Info
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 13 minutes
- Total time: 48 minutes
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 quarts duck fat
- 1 large russet potato, sliced very thin lengthwise (a mandoline works well)
- 4 portions Pacific cod, about 5 to 6 ounces each
- Salt
- 1/2 cup duck fat
- 8 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 leeks, roots and dark green tops removed, halved lengthwise, and rinsed free of grit
- 1 lobster, tail removed and split, claws saved for another use
- 2 red bliss potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
- 2 purple Peruvian potatoes, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette
- 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out
- Juice of 1 blood orange
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- A splash of Champagne vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves picked
- Sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Heat the duck fat to 260–270°F. Heat the oven to 300°F. Heat a grill over medium-high.
- Carefully add the potato slices to the hot fat and blanch for about 1 minute. Drain onto a baking sheet, spread them out, and let cool until easy to handle.
- Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface. Shingle the blanched potato slices, overlapping them to form a sheet wide enough to hold 2 pieces of cod. Season the fish on both sides with salt and set on the potatoes perpendicular to the slices. Using the plastic wrap, fold and tuck the potatoes around the fish, then wrap tightly to seal.
- Set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 cup duck fat. When hot, add the fish (working in batches if necessary), seam side down, and season with salt. Brown for about 2 minutes, then flip. Add the thyme and butter to the pan. As the butter melts, baste the fish to flavor and moisten both fish and potatoes. Transfer the whole pan to the oven for 4 to 5 minutes, until cooked through.
- Drizzle the cleaned leeks, sliced potatoes, and split lobster tail with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt. Grill until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- For the vinaigrette: In a bowl, combine the vanilla seeds, blood orange juice, shallots, a pinch of salt, and a splash of Champagne vinegar. Whisk in about 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil to make a dressing with a 2:1 oil-to-vinegar ratio.
- Take the lobster meat out of the shell and chop it. Chop the grilled potatoes and leeks, and add everything to the vinaigrette bowl. Add the tarragon, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss gently.
- Remove the fish from the oven and set on a clean surface. Cut each piece in half. Spoon a generous mound of the potato-lobster salad onto each plate. Top with a piece of fish, drizzle with some dressing, and finish with a pinch of sea salt.
Notes
To help the potato wrapping firm up, you can refrigerate the fish before cooking.
