Pan Roast of Cod, Pears & Caramelized Fennel

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• For Fish Marinade:
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 pounds cod fillets, skins removed
• For Vegetables:
• 3 large fennel bulbs, stalks and outer layers removed
• fennel fronds, for garnish
• 4 large red onions, cut into 8 wedges each
• 1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
• 2 lemons, sliced into thin rounds and seeds removed
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 fairly hard pears, peeled, cored and cut into 4 wedges each
• salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup fish stock (vegetable stock can be substituted)
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel pollen (optional)
• parsley, for garnish
• chives, for garnish

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from online.wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

To Marinate Fish:
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, salt and pepper. Rub marinade into cod fillets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.

To Make Vegetables:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut fennel bulbs lengthwise into 8 parts each. In a large ovenproof skillet or flameproof roasting pan, toss cut fennel with red onions, garlic cloves, lemon slices, coriander seeds, whole fennel seeds and extra-virgin olive oil. (Two skillets or pans can be used if necessary.) Place in oven and cook 25 minutes. Add pears, salt,black pepper and fish or vegetable stock to skillet and continue to roast until vegetables are tender and deeply caramelized, 20-30 minutes more. Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil.

Increase oven temperature to highest setting. Place a baking sheet in oven for 5 minutes. Place cod fillets on hot baking sheet and cook until juices from fish turn from clear to opaque, 10-20 minutes depending on thickness of fillets. Remove from oven and transfer fillets to a large platter and keep warm.

Remove foil and reheat vegetables in oven until very hot, about 5 minutes. To serve, place vegetables around fish and sprinkle with fennel pollen. Garnish with ½ cup chopped mixture of fennel fronds, parsley and chives.