Pan Roasted Cod and Vegetables with Curry Cream

Curry Cream
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)
1 tsp curry powder
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 1 /4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tbsp crème fraiche
Kosher salt
Pinch cayenne pepper

Cod Fillets and Vegetables
8 small red skin or yellow potatoes (10 oz total) unpeeled but scrubbed, cut into quarters
2 to 3 medium carrots (8 oz total), peeled and cut on the diagonal in 1/4inch thick slices
8 oz sugar snap peas, ends trimmed
4 thick cod fillets, 6 to 7 oz each and about 3/4 inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
Olive oil for sautéing the fish
4 to 6 tsp chopped cilantro

1. For curry cream, heat oil until hot in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add curry powder and cook and stir 1 minute. Add wine, and cook until it has almost all evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes or longer. Add stock and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until it has reduced to 1 cup.

2. Whisk in cream and then crème fraîche, and cook 4 to 5 minutes or more until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with a pinch of cayenne and with salt to taste. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat, stirring, over medium heat.)

3. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

4. Bring a large saucepan of water set over high heat to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots and cook until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Add sugar snaps and cook 3 minutes more. Drain vegetables in a colander and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.

5. Pat cod fillets dry with paper towels and season each side with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Heat 2 tablespoons or enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large, heavy ovenproof skillet well. Set pan over medium high heat and when very hot, add fillets and cook 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned, then turn and cook a minute more. Scatter the vegetables around the fish.

6. Transfer skillet to the oven. Cook until fish flakes easy and is opaque all the way through, 6 to 8 minutes or more depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove from oven and spoon sauce over the fillets. Sprinkle fish and vegetables with cilantro. Pass remaining sauce in a small bowl . Serves 4.

Copyright Betty Rosbottom 2019