The Catalan TableIngredients
Servings:
4
Main ingredients
- 4 salted cod fillets
- 3 Kennebec potatoes
- 1 onion
- butter
- 1 orange
- 3 tablespoonshoney
- 2 tablespoonsorange juice
Nutritional Information
Per Serving (Approx.)
Calories
199 kcal
Protein
20 g
Fat
1 g
Carbohydrates
28 g
Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.
Step-by-step Guide
Confit the onion
- Finely chop a medium onion and place it in a large skillet with a generous splash of olive oil. Cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion is golden and translucent. Set the onion aside on a plate.
- In the same skillet, keep the oil at medium-high heat, adding additional oil if necessary, and wait for it to heat up. When the oil is hot (approximately 180°C), we will be ready to fry the cod.
Blanch some slices of orange
- Slice half an orange into thin rounds of approximately 0.5 centimeters thick, then cut each round in half to create smaller, more manageable pieces.
- In a pot, bring about 1.5 liters of water to a boil over high heat. When the water begins to boil vigorously, add the orange pieces and blanch for exactly 1 minute, timing from when the water returns to a rolling boil after adding the oranges.
- Once the minute has passed, remove the orange pieces from the pot with a spatula or tongs and place them in a colander to drain well. Then, set them aside on a clean plate or in a container at room temperature.
Prepare the honey for the lacquer
- In a small saucepan, place 250 grams of honey over low heat (around 60-70 degrees Celsius). Stir the honey with a wooden spoon to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
- When the honey begins to heat and forms light bubbles, add one tablespoon (approximately 15 ml) of fresh orange juice. Continue to stir gently for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture starts to simmer slowly, then keep it on low heat for an additional 5 minutes to slightly thicken it. After this time, remove the saucepan from the heat and set the honey aside for glazing in a suitable container.
Baking the Maxims Potatoes
- Wash the potatoes well under running water, gently scrubbing the skin with a brush to remove dirt and impurities. Dry them with a clean kitchen towel after washing.
- Slice the potatoes into thin rounds, approximately 3-5 mm thick, keeping the skin on to preserve their flavor and nutrients.
- Cut pieces of parchment paper large enough to cover each plate or tray intended for presenting the potatoes.
- Place the pieces of parchment paper on the baking tray and generously brush them with melted butter, ensuring they are fully coated to prevent the potatoes from sticking.
- On each piece of parchment, arrange two rows of potato slices so that they are slightly overlapping, creating a beautiful and uniform pattern with approximately one centimeter of space between each slice.
- Brush the potato slices with a thin layer of melted butter, covering each slice to ensure they remain flavorful and golden during baking.
- Preheat the oven to 170ºC, making sure it is well heated before adding the potatoes.
- Bake the potatoes at 170ºC for 15 minutes, or until they begin to become golden and tender.
- After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 140ºC and continue cooking for another 15 minutes to ensure they are well cooked and retain their moisture.
- Carefully remove the tray from the oven, avoiding touching the potatoes to prevent them from breaking, and let them rest inside the turned-off oven to keep them warm while preparing the cod.
Preparing the cod
- In a frying pan, heat a little onion oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the cod skin side down and fry for about one minute. Make sure to brown the side opposite the skin, watching that it doesn't burn.
- After one minute of cooking, remove the cod from the pan and carefully transfer it to an oven-safe tray, placing the fried side up. Gently brush the top of the cod with honey, covering the entire surface to add flavor.
- Let the cod rest on the tray for one minute so the honey sets. After this time, brush the top of the cod with a little more honey to intensify the sweet flavor.
- Cut two or three slices of orange and arrange them around the cod on the baking tray, so that they bring freshness and a good flavor contrast.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Once at temperature, place the tray with the cod and orange in the oven and let it cook for 10 minutes. During this time, open the oven periodically to baste the cod with the honey that has accumulated in the tray, a couple of three times.
- To plate, take a strip of kitchen paper and place the cooked potatoes in the center. Fold the paper so that the potatoes are well wrapped and place the package on top of a flat plate. Cover it with another flat plate and, carefully, turn the entire assembly over to invert the position.
- Carefully remove the paper. Now the rows of potatoes should be neatly aligned and looking good on the plate.
- On top of the potatoes, generously place the caramelized onions, allowing their sweetness to complement the dish. On top of the onions, add the orange slices, making sure they are well distributed.
- Finally, gently place the cod on top of the potatoes and onion, making sure that the honey adheres and adds a beautiful glossy finish to the dish.
Recommendations & Tricks
- To ensure that the cod is tender, soak it in cold water for 24 hours, changing the water two or three times.
- When cooking Kennebec potatoes, slice them thinly and cook them slowly with a good amount of butter to develop a rich flavor and creamy texture.
- To present the dish, garnish it with orange zest and caramelized onion, as this will add a splendid note of freshness and sweetness to the cod.