Blackened Cod With Asparagus Coulis & Sauteed Vegetables

Blackened Cod with Asparagus Coulis & Sauteed Summer Veggies

There are a great many words in the dictionary that have a popular meaning and a secondary meaning that very few are privy to. Normally if you work in a certain field or industry an entire culture of words and their usage exist with the outside world being left on the fringes. I supposed that's a good thing, after all who needs to know words like amylose unless you're a scientist or you happen to have these letters on Words With Friends (35+ points whoo-hoo), Thanks Brandi . 

The word that I want to talk about and take creative license to tweak is cannibalize. I'll skip the popular meaning and go directly to the secondary meaning, which is to use something to repair something else. To make it simple it's like taking the parts from your old bike to repair your new one.  I use this term in cooking when I use an item inside of the same item. In todays' case I am making an asparagus coulis and adding sautéed asparagus on top of it, a stretch I'm sure but creative nonetheless. 

On the menu today:  Blackened Cod with Asparagus Coulis & Summer Veggies

Asparagus Coulis 

Being The Parsimonious Chef requires me to stay as frugal as I can be so as a result there is little to nothing that I am willing to discard as it pertains to food and cooking. Making a coulis calls for straining the pulp once mixed but I suggest using it as an appetizer or as used today in the dish itself.Both the coulis and puree can be served hot or cold, for the summer time I suggest cold, the heat of the fish will warm it slightly and it adds to a great mouthfeel. 

For the Asparagus Coulis we will need the following: 

• Asparagus (1 #)
• Vegetable Stock (1 cup)
• Salt (T T)
• Garlic (1 tsp)
• Lemon Juice (1 tsp)

Cut the asparagus into 2 inch pieces and mincing the garlic. Sauté by adding the garlic first and then adding the asparagus but not allowing to cook until brown. Reduce the veggie stock to half by cooking  with the lemon juice. Allow the veggie stock to cool and add the asparagus and garlic to a blender along with the cooled veggie stock. Place mixture through a strainer or sieve and place in the refrigerator to cool be sure to reserve the pulp (what's left behind in the strainer) for later use. 

Coulis Close Up 

For the puree : 

• Reserved Pulp 
• Garlic Salt (1 tsp)
• Olive Oil (1 tsp)

Place pulp in a bowl, add garlic salt, olive oil and combine. Plate as seen below. 

Puree Close Up 

For the corn, tomatoes and asparagus we will need the following:

• Corn (2 cups)
• Cherry Tomatoes (2 pp)
• Asparagus (10-15 stalks)
• Coarse Salt (T T)
• Butter (1 tsp)
• Pepper (T T)

Sauté the corn by placing in a heated pan with butter and take out once done. Cut the tomatoes in half and cook in the same fashion as the corn, remove and set aside to later use. Cut the asparagus on the bias in 1 inch pieces as seen below, set aside for later use. 

Blackened Cod 

For the Blackened Cod we will need:

• Cod Fillets (1 pp) 
• Cayenne Pepper ( .5 tsp)
• Coarse Salt (1 tsp)
• Paprika (.5 tsp)
• Lemon Juice (1 Tbs)
• Olive Oil (2 Tbs)
• Butter (.25 stick)

Start by marinating the bottom half of the cod fillet (because you are blackening the presentation or top side, it is imperative that the top is dry)  in lemon juice and olive oil for 15-30 minutes. Take the fish out of the marinade and dry the top with a paper towel. Add the mixture of dry items liberally and place in a heated pan with oil and butter being sure to place the spiced side down. Allow to cook and blacken for 3-6 minutes and flip over allowing to cook for another 3 minutes or until done.  Plate the dish as seen below.