Thai Style Blackened Cod Fillet
Ingredients:
Cod Fish: one nice fillet30ml Olive oil for searing
Cod Seasoning:
1 pinch Paprika1 pinch Onion and garlic powder
1 Pinch Cayenne pepper
1 pinch Assorted dried herbs
1 pinch Fine salt and cracked black pepper
Sauce:
4 Tsp Soy sauce4 Tsp Oyster sauce
1 Tsp Fish sauce (available by the bottle at all Asian food stores)
2 Tsp Loosely packed brown sugar
4-6 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Tsp Lime juice
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper or dried crushed chilli
3nos Kaffir lime leaves
1 stick Crushed lemon grass (or sliced very finely)
3pc Ginger flowers, chopped
Coriander leaves
Method to make sauce:
Chop all dried ingredients together in a food processor.Add the liquids and mix well.
Correct seasoning.
Presentation:
Pre heat a skillet until it is smoking hot with the olive oil.Place the already seasoned cod fillet, skin down first into the smoking oil.
Sear for about 2 minutes or until the bottom is almost black but not burned.
Turn the cod over and continue cooking for about another 2 minutes or until fillet is finished.
If the cod is too thick, finish off under a salamander or in an oven.
Drizzle sauce around seared and sealed cod fillet.
Notes:
It is important to note that fish should always be seared skin down first for presentation purposes, this will protect the skin and make sure it looks great. Turning the fish over more than once is not preferred as this will spoil the color of the skin and may even tear it making it look unsightly. The searing process has to be done in a hotter that heck skillet to ensure that all the juices from the fish are trapped inside ensuring that the fish is still full of its natural moisture when served. Care has to be taken to ensure that the skin of the cod does not stick to the hot pan during the searing process. Chef Bob has served his beautiful cod fillet with his sweet Thai style chilli sauce, julienne of Chinese chives, some thin slices of red onions for color contrast and has sat it on a small piece of crushed lemon grass. Thanks to Mazeta Walters for her usual great job in taking a lovely photo!
Happy cooking!
