Black cod with miso rice, pak choi and pickled ginger

RECIPE BY GAVIN AITKENHEAD THE JEWS HOUSE RESTAURANT

Ingredients

100g finely diced shallots

50g butter

4x 150g black Cod, normal cod or even salmon will work well 200g Arborio rice

1 pkt of white miso paste (available from a good supermarket)

2 heads of pak choi, cut in half

1 small jar pickled ginger

200g white chicken stock or vegetable stock

100g Parmesan, grated

Coriander leaves

Rice base

Sweat the shallots in a large shallow pan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil until soft without colour.

Add the rice and butter, cook for two minutes.

Add a ladle of stock until reduced, (as you would a risotto) then keep adding stock and cook for about 10 minutes stirring constantly until there is a slight bite left in the rice.

Add a tablespoon of miso paste and the parmesan, stir in and add more if needed. The rice wants to be quite loose and sauce like. Take off the heat and keep warm.

Main dish

Sear the cod in a hot pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, colour one side then flip over and take off the heat.

Place the cod on top of the rice and add more stock if it has all absorbed in the rice.

Cook in the oven for about five minutes depending on the thickness of the cod.

While the cod is cooking, sear the pak choi in a pan on a high heat with some sesame oil and give it a nice char.

Add a tablespoon of finely sliced pickled ginger and some sesame seeds if you wish.

Take the cod out of the oven and place in a bowl on one side. If the rice is too dry, then add some more stock and miso paste, then place next to the cod. Place the pak choi next to the rice and add the chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Happy cooking!

Cheese Choice Tomme aux 7 Fleurs

Tomme aux 7 Fleurs is hand-made from thermalised cow’s milk in Vivarais (Eastern part of France) and then allowed to mature for four to six weeks.

The natural rind is then covered with various flowers that give a specific flavour to the cheese: mallow, marigold, blueberry, safflowers, rose petals, strawberry

Key Facts

Age 4-6 weeks

Country of Origin France

Milk Type Cows

Organic No leaves and trigonella.

This cheese has a mountain label certification which guarantees that all the steps for the production of the cheese are made in the mountain area from at least 600m altitude.

It has a semi-firm texture with a deliciously nutty flavour. A delicious summer cheese.

Pasteurisation Thermalised Region Rhone/Alpes

Strength Mild/Medium

Style of Cheese Semi firm

Vegetarian No

For a fantastic range of cheeses from around the world contact Lucie Nock, The Cheese Society, 1 St Martin’s Lane, Lincoln, LN2 1HY. T: 01522 511003, www.thecheesesociety.co.uk