Here's a recipe created in collaboration with Spa Eastman! Renowned for their cuisine tonique (fresh, nutritious, and anti-inflammatory recipes), I adapted this recipe from their first cookbook published in the 2000s! I modernized it by adding a green onion salsa and delicious saffron rice.
Servings: 6
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients :
- 1 lb of mussels,
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 large French shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ tsp curry powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp arrowroot or potato starch
- 6 cod fillets, about 180g each (1 inch thick)
Saffron rice:
- 1 cup basmati rice (Tilda brand)
- A pinch of Spanish saffron
- 2 cups vegetable broth
Green Onion Salsa:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4-5 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 red chili pepper, finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 small clove of garlic, finely grated
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Salt and pepper
Optional filling:
- Crushed pistachios
Preparation :
Preparing the green onion salsa
1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Set aside at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Preparing saffron rice
2. In a saucepan, bring the two cups of vegetable broth to a boil with a pinch of Spanish saffron. Add the rice, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Cooking the mussels
3. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the celery, shallot, garlic, and ginger for about 3 to 4 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add the curry powder and mix well. Stir in the mussels and pour in the white wine. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mussels open. Remove the opened mussels and set aside. Add the arrowroot starch to the sauce and blend in a blender or with a stick blender. You want the mixture to be very smooth—strain if there are any lumps.
Cooking the cod and preparing the sauce
4. Season the cod fillets with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Preheat the oven or air fryer to 400F. Place the fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 7 minutes, until the flesh is opaque. Set aside.
5. Return the sauce to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add a little broth to lighten it if necessary. Add half of the shelled mussels and turn off the heat.
Assembly of the plates
6. Place a portion of saffron rice on each plate. Place a cod fillet next to it, then add the sauce with the mussels around it. Top the fish with the scallion sauce and sprinkle with pistachios. So good.