Crispy Pan-Fried Cod with Mussels and Bacon Cream

Ingredients

• 100g dried cured streaky bacon, cut into lardons
• 16 mussels, scrubbed
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 150ml white wine
• 150ml cream
• ½ lemon, juice and zest
• Oil
• 50g butter
• 4 portions cod, about 170g each, skin on
• 100g peas

For the froth:

• 150ml skimmed milk
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg

To garnish:

• Chopped spinach, optional
• Croutons, optional

Directions

1. Preheat a pan until smoking hot. Add the bacon lardons and cook for one to two minutes until browned.
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the lardons from the pan. Using the same pan, toss the mussels onto the pan, then add the shallots and white wine. Cover and cook for two to three minutes until the mussels are opened.
3. Remove the mussels from the liquid and discard any unopened ones. Leave the liquid to settle for a few minutes, then pass the liquid through a sieve to remove any grit. Retain 100ml of the cooking liquid. 
4. Add the cream to the liquid and simmer for four to five minutes until it reaches a coating consistency. Check the seasoning and add some lemon juice if needed. Keep warm.
5. Remove the mussels from their shells and keep warm along with the bacon lardons.
6. In a sauté pan, over a medium to low heat, drizzle some oil followed by butter and add the cod skin side on the pan. Cook the cod and a medium/low heat for 10 -12 minutes until cooked through. Don’t turn the fish over.
7. In the meantime, prepare the froth by just warming (60˚C) the milk, salt and honey in a saucepan. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the egg. Using a hand blender or milk frother, blitz to create the froth.
8. To serve, warm the mussels and bacon into the cream sauce, then add the peas at the last minute. Drizzle the mussel and bacon sauce, then top with the crispy cod skin-side up.
9. Give a final whizz up to the milk froth and spoon over the cod and finish with a sprinkling of chopped spinach and croutons or your garnish of choice.

Recipe: Kevin Dundon

Photography: Harry Weir, assisted by Brian Clarke

For more Kevin Dundon recipes, click here.

Tips

• Cod is superb in Irish waters at the moment, but you can also use haddock, salmon or hake. I always recommend that you ask your local fishmonger for which fish is freshest that day.
• Garnish as you see fit – I have used chopped spinach, crispy bacon and croutons here but Goatsbridge trout caviar lends a luxurious twist.