Cod with dill and spinach rice

Serves 4 Starters and mains

Cod 5542

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Ingredients

  • 650g cod fillet, skin on
  • 150g basmati rice
  • 200g young spinach
  • 150g leek, trimmed
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 6tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • large knob salted butter
  • 20g dill, plus extra to serve
  • 300ml good-quality fish stock
  • 75g feta
  • 1⁄2 lemon, cut into wedges

Method

Put the cod on a plate skin-side down and sprinkle with sea salt flakes. Soak the rice in cold water with 1tsp of sea salt flakes. Leave for 5 minutes, then rinse and drain well. Meanwhile, put the spinach in a large bowl and pour over boiling water and leave for around 1 minute or until it just wilts. Drain and refresh under cold water and set aside to drain well. Season.

Cut the fish into 50g pieces and pat dry with kitchen paper. Pour over around 1tbsp of the oil or just enough to coat the fish. Heat a large nonstick frying pan. Lay the fish in the pan skin-side down and fry on a high heat for around 2 minutes. Add the butter and continue frying until the skin is golden and crisp. They should not be completely cooked as they go onto the rice in the pan later to cook through. Carefully lift onto a plate and set aside.

Split the leek lengthways, wash, pat dry and thinly slice. Heat the rest of the oil in a heavy pot and fry the leeks for around 1 minute to soften but not colour. Add the garlic and stir well. Add the drained rice and, using kitchen scissors, snip the dill straight into the pot.

Pour in the stock and season lightly. Bring to a simmer, then cover and turn the heat right down. Cook for 5-8 minutes until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is just tender. Fold in the spinach and put the fish on top, cover again and heat for a further 4 minutes until the fish has warmed through. Serve with the feta crumbled over, some extra dill and the lemon wedges.

Food styling and recipes: Linda Tubby. Photography and prop styling: Angela Dukes.
Cod 5542
Food styling and recipes: Linda Tubby. Photography and prop styling: Angela Dukes.

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