BAKED COD WITH BLACKENED BUTTER 

This browned butter sauce is most commonly served with skate. Here I’ve used everyone’s favourite fish Cod. Cod is now available from sustainable stocks so ask the fishmonger what he recommends. Pollock and haddock also both work well in this recipe.

Ingredients: 

4 x 175g cod steaks

salt and pepper

110g butter

2 tablespoons chopped capers

1 tablespoon Aspall White Wine Vinegar

 Method: Heat the oven to 180c (360f Gas Mark 6)  

1. Butter 4 10” squares of foil place a piece of cod in each one season lightly.
2. Place these on a baking sheet and put them into the oven for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile melt the butter in a deep sided frying pan.
4. Once the butter has melted if will begin to foam. At first this foam will be noisy then quiet and frothy.
5. Once the butter quietens down it will start to brown watch carefully stirring from time to time.
6. Once the butter solids in the bottom of the pan is conker brown turn of the heat and carefully pour in the vinegar. The sauce will foam up then settle down. Add the capers.
7. Take the fish from the oven and open the parcels. Spoon a little butter into each one and serve at once with mashed potatoes.