Poached cod with pickled turnip, ginger and Thai broth

THIS is a beautifully light and fragrant dish that is fairly quick to rustle up but makes for a lovely summer supper.

It is important to source the best cod you can as poor quality fish will not give the same results.



SERVES FOUR

Ingredients:

4 x 150g portions of cod

150g cockles (cooked and de-shelled)

2 large purple top turnips

150g fresh ginger

2 red chillies

1 stick lemongrass

1 pinch salt

4 lime leaves

300ml fish stock

100ml white wine

50g coriander

2 baby pak choi

25g sesame seeds

50ml sesame oil

Method:

To make the Thai broth, infuse the fish stock with the white wine, ginger, chilli, lemongrass, salt and lime, simmer lightly for 30 minutes then strain. Peel the turnips, cutting one into eight wedges and the other into fine matchsticks. In separate pans, pour the broth over both and cook till tender.

Combine the two pans together, then strain enough liquid off to cover the cod. Poach the cod in the liquid on a light simmer for seven to eight minutes until the fish begins to flake. At the same time cook the pak choi in some lightly salted water, until tender.

To finish, add the cockles to the cod pan for the last two minutes of cooking. Place the turnip and pak choi into a bowl, place the cod on top and cockles around the side, and finish with coriander leaves, sesame seeds and sesame oil.

Shaun Dickens of the Boathouse in Henley shares his recipes with Standard readers.