Butter-Poached Cod with Creamy Tarragon Aioli
Gently cooking cod in clarified butter guarantees moist, succulent fish with delicate flavor. Infused with herbs and finished with aioli, this method is simple yet stunning. A true restaurant-worthy seafood dinner at home!
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 660kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Poached Fish
- 2 lbs unsalted butter
- 1½ lb cod
- 3 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 red or green chili, thinly sliced, optional
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Chives, thinly sliced, for serving
- Sea salt
For the Tarragon Aioli
- 1 large egg
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup canola oil
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp fresh tarragonm finely chopped
Instructions
- Make clarified butter. Place 2 lbs butter in a sauce pan over low heat until melted. Allow to cook until the milk solids float to the top. Once the butter stops bubbling, use a spoon to skin the foam off the top of the butter, then discard. What remains is clarified butter!
- Sauté the aromatics. Add 3 sprigs tarragon, garlic, and sliced chili (if using) to clarified butter, then warm over medium heat. Make sure the skillet is large enough to fit all pieces of cod in an even layer.
- Poach the fish. Cut cod into 3 or 4 roughly equal sized pieces. Season cod on both sides with 1 tsp Kosher salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Add the cod to the warm butter, then cover and poach until cooked through, about 6-10 minutes. Thinner pieces of cod (the tail) will finish cooking before the tenderloin (thicker piece). You can carefully remove the cooked cod with a large spatula or spoon and transfer to a plate or serving platter while the remaining pieces cook through. Meanwhile, make the tarragon aioli.
- Make the tarragon aioli. Place the egg, minced garlic, and 4 tsp lemon juice into the bowl of a food processor fitted. With the motor running, slowly stream in ½ cup canola oil until the sauce has thickened up, about 30 seconds - 1 minute. Scrape down the sides as needed, process once more, then transfer to a bowl.
- Finish with olive oil. Slowly stream in ½ cup extra virgin olive oil while whisking constantly until incorporated and thick.
- Finish with fresh herbs. Add chopped 2 Tbsp tarragon, ½ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp pepper, then mix to combine. Serve over poached cod. Garnish with chives, a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt, and some freshly cracked black pepper.
Notes
- Yield note: When making clarified butter, expect to lose about 25% of the original volume as the milk solids are removed. It’s easy to scale the quantity up or down as needed.
- How to use: Substitute clarified butter anywhere regular butter is called for. It’s especially delicious with seafood (lobster or crab), stirred into scrambled eggs, or spooned over roasted or steamed vegetables.
- Storage: Store in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
- To make aioli with an immersion blender: Place the egg, garlic, and lemon juice in a tall glass or cup large enough to fit the blender head. Add the canola oil. Insert the immersion blender to the bottom, turn it on, and blend until the aioli forms, slowly lifting and tilting the blender to fully emulsify. Transfer to a bowl, then slowly whisk in the olive oil and stir in tarragon, if using.
Nutrition
Serving: 4servings | Calories: 660kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 58g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 181mg | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 765mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 907IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
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