Cod, Montmartre
A dish remembered from a small table in Montmartre, reworked with a quieter coastal edge.
Cod is wrapped in parchment with lemon, olives, thyme, and a few shaved strands of fennel, then opened warm at the table with olive oil and sea salt.
Ingredients
4 cod fillets, about 8 ounces each
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 fennel bulb, shaved very thin
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 Cerignola olives
8 Kalamata olives
4 large sprigs fresh thyme
Good olive oil
4 sheets parchment paper
1 extra-large egg
1 tablespoon water
Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place each cod fillet on a sheet of parchment paper. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Scatter a small handful of shaved fennel beside and slightly beneath the fish. Top with lemon slices, thyme, and two olives of each variety.
Drizzle generously with olive oil.
Whisk the egg with the water to create an egg wash. Brush around the edges of the parchment paper. Fold the parchment over the fish and crimp the edges tightly to create a sealed parcel.
Place the parcels on a sheet pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cod is just cooked through and flakes easily.
Finish
Open the parchment carefully at the table and finish with another drizzle of olive oil, flaky salt, and a few fresh herbs. Serve warm with slender green beans or butter lettuce dressed simply with citrus.
