Cod with creamy caper and tarragon sauce

A classically prepared cod loin fillet: first briefly pan-fried to form a light crust, then gently finished in the oven. The fish is served on a creamy sauce made from fish stock, capers and fresh tarragon. The sauce goes underneath the fish, so the cod stays nicely intact and the top remains lightly crisp.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 15 minutes
Cooking: approx. 20 minutes
Total time: approx. 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the cod

• 4 cod loin fillets (approx. 160–180 g each, skinless)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (or mild olive oil)
• 20 g butter
• Salt
• Freshly ground white pepper (or black, to taste)

For the caper and tarragon sauce

• 25 g unsalted butter
• 25 g flour
• 250 ml light fish stock
• 50 ml double cream
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1–2 teaspoons caper brine (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• Salt
• Freshly ground white pepper

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 160 °C (conventional, top and bottom heat).
• Pat the cod loin fillets thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
• Just before frying, lightly season with salt and a little white pepper.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat.
• Add the flour and stir for 2–3 minutes to a smooth, pale roux, without letting it colour.
• Add the fish stock little by little, stirring constantly until a smooth sauce forms.
• Let the sauce gently simmer for 5 minutes, so the flour can cook through.
• Set the pan over a very low heat or keep the sauce covered and warm.

Method

1. Fry the cod and finish in the oven
   Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Place the cod loin fillets in the pan and fry for 2–3 minutes until the underside is lightly golden. If needed, gently move the fillets so they do not stick. Add the butter and let it foam briefly. Carefully baste the fish with the foaming butter. Do not turn the fish. Place the pan (if it is ovenproof) in the preheated oven, or transfer the fillets to an oven dish and pour the butter over them. Let the cod finish cooking for another 6–8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. The centre should be just translucent and around 50–52 °C. Without a thermometer: the fish should flake easily, but still be slightly translucent in the middle.
2. Finish the sauce
   Add the double cream to the warm sauce base and stir well. Add the capers. Season the sauce with a little caper brine (start with 1 teaspoon) and some of the lemon juice (for example, start with 1 teaspoon). Let the sauce gently simmer for another 1–2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the finely chopped tarragon. Taste and adjust if needed with salt, white pepper, extra caper brine and/or a little more lemon juice. The sauce should be fresh, lightly creamy and rounded – not sharply acidic and not too salty.
3. Serve the cod
   Warm the plates briefly (for example in a low oven or with hot water, dry well). Spoon a generous pool of the caper and tarragon sauce onto each plate. Carefully place the cod loin fillet on the sauce, with the fried side on top, so the top stays dry and lightly crisp. If you like, finish with a few extra capers, a small sprig of tarragon or some extra finely chopped tarragon and a little freshly ground white pepper and some olive oil. Serve immediately, preferably with simple potatoes and a green vegetable, so the flavour of the cod and the creamy caper and tarragon sauce remains centre stage.