La Nourriture de Confort d’ All Things Chill
Cabillaud aux Haricots Blancs – Cod with White Beans and Tomatoes
After work yesterday, I wanted to have something light for dinner… so I stopped by Bristol Farms and picked up a fillet of cod, a jalapeno, some Roma tomatoes and some mesclun (mixed greens). I had originally thought of making crispy breaded cod with a spicy salsa on top, but I felt like I was just throwing things together (like I always do).
When I got home, I found a can of white beans in the cupboard and decided on a classic French dish: Cabillaud aux haricots blancs. Essentially, it’s cod baked in the oven with a creamy tomato / white bean sauce. I used one of my Emile Henry individual lasagna baking dishes, popped in an impromptu handfull of finely diced jalepeno for heat and subbed the heavy cream for a touch of skim milk to alleviate all the fat. A healthy Herschell is a happy one! Hee hee.
The recipe was a lil’ provincial for my taste. I wanted a lil’ mo’ flair. Then, by the power of Grayskull, I happened upon an updated dish on Chow.com that was more my style. I didn’t want the mixed greens (especially the delicate frisée) to go to waste, so I cut down on the portions and added a side salad to the plate. I took the truffle oil “layer” from the Chow.com recipe and made a simple vinaigrette that I mixed with the greens and garnished with some macadamia nuts. I’ve been on this truffle oil + macadamia nut kick ever since I combined the ingredients in a panini demo at work. It works!
It took a white to make, but the creaminess of the dish reminded me of a really good *SNOTTY FRENCH DISH AHEAD* duck cassoulet… which takes 5 or 6 x’s as long. The cod’s flaky behavior mimics a very carefully slow-cooked duck leg… especially when contrasted with some crusty bread. It’ll even taste better the next day!
Yay unpretentious French food!
~Spec
