I know I’ve been bad about posting lately, but, it’s been with good reason. It’s not that I haven’t been cooking – I have – I’ve just been cooking some of my favorite, comforting, familiar dishes. I love those dishes that I’ve cooked a couple dozen times, don’t need to look at a recipe, don’t need to make a grocery list before heading to the store, and can cook lazily and absent-mindedly, while letting my mind ponder other things.

Unfortunately, repetition and familiarity don’t produce any new Besotted posts…. So, I thumbed through my cookbooks and magazines until I found the dish that would snap me out of my culinary lethargy and back into the exciting world of experimentation, and this recipe was it.

Originally billed in Bon Appetit, and provided by Spring Hill in Seattle, as Black Cod with Fennel Chowder and Smoked Oyster Panzanella, this recipe had everything that I was looking for – creative use of fresh ingredients, loads of butter and cream, and a healthy dose of artful presentation that can really make an hour’s cooking worthwhile.

I made a few adjustments to the original ingredient list (mainly to use more of my CSA veggies and not have to buy additional ones), and I would encourage you to both check out the original recipe at BonAppetit.com and take your own creative license with the dish – there is enough variety here to really make it your own.

Enjoy!

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Cod Fillet in Clam Chowder with Smoked Oyster Panzanella and Lemon Thyme Butter, Serves 4

Adapted from Spring Hill, Seattle Washington and Bon Appetit

Prep Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

For the Chowder

3 Tbls. Butter

¾ Cup Fennel, cut into cubes

¾ Cup Potatoes, cut into cubes

½ Cup Onion, chopped

¼ Cup Leek, chopped (white and pale green end only)

1 Tbls. Flour

2 Bay Leaves

1 ½ Tsp. Thyme, chopped

8oz. Bottled Clam Juice

¾ Cup Heavy Cream

¾ Cup Whole Milk

1 Tsp. Grated Lemon Peel

For the Panzanella

¼ Cup Carrot, finely chopped

¼ Cup Onion, finely chopped

2 Tbls. Parsley, chopped

Juice from ½ Lemon

½ Tsp. Grated Lemon Peel

¼ Cup Smoked Canned Oysters

¼ Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

For the Fish

4 1/3 Pound Cod Fillets, skin on

Salt & Pepper to season

4 Tbls. Butter

2 Tsp. Thyme, chopped

Juice from ½ Lemon

Preparation:

Prepare yourself with many pots and pans – this recipes takes only just over an hour, but you will be using 3 burners at once to keep it all moving along. Also, there is plenty of time while the chowder cooks to prepare the vegetables in the Panzanella, so no need to fully prepare the mise en place.

To make the chowder, melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the fennel, onion, leeks, and potatoes, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes.

Add the flour, bay leaves, and thyme and stir until the flour is incorporated into the melted butter. Add the clam juice, heavy cream, and milk; stir well and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, get on preparing the vegetables for the panzanella. Toss all of the ingredients except for the panko breadcrumbs into a medium bowl. Set aside.

Once the panzanella is finished, add the lemon peel to the chowder and turn the heat down to the lowest setting, just to keep warm while you cook the fish.

Set a large non-stick skillet over high heat and melt 2 Tbls. of the butter. Season the cod liberally on both sides with salt and pepper and set 2 pieces at a time, skin-side down, onto the skillet and cook for 6-7 minutes.

While the first batch is cooking, heat the remaining 2 Tbls. of butter, thyme, and lemon juice in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat.

Remove the first batch of fish to a plate and cover with tin foil. Add a bit more butter, if necessary, to the skillet, and cook the second batch of cod, skin-side down, for 6-7 minutes.

Once finished, the dish is ready to plate. Ladle some of the chowder into a shallow bowl. Place a piece of fish in the middle of the chowder, spoon some of the melted butter, thyme, lemon sauce atop each piece of fish. Top with the panzanella and sprinkle with the panko breadcrumbs.

Serve and enjoy!