Pan-fried cod with minted peas, broad beans and pancetta

Ingredients

For the minted peas

• 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
• 300g/10½oz frozen peas
• 1 tbsp crème fraîche
• 5 sprigs fresh mint, leaves finely chopped
• 5 sprigs fresh dill, finely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the broad beans and pancetta

• 100g/3½oz broad beans, pods removed
• 75g/2¾oz pancetta, thinly sliced into strips

For the cod

• 4 x 125g/4oz cod fillets
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 50g/2oz butter

Method

1. For the minted peas, bring the chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan and boil until the volume of liquid has reduced by half.

2. Add the peas and boil for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and return the peas to the pan (with the pan removed from the heat). Lightly mash the peas with a fork.

3. Stir through the crème fraîche, chopped mint and dill until well combined. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Crush the peas using a potato masher and keep warm until needed.

5. For the broad beans and pancetta, blanch the podded broad beans in a pan of salted, boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then drain and refresh in cold water. Peel off the inner membranes.

6. Heat a dry frying pan over a high heat. Add the strips of pancetta and fry until the fat is released and the pancetta is crisp.

7. Add the peeled broad beans and fry, stirring well, until tender. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed.

8. For the cod, season the cod fillets with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

9. To a hot pan, add a splash of olive oil and fry the cod fillets, skin-side down, for 3-4 minutes, or until the skin is crisp and golden-brown.

10. Turn the cod fillets over, add the butter to the pan and continue to fry the cod fillets for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through, basting them in the butter as it melts. (The cod is cooked through when the flesh flakes easily with a fork.)

11. To serve, using a chefs’ ring, place a ring of minted peas in the centre of a plate. Repeat the process with the remaining plates and peas. Place one cod fillet, skin-side up, on top of each mound of peas. Scatter the broad beans and pancetta around the edge of each plate.