Cod Vin Blanc
Photo by David Bishop
Cod is one of several seafoods, many shellfish included, that has only 30 calories per ounce. It is rich in omega 3’s and is an extremely good source of protein. It is light and flaky, and highly flavorful with a delicately creamy mouth feel. It is easily procured at a fairly low cost, ($9/lb.) is wild caught, and is relatively free of mercury and toxins. It is highly versatile for recipes and has provided nutrition worldwide for centuries.
Beurre Blanc is one of my all time favorite seafood sauces. I totally love Julia Child’s recipe which details how the fat in the butter and acids of the white wine and white wine vinegar, along with other flavoring ingredients such as shallots and capers, emulsify during the initial boiling process to create a delightful syrup, which more butter is than added to, while it cools, to produce the creamy, luxurious sauce. http://labellecuisine.com/archives/Sauces/Julia%20Child%27s%20Classic%20Sauce%20Beurre%20Blanc.htm
Butter, though thoroughly delicious and wonderful in recipes and for health, used sparingly (butter is rich in both essential and non essential amino acids), can be fattening when used too frequently. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essential_amino_acid and http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/0/2
I came up with a recipe that uses olive oil in place of butter. It is rich and flavorful, with less than half the calories of a traditional Beurre Blanc. More flavor, less calories, more satisfaction, less cravings…This is my mission.
My recipe for Cod alla Vin Blanc (alias Cod Beurre Blanc alla Olive Oil) combines these two loves of my life, with some change ups. It is an easy and fast one pan rendition, that is both healthy and calorie conscience, while being seductive to the eyes.
Recipe for Cod Vin Blanc: Serves 2 (214-272 calories per person)
Ingredients:
- 6-8 ounces cod filet, thick cut-30 calories/ounce
- 1/4 cup small julienned onions or shallots-24 calories
- 1/8 cup dry white wine-about 90 calories
- 1/8 cup white wine vinegar-0 calories
- 1/8 cup of water-0 calories
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil -130 calories
- 1 Tablespoon capers in white wine vinegar, drained of liquid- 0 calories
- 1 Tablespoon grated carrot, for sweetness and color- 2-3 calories
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger- 1/3 of a calorie
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt- 0 calories
- 1/4 teaspoon flaked dried red hot pepper- o calories
Directions:
- In a non stick, non coated skillet with a fitted lid, add in all of the ingredients, laying in the cod filet last. Put the lid on.
- Heat the pan to medium until it starts to boil. Reduce the heat as necessary to make the boil moderate.
- As the liquid steams the fish, bast it occasionally with a spoon throughout the cooking process, about 7 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish filet. Carefully check it with a fork in the center to make sure it is just cooked. The cod fish will flower into wonderful flakiness as it steams. Do not over cook the fish or it will become rubbery and tasteless.
- With a slotted spatula, remove the fish from the pan, draining it as well as you can from the liquid, onto a the serving plate.
- Continue to cook the liquid in the pan until it becomes a syrupy sauce texture in thickness, if it is not already.
- Serve the sauce over the fish.
- Enjoy it with a good glass of white wine.
There is no need for additional garnish as the ingredients make a spectacular look on the flowered flaky cod. The flavor is amazing.
Also see my food column on the Huffington Post at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marilinda-hodgdon/ and my professional site at www.marilinda.com
Food Floozie 