This is another one of the recipes that came out of my epic week in the kitchens of LUCCA. Black Cod is an exceptionally high quality fish sourced mainly from the wild Alaskan shores. Considering the distance that this fish travels to reach countries like Kenya, Chef Silvio at Kempinski sources this as dried and salted, common to many restaurants around the world, which is why the first few stages describe a soaking process that helps to rehydrate this succulent fish, and also draws out any excess salt. If you are fortunate enough to be able to buy fresh black cod, then leave out this stage.
Serves 4
- 600g Salted Black Cod
- 4 medium size Eggplants
- 400g Arugula/ Rucola
- 1 clove of garlic
- Zest of an orange
- Zest of a lemon
- 1 tbs chopped parsley
- 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp truffle oil
- 1 pinch of crushed red chilly pepper
- 1tbs chopped mint
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 3 slices of orange
- 1 bunch of dill
1. Soak the cod in three to four litres of water in the fridge for 24–48 hours. Regularly change the water , usually when it tastes salty, normally at least twice. Once this is done, discard this salty water and move onto the next stage.
2. Put the piece of cod into a pan of fresh cold water, with a few slices of orange, fennel seeds and the dill. Bring this infused broth up to the boil, then cover and turn off the heat. Leave it to sit and essentially poach for 10 minutes, then lift carefully onto a plate and leave to cool.
3. Gently break the cod into flakes, discarding the skin and any bones, cover and set to one side.
4. When the cod is cool season it with the olive oil, the orange zest, the chilly, the parsley and the black pepper.
5. Now prepare the eggplant, by roasting them on an open flame on the gas stove, turning them regularly to ensure even roasting. This imparts a delicate smoky flavor into the flesh, whilst simultaneously cooking them to a tender creamy texture.
6. As soon the eggplant feels tender to the touch, remove from the flame, wrap them individually in aluminum foil and let them cool.
7. Once cooled, remove from the foil, peel the burnt skin off carefully and chop into rough chunks.
8. Toss it with salt, black pepper, the lemon zest, the truffle oil, the mint , the finely chopped garlic clove and 2 tbs of olive oil.
9. Season the rucola with the remaining olive oil.
10. For plating, place a layer of the smoked eggplants mixture first, tossed Arugula next and the flaked and seasoned cod on top. Finish with a flourish of some orange and lemon zest .
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