Taste Polynesia: cod fillet in vanilla sauce with julienne of vegetables
When I travel, I always try to talk to the locals about their eating habits and culture. On our bike tour through Taha'a, French Polynesia, I got talking to Chef Bruno. He told me all about vanilla in savory dishes. He inspired me with this recipe for cod fillet in vanilla sauce with julienne of vegetables!
Vanilla in savory meals
Bruno told me that vanilla sauce goes very well with all types of white meat, chicken, fish and seafood. The chef insisted on never serving it with red meat or tuna. Those contain more acidity, which does not go well with vanilla.
He sautés the fish or meat first, then sprinkles unsweetened vanilla powder on top and also puts some in the pan. That way, he roasts the vanilla powder. He then adds wine. Next he adds broth, reduces the sauce and finishes off with cream. Finally, he adds some salt but hardly any pepper because pepper destroys the flavor of vanilla.
Polynesia at your home
I returned home with no less than half a kilo of Tahitian vanilla. Pure joy! The aroma is overwhelming and the pods are large and meaty. By comparison, the thickness of 1 Tahitian vanilla pod matches that of 4 pods I bought locally. No wonder some celebrity chefs order their vanilla directly from Taha'a!
Ingredients for 2 people
For the vanilla sauce
- 1 finely chopped shallot
- 1 tablespoon clarified butter
- 50 ml dry white wine
- 5 cm vanilla pod
- 250 ml fish stock
- 120 ml heavy cream
- Salt to taste
For the fish and vegetables
- 300 g cod fillet
- 2 small carrots
- 1 small leek
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 2 green onions
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1.5 tablespoons clarified butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
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Making vanilla sauce
Heat the butter in a sauce pan and sauté the shallot until translucent. Add the wine and vanilla pod, and reduce by half.
Then add the fish stock and reduce further to 2/3 of its volume. Add the heavy cream and further reduce by half.
Finally, pour the sauce through a fine sieve. Take out the vanilla pod. Cut it open and add the seeds to the sauce. You can rinse and dry the pod for further use. Keep the sauce warm and season with a pinch of salt if necessary.
Tip: Want to make vanilla sauce with chicken or white meat? Then replace the fish stock with vegetable or chicken stock.
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The fish and julienne of vegetables
First, cut the cod into 2 equal parts. Season with salt and pepper.
Then cut the carrot and leek into fine sticks, 8 cm long. The green onion should be cut into 1-cm diagonal strips.
Now heat half a tablespoon of clarified butter, add the thyme and sauté the carrots. They should still have some bite to them. Add the leeks, season with salt and pepper and continue to simmer. Mix the parsley into the vegetables and set aside.
Next, heat the rest of the butter in a non-stick pan. Place the cod in the pan and cover with a lid. The fish should cook for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on the thickness. There is no need to turn over the fish filet in the pan. The lid traps the heat and cooks the fish on the top.
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Finishing
Froth up the vanilla sauce with the hand blender. Arrange the julienne of vegetables in half-deep plates. Place the cod on top and add the vanilla sauce. You can serve the dish with steamed rice.
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