Cod poached in court bouillon

I had a wonderful August week in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a family tradition that goes back more than two decades. We ate way too many lobster rolls, at an average cost of $37 each. For the record, the lobster roll — hot, buttered, with no lettuce — at Chatham Pier Fish Market might be the best on the planet.

We indulged at the legendary Sundae School Ice Cream Parlour most nights, standing in long lines and enjoying the people-watching, while in the end enjoying some of the best ice cream stand action in the land.

We ate out often but needed to cook and eat at the cottage every now and then to soften the blow to our overstretched budget.

I headed to the local Star Market to buy some seafood, and, being in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, it figured that cod was one of the three options in the case. Lots of cod in Cape Cod. Well, when in Rome.

So I brought home two pounds of wild-caught cod and needed to find a recipe. I prefer to grill when at the Cape House because it keeps the small cottage smell-free, and we do most of the dining on the beautiful patio. Unfortunately, grilling is not the best way to prepare cod. I have very little experience cooking cod, and frying it the Ohio way seemed out of the question.

Well, I found out that poaching cod is the way to go, and discovered an amazing classic French recipe for this: poached cod court bouillon. This sounds fancy, as the French like to do, but it is so very easy and basic. This recipe exceeded my expectations in all categories: simple, quick, healthy, and perfectly tasty and balanced. Winner, winner, cod dinner! And at $12.99 a pound, this dish was very budget-friendly. Served with grilled asparagus and lemon, this is a simple masterpiece, and you have to try it.

As a side note, you can use the fragrant “court bouillon” water after poaching the cod to boil a pound of Yukon Gold potatoes after the fish comes out. This would add some heartiness to the meal.

As always, I urge you to eat fresh, dine local, and be happy!

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 quarts water

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 tablespoons minced garlic

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

Rinds of 1 lemon

2 pounds cod fillets

1 lemon, quartered, for garnish

Directions

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Add all the ingredients, except the cod, into the water.

Bring water to boil.

Let boil for 5 minutes to make the “court bouillon.”

Rinse the cod fillets and add them to the boiling water.

Cover the pot and remove it from the heat.

Let sit covered for 10 minutes.

Remove cod fillets carefully from the pot with a wide slotted spoon.

Cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with grilled asparagus and lemon wedges.