges, for garnish
Extra lemon zest, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 275F.

2. In a medium pot, add potatoes, salt, and enough water to cover potatoes by an inch. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until just starting to get tender (but not fully cooked). Drain potatoes and set aside to cool.

3. Pat potatoes dry, then transfer to a dutch oven or deep-sided baking dish. Add the fennel, thyme, bay leaves, garlic, lemon zest, peppercorns, and serrano.

4. In a separate small pot, preheat extra-virgin olive oil to 120F. Then gently pour it over the contents of the dutch oven/baking dish. Cover with foil, leaving one corner lifted for some steam to escape. Transfer to the middle rack of the oven, then bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

5. Remove the dutch oven/dish out of the oven, and carefully discard the aluminum foil. Check to see if potatoes are tender — they should pierce easily with a fork or tip of a knife.

6. Rinse frozen fillets under cold water, then pat them dry with a tea towel. Add the fillets to the dish, submerging them in the oil, then move the dutch oven/dish back to the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Check on the doneness of the fish with a tip of a knife — it should be able to pierce the center of the fish without resistance. If still frozen in the center, allow to bake for a few more minutes.

7. Remove the dutch oven/dish from oven and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, use a fish spatula to transfer cooked fillets to a rack to help drain oil.

8. Use a slotted spoon to lift potatoes and fennel out of the dutch oven/baking dish, then transfer to a medium bowl. Sprinkle on dill and lemon zest, then spoon a few spoonfuls of oil over everything. Toss well to combine and season to taste.

9. Divide vegetables evenly between serving plates, then top with fish. Serve immediately.

Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish, or eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness, especially if you have a certain medical condition. The FDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F for cooked fish.

Pacific Cod Confit With Potatoes and Fennel

A Gentle, Tender Way to Poach Fish

Pacific Cod Confit With Potatoes and Fennel

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