This cod recipe with spinach and beurre blanc combines gently cooked fish with a classic French white-wine sauce. The juicy oven-baked cod is served on aromatic spinach and finished with a light, foamed beurre blanc made with white wine and vermouth. Whether as a festive main course or an elegant Sunday meal, this fish dish delivers refined flavours while remaining straightforward to prepare.
Pairs perfectly with: 2023 Domaine Francois Carillon Côte D’Or Blanc
Kitchen equipment
- Salad spinner
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Cutting board (wood or plastic)
- Hand blender
- 2 non-stick frying pans (Ø 28 cm)
- Saucepan
- Tall container or measuring jug
- Fine sieve
Ingredients (serves 4)
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 500 g fresh spinach
- 400 g cod fillet in one piece
- 1 clove of garlic
- 280 ml dry white wine
- 1 shallot
- approx. 50 ml vermouth
- 200 g crème fraîche
- Salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Optional for serving
- Trout caviar
Method
Rinse the cod fillet under cold water and pat dry thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, then cook gently for around 20 minutes in a fan oven preheated to 120 °C. Finally, briefly brown the fish on both sides in a hot pan or under the grill to give it a light colour.
Meanwhile, wash the spinach thoroughly and spin dry. Heat a little vegetable oil in a pan. Peel the garlic clove, press it lightly with the flat side of a knife and add it to the pan with the spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt briefly, deglaze with a generous splash of white wine and let the wine reduce slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
For the beurre blanc, finely dice the shallot and sweat it gently in a saucepan until translucent. Deglaze with the remaining white wine and the vermouth and reduce the liquid by about half.
Pass the liquid through a fine sieve into a tall container, then return it to the pan. Add the crème fraîche and briefly foam the sauce with a hand blender until it becomes light and creamy.
To serve, place the spinach in the centre of deep plates. Set the juicy cod fillet on top and spoon over a generous amount of beurre blanc.
If desired, garnish the dish with a little trout caviar and freshly ground pepper.
Tip: To keep the oven-baked cod especially juicy, cook it only gently. The combination of tender fish, spinach and creamy beurre blanc makes this dish an elegant main course for special occasions or a festive dinner.
