Poached Cod à la Chateaubriand
- 3 large white Idaho baking potatoes, peeled and submerged in cold water
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Gris
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 pounds fresh cod fish, a single piece best, skinless
- Sea salt
- Chervil, for garnish
- Horseradish, if desired
Using your fancy new Xmas toy (Bernier Japanese Mandolin)- cut potatoes into long angel-hair like spirals (we used the middle size blade). Immediately plunge cut potatoes into cold water. If you do not have a japanese mandoline you can create a satisfactory substitute with a vegetable peeler - slicing strips as long and thin as possible.
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Melt wine and butter together in a small saucepan. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and place cod in the center. Spoon melted butter mixture over fish so to bathe in butter and season well with sea salt. Lay a sheet of parchment paper directly over fish and then cover dish with foil. Set in oven and poach until the fish is cooked through, approximately 25 minutes depending on the size and thickness of filet. The fish should just break apart when lifted from pan.
Meanwhile, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Salt well. Lift prepared potatoes from cold water, drop in boiling water and remove from heat immediately. Let stand about 4 minutes until the potatoes are just tender - think a dente if we were talking pasta. Gently lift cooked potatoes from hot water and toss with some of the butter used to poach fish. Season with salt. Serve potatoes alongside fish - ladle on a big spoonful of melted butter, garnish with chervil and grate a touch of fresh horseradish.