Blue Eye Cod fillet, Crackling, Comté Croquette, Sweet Corn, Baby leek, Chicken Jus Gras & Popcorn Shoots
Created by Lewis Taylor, Executive Chef at The Athenaeum Club.
Note: Recipe requires 6 hours of dehydration
Rating
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Time
45 Minutes
Difficulty
Ingredients
For 5 people 
- 1 kilo(s) Blue eye cod fillet. Skin on
- 150 mL Fish stock
- 1 pinch(es) Salt and pepper to taste (for fish)
- 1 cup(s) Cottonseed oil for frying fish skin
- 100 grams Grated Comté
- 50 grams Thinly sliced spring onion
- 325 grams Potato peeled and roughly chopped
- 30 grams Butter
- 1 pinch(es) Salt and pepper to taste (for Croquettes)
- 50 grams Flour
- 3 Eggs
- 100 mL Milk
- 50 grams Panko crumb
- 1 cup(s) Cottonseed oil for frying Croquettes
- 1.5 Cobs of corn
- 10 Baby leek
- 1.6 liter(s) Brown chicken stock
- 100 mL Vermouth
- 200 grams Brown onion, peeled
- 200 grams Carrot, peeled
- 100 grams Leek chopped
- 100 grams Celery chopped
- 3 Thyme sprigs
- 2 Bay leaves
- 5 Black pepper corns
- 100 grams Unsalted cold butter, diced
- 1 Punnet Flowerdale Farm Popcorn Shoots
Method
- Blue Eye Cod: Carefully remove the skin from the fish fillet. Set aside for later. Remove the pin bones then cut the fish fillet down to 180g portions and cryovac in individual vacuum pack bags with a pinch of salt and pepper and 30ml of the fish stock. For the skin, scrape any remaining flesh from the surface, then cut into 5cm x 8cm pieces and dehydrate in 80°C for 6 hours. Heat a small pot of cottonseed oil to 200°C. Place skins one at a time in the oil and hold under the surface with a pair of tongs until it expands like a prawn cracker. (Try to keep the skin as flat as possible while cooking as this will help with pressing later) Remove the skin from the oil and press between 2 small trays while it is still hot, then transfer to chux cloth to drain off excess oil. Repeat the process with the remaining skins. To cook the fish, place in a water circulator set to 64°C for 12 minutes. Remove the fish from the bag when cooked & place on a chux cloth to absorb any excess moisture.
- Gruyere & Spring Onion Croquettes: Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until cooked and then mash potato through a moulis. Add 30g butter, salt and pepper and fold through until fully combined. Allow to cool then mix potato, cheese, spring onion and 1 egg (remaining 2 are for egg wash) together well. Take 60mm wide ring moulds and place on a baking paper lined flat tray. Give the moulds a light spray with spray oil. Take 85g per person of the mix and press into the moulds ensuring a smooth top. Place in the fridge and allow them to set. Gently remove the potato from the moulds. Once set double crumb the potato in the order of flour, egg wash, crumb, egg wash then crumb. Store refrigerated until required. To finish, take 1 croquette at a time & gently deep fry until lightly browned. Place them in the oven for 5 minutes at preheated 180°C.
- Sweet Corn: Remove husk from the corn and place in boiling water for 30 minutes to ensure the kernels have swollen with water. Drain well. Lightly oil the corn then place on a char-grill giving a light char to all. sides. When cool enough to handle, take a sharp cooks knife and remove the kernels from the cob as close to the cob as possible. This will help the kernels keep together. Place in a baking paper lined container for later use. To finish, take 3 large pieces of the corn per person (approximately 1 side worth from a cob) and reheat in a 180°C oven for 3 minutes.
- Baby Leeks: Remove the root and trim the top green from the leeks to make approximately 15cm lengths. Soak in water for around half an hour then wash to help remove any sand. Place the leeks in boiling water for 2 minutes then refresh in iced water immediately. Drain well then store refrigerated in an take away container lined with chux. To finish, take 2 lightly oiled leeks per person and place on the char grill turning once to obtain a nice bar marking on each side.
- Brown Chicken Butter Sauce: Roast onion, carrot, leek and celery for 30 minutes at 180°C. Place into a pot with chicken stock, Vermouth, thyme, bay leaves & peppercorns and reduce to 10% of the volume. Pass through a fine sieve. To serve bring to a simmer remove from the heat and gradually whisk in 100g of unsalted cold butter until all emulsified.
- To Serve: Assemble the fish, croquette, corn and baby leeks on your plate. Add brown chicken butter sauce and finish with crispy fish skin and popcorn shoots.
