Poached Cod & Asparagus

Made it,
Loved it.

Serving size 4

Prep Time 25MIN

Total Time 25MIN

Ingredients

1 lemon, divided
1 cup dry white wine
2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp thinly sliced shallot
1 bay leaf
5 whole black peppercorn
1 ¼ lb cod, cut into 4 equal portions
½ tsp salt, divided
¼ tsp ground white or black pepper
4 sprigs fresh tarragon
1 ½ bunches asparagus (about 1 1/2 pound), trimmed
½ cup water
2 Tbsp butter

Directions

1. Juice half the lemon into a small saucepan; reserve the other half. Whisk in wine and cornstarch until combined. Add shallot, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by about half, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, sprinkle cod with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place a tarragon sprig on each portion. Thinly slice the remaining lemon half and lay the slices over the tarragon.

3. Place asparagus in an even layer in a large skillet. Add 1/2 cup water. Place the cod on top of the asparagus. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and cook until the asparagus is tender and the fish is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Strain the reduced sauce through a sieve into a bowl. Return it to the pan. Over low heat, swirl butter into the sauce 1 tablespoon at a time until melted. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remove from the heat.

5. Serve the fish and asparagus topped with the sauce.

Note: Pacific cod, a.k.a. Alaska cod, is considered a good choice for the environment because it is sustainably fished and has a larger, more stable population.