Pan Roasted Cod with Tarragon Hollandaise
2 thick pieces fresh cod
2 egg yolks
juice of one lemon
3 Tbs fresh Tarragon, finely chopped
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed
1 cup Italian fregola (or Isreali Cous Cous)
1 stick of unsalted butter, clarified
Salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Get two large pots of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. Blanche the asparagus for roughly 1-2 minutes and transfer to an ice bath. Once cooled, set aside. Add the Fregola to the boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes or until al dente. When strained, return back to the pot and add some water and butter, keep pot on low heat. Season the cod with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and pan sear on one side only in a large skillet with some extra virgin olive oil and butter. After about 2 minutes on high heat, throw the whole pan in the oven to finish cooking. Do not flip the fish yet! In a medium mixing bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk over the pot containing the Fregola. Add half of the lemon juice to the whisked egg yolk mixture and don’t stop whisking. Take the bowl off and on the pot (double boiler) as needed, do not cook the egg yolks. Add salt and pepper to the mixture and slowly drizzle in the clarified butter while whisking constantly. An emulsion should form as long as the bowl is at the right temperature. Taste your sauce, add more lemon, salt or pepper as needed. At the end, fold in the fresh tarragon. Warm the asparagus either in the oven or in a skillet over low heat. Remove the fish from the oven and let rest. Depending on the size of the fish, it should take roughly 5 minutes in the oven. Arrange the asparagus on the plate and top with the Cod, seared side up. Garnish with Fregola and spoon the tarragon hollandaise over the fish and asparagus.
