Sautéed Cod with Asparagus Sauce and Fennel

Sautéed Cod Recipe


Cod Ingredients

Yield: 6 first-course servings

  • 2 lbs of asparagus, trimmed
  • 6 Tablespoon, or a 3/4 stick, of butter
  • Six 6-to7-ounces of cod fillets
  • 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds, coarsely chopped

Cod Instructions

  1. Cut asparagus tips into 2-inch long pieces. Set aside.
  2. Peel asparagus stalks. Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces. Cook stalks in a large saucepan of boiling, slightly salted water until very tender, for about 6-7 minutes.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the stalks to the blender. Add a 3/4 cup of cooking liquid to the blender. Blend until very smooth, adding more cooking liquid to thin sauce.
  4. Blend 2 tablespoons of butter into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. The sauce can be made one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
  5. Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan. Bring sauce to a simmer. Remove from heat. Cover to keep warm.
  6. Cook asparagus tips in boiling salted water until crisp to tender, for about 4 minutes. Drain.
  7. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in each of the two heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Add 3 fish fillets to each skillet and cook until golden and opaque in the center, about 4 minutes per side.
  8. Spoon warm sauce onto plates. Top with fish. Garnish with asparagus tips. Sprinkle with fennel seeds and serve.

Wine Selections
  • Red Bicyclette 2006 ROSÉ (Languedoc, France)
  • A-Mano 2007 PINOT GRIGIO (Venezie, Italy)
  • Edna Valley 2007 CHARDONNAY (San Luis Obispo, California)