Cod with Coconut Milk

Bernard Marchive, ex-chef of Pesce, gives this very simple recipe for cod or other firm white fish. Given he's French, its Asian twist comes as a surprise.

Serves four and goes well with Swiss Chard and Tomato (follows).

4 6-ounce pieces of thick cod filet
1 cup coconut milk
Juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl combine coconut milk with the lemon juice, olive oil and seasoning.

Add the cod and leave to marinate in the fridge for one hour.

Drain the marinade into a saucepan and boil gently uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes
to reduce and thicken.

Place the cod in a baking pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for
about four minutes.

To serve, put one fillet on each plate and pour over a thin coating of coconut
sauce.


Swiss Chard and Tomato

Ingredients:
1 pound Swiss chard
5 tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
Juice from one lemon
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups vegetable, veal or chicken stock
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper to taste

Tear the greens from the top of the chard stalks and reserve. Slice the
stalks diagonally in 1-inch thick pieces.

Bring three pints of water, stirring in the flour and the lemon juice, to a boil and
add the stalks. Cook until tender and then drain, reserving the water. Return the water to the boil, add the greens and
cook until tender. Drain and reserve the greens, discarding the water.

Peel and quarter the tomatoes, removing seeds. Heat the olive oil in a sauté
pan. Add the tomatoes, then the chard stalks. Stir in the butter and stock.
Add the chard greens to the pan with the clove of garlic, salt and a pinch of
cayenne to taste and briefly boil to reduce the sauce a little.

To serve, lay a mound of the chard and tomato mixture on a plate, lean a fish fillet
alongside and then coat the fish lightly with the coconut sauce.

This recipe first appeared in the NorthWest Current. Photo Bill Petros/The Current. 

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