Four star cooking at my house? Hell yes!

Eric Ripert, superstar and four-star chef at NYC's Le Bernardin has nothing on me. Well, except for better equipment, years of experience, and a battalion of prep slaves, plus movie star good looks and that damn French accent. But other than those minor differences, we're pretty much alike. At least as far as this Ripert recipe came out.

I had picked up a beautiful piece of fresh cod fillet at our local Wednesday farmer's market here in PDX, and was as always looking for new inspiration. I checked on epicurious and this Ripert recipe popped up. If anyone knows their way around a piece of fish, it's Ripert. He made his 4 star chops by turning out stellar interpretations of classic French preparations, mostly seafood focused. So with that as my inspiration, how could I not try it?

Final verdict? This was really tasty. The fish was perfectly moist, the sauce was excellent. Complex, silky smooth, not a thick curry, so if you wanted that I suppose you could reduce it down, but I think Ripert's point was to have it more of a broth. And the baby bok choy cooked in the buttered water water was genius, something I'd never heard of. Maybe my plating wasn't up to four-star standards, but this dish nailed it!
*** *** ***

Cod with Coconut, Lime, and Lemongrass Curry Sauce
Makes 4 servings.

ingredients:

The Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced
1-inch knob ginger, thinly sliced
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon Madras curry
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup fresh coconut milk, or canned
4 cilantro sprigs
Fine sea salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

The Cod:
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 7-ounce cod fillets, 1 1/2-inches thick
Fine sea salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper to taste

The Garnish:
1/2 pound butter
Fine sea salt
9 heads baby bok choy, divided in half (quartered if large)
1/4 cup kosher salt

Special equipment:
2 10-inch nonstick ovenproof skillets

method:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Two of the wonderful flavoring agents: kaffir lime leaves and sliced lemongrass








To make the broth, melt the butter in a small sauté pan or wok over medium heat.
Add the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, kaffir lime leaves and curry and sweat until tender and with no color, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat simmer for 15 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and cilantro, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine chinois and set aside.

Divide the 2 tablespoons of canola oil between the skillets.
Place over high heat until oil is just smoking. Season the cod on both sides with salt and pepper. Put 2 pieces of cod in each skillet and sauté until golden brown and crusted on the bottom, about 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and sear on the other side for 30 seconds. Put the pans in the oven and roast until a metal skewer can be easily inserted into the fish and, when left in the fish for 5 seconds, feels hot when touched to your lip, about 6 to 7 minutes.

The cod fillets, just out of the oven looking good. Top that Ripert!








In a large pot, heat 4 quarts of water, the butter, and the kosher salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the bok choy and cook until crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a sheet pan in the refrigerator to cool quickly so they retain their bright green color.

To serve, reheat the sauce and finish with the lime juice.
In each of 4 bowls, place a piece of cod. Place 3 to 4 pieces of bok choy around the cod. Pour the sauce over the cod and serve immediately.

Add the coconut milk and cilantro, and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine chinois and set aside.

Divide the 2 tablespoons of canola oil between the skillets.
Place over high heat until oil is just smoking. Season the cod on both sides with salt and pepper. Put 2 pieces of cod in each skillet and sauté until golden brown and crusted on the bottom, about 2 1/2 minutes. Turn and sear on the other side for 30 seconds. Put the pans in the oven and roast until a metal skewer can be easily inserted into the fish and, when left in the fish for 5 seconds, feels hot when touched to your lip, about 6 to 7 minutes.

In a large pot, heat 4 quarts of water, the butter, and the kosher salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the bok choy and cook until crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a sheet pan in the refrigerator to cool quickly so they retain their bright green color.

To serve, reheat the sauce and finish with the lime juice.
In each of 4 bowls, place a piece of cod. Place 3 to 4 pieces of bok choy around the cod. Pour the sauce over the cod and serve immediately.