with Green Beans & Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Yield: 2 Servings
Adapted from Food Wishes
Chef John got a Food Wish for a classic creamed cod recently, but instead of doing the traditional version, he decided to make it a little bit fancier and refined and present basically all the same ingredients, but in an individual-sized, beautifully browned and bubbling, gratin form.
Variation: Instead of mashed potato, try sliced potatoes.
Vegetables:
- 12oz russet potatoes, peeled
- 6oz green beans
- 2pinches cayenne pepper, divided, or to taste
- salt to taste
Fish & sauce:
- 2(6- to 8-oz) cod fillets
- 7TBS unsalted butter, divided
- 2TBS finely chopped shallot
- 1cup heavy cream
- 2tsp lemon zest
- 1TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1TBS chopped fresh tarragon
- 2tsp freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, or to
For the biscuits:
- 2cups AP flour
- 1TBS sugar
- 1TBS baking powder
- 2tsp garlic powder
- 1tsp kosher salt
- ¼tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- 1cup buttermilk
- ½cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1½cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the biscuit topping:
- 3TBS unsalted butter, melted
- 1TBS chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ½tsp garlic powder
Adjust shelves to middle and top rack and preheat oven to 450°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, set aside.
Prep
Adjust shelves to middle and top rack and preheat oven to 450°F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, set aside.
Grease 2 individual-sized casserole or baking dishes with 1 TBS butter. Place both dishes on a baking sheet.
Wash and dry produce.
Trim green beans.
Peel, halve and mince shallot.
Zest and quarter lemon.
Pick leaves from tarragon and chop.
For Mashed Potatoes:
Place potatoes in a large pot of well-salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer gently until tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain potatoes well and return to the pot. Add a pinch of cayenne, salt, and 4 TBS butter. Mash until smooth.
For Sliced Potatoes:
Peel the potatoes and slice using a mandolin to 1/8 to 1/4-inch slices. Placed sliced potatoes in a pot and fill with water until potatoes are covered. Add 1 tsp salt to the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently until almost done.
Drain the sliced potatoes.
While potatoes simmer, trim, bone, and cut the cod fillets across into 2-inch pieces.
Transfer about ⅔ cup of the mashed or sliced potatoes into each of the prepared dishes. Smooth out evenly and make a shallow depression with a spoon down the middle. Set aside.
Make biscuits:
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper, if using.
In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and butter. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Gently fold in cheese.
Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3- to 4-times until it comes together. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1¼-inch thick rectangle. Cut out 10-12 rounds using a 2½-inch biscuit or cookie cutter. Set aside until time to bake fish.
Sauce and fish prep:
Heat remaining 2 TBS butter in a deep 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the shallots in the hot butter with a pinch of salt until they just start to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add cream, lemon zest, and a pinch of cayenne, and bring to a simmer.
Add cod and wait for the sauce to come back to a simmer. Cook for 1 minute, while basting with the sauce; turn fish and cook for 1 minute more.
Off the heat, pour in lemon juice and stir for about 30 seconds.
Divide the pieces of cod over the potato. Add enough sauce to just cover the fish and return the pan to the stove.
Thicken sauce:
Bring sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the sauce reduces and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in tarragon.
Spoon the thickened sauce over the cod. Add a light dusting of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Bake fish and biscuits:
Bake in the center of the preheated oven until cod is cooked through and the sauce is browned and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Place biscuits into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden-brown.
For the biscuit topping:
Whisk together butter, parsley and garlic powder in a small bowl. Working one at a time, brush the tops of the biscuits with the butter mixture.
Side dish suggestions:
