Recently I published a recipe for a pan fried mackerel and now I am continuing with a fishy theme. However, if you consider the mackerel as cheap and cheerful this one is completely opposite. Using higher value ingredients I consider this dish as a fish equivalent of beef steak dinner. I created this dish quite a while ago and it features regularly in our menu when we want to treat ourselves to a bit more indulgent fish meal. Like many similar creations it started with me buying the main ingredient: cod fillets. I then started thinking what could it work with and how to elevate it to something special. Becky said that cod itself is often a bit boring so I had to give it an extra boost of additional flavour. This inspired the chorizo element. But I didn’t stop there. I wanted to make it into something really special so I added prawns and butter into the equation. When I served it with parsnip purée the result was stunning! It is now what I consider one of my “signature dishes”. I cook it when I want to serve something special, impress or maybe say sorry with my food. This recipe is really quite simple but believe me it will impress when you serve it!

Makes 2 portions

Ingredients:

• 2 cod fillets around 125g each (skin on or skinless – depending on how you prefer the fish)
• 100g raw prawns, shelled
• 75g chorizo, chopped into 1cm cubes
• 60g butter
• 2 tblsp rapeseed oil
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Pinbone the cod if necessary and pat dry with kitchen towels.
2. Heat up 1 tblsp oil in a non stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add half of the butter and seasoning.
3. When the butter is hot and foaming, add the cod and fry slowly skin side up for about 1 – 2 minutes, until the flesh is lightly golden.
4. Turn the fish over and fry skin side down for another 3 – 5 minutes (depending on thickness of the fillet), until the skin is  crisp and golden and the flesh opaque and firm. Use a spoon to baste the fish from time to time with the foaming butter.
5. In the meantime heat up 1 tblsp oil in another frying pan over a medium heat and add the chorizo. Fry slowly for about 2 – 3 minutes stirring from time to time. Don’t let it go crispy! When chorizo released its juices, remove it from the pan and reserve.
6. Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add the prawns.
7. Cook the prawns in the chorizo flavoured butter for about 2 – 3 minutes, until prawns changed colour. Add the reserved chorizo and cook for another minute allowing flavours to combine.
8. Place the fillets on pre heated plates. Garnish with chorizo and prawns butter.

Serve with parsnip purée and a chilled glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.