Recipes

From Mushroom by Johnny Acton & Nick Sandler. In Spring, just as cod is starting to be at its best, wild garlic leaves can be found in the hedgerows and mushrooms in the fields - all just waiting to be picked.

Serves 4

    4 firm cod fillets, about 2.5cm (1in) thick
    Juice of a lemon
    1 sprig of flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
    1 sprig of mint, finely chopped
    2-3 tbsp olive oil
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    50g (2oz) leeks, cut into fine strips
    2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    50g (2oz) unsalted butter
    200g (7oz) Horn of Plenty, cleaned and torn into strips
    A handful of wild garlic leaves (or chives), roughly chopped
    125ml (5fl oz) crème fraîche

Method

Wash and pat dry the cod fillets, then put aside.

Heat a non-stick baking tray in the oven for 10 minutes at 230°C/450°F/gas 8.

Mix together the lemon juice, parsley, mint, olive oil and a little salt and pepper

Take the tray out of the oven, place the cod on it and spoon the mix liberally on top. Immediately replace in the oven. The cod will take 10 minutes at the most, during which time you should baste it once or twice. If it is milky white alll the way through at the thickest point and the flakes separate easily, it is cooked.

While the cod is cooking, fry up the leeks and chopped garlic with the butter in a pan. After a few minutes, add the Horn of Plenty and cook pretty fiercely to reduce the mushroom juices, stirring frequently as you go.

Lastly add the wild garlic leaves, crème fraîche and salt and pepper. Take the cod fillets out of the oven and lay them on top of the mushroom sauce on warm plates.