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The main dish, French classic

Cod with beurre blanc

Cod with beurre blanc pairs a roasted cod loin with a butter and shallot sauce and homemade mashed potatoes, serving 6. It takes 30 minutes of active work, the mash and beurre blanc come together right before guests arrive, for a medium difficulty and a budget of €8.40 per person. Success depends on using very cold butter whisked off the heat for a smooth, glossy sauce.

A roasted cod loin, a tangy Nantes style beurre blanc and a buttery mashed potato, everything you love about the Loire valley.

Cod with beurre blanc
For
6 people
Work
30 min
Total time
1 h
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€8.40
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Cod with beurre blanc brings together a simple fish and a sauce that takes a bit of technique but pays off right away. The cod loin stays pearly and flakes easily, while the beurre blanc brings a round acidity from shallots, vinegar and white wine reduced together. The homemade mash, rich with butter and warm milk, balances the plate without weighing it down.

This is a dinner party or family meal dish that doesn't require you to be an experienced cook, just to follow the order of the steps. It fits winter, spring or fall, on a slightly more elegant table, with a light starter before and a simple dessert after. Kids like it too, the mash softens everything.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 1 step
  3. Before the guests arrive 3 steps, 40 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 10 min

In the morning, peel the potatoes and cube the butter to keep chilled. Right before your guests arrive, finish the mash and make the beurre blanc, keeping it warm in a bain marie. At serving time, roast the cod for ten minutes, then plate the mash, fish and sauce poured around it.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Cod loin 1.1 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • Mashing potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Shallots 4
  • Chives 0.5 bunch

Dairy

  • Salted butter 250 g
  • Whole milk 15 cl

Pantry

  • White wine vinegaroften in the pantry 8 cl
  • Dry white wine 10 cl
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Peel the potatoes and keep them in cold water. Cut the butter into small cubes and chill it in the fridge.

    Very cold butter gives a glossy sauce.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Cook the potatoes in salted water until they crush easily, pass them through a potato ricer with 60 g of butter and the warm milk. Keep the mash warm in a bain marie. 25 min

    Mash the potatoes while hot, they turn gluey once cold.

  2. Make the beurre blanc. Chop the shallots and reduce them with the vinegar and wine until about two tablespoons of liquid remain. Whisk in the butter over very low heat to build the emulsion. 15 min

    Pull the pan off the heat regularly, the butter should emulsify without melting outright.

  3. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve if you like, season with salt and pepper and keep it in a bowl set over a pan of warm water.

    A sauce kept warm stays smooth, too hot it will split.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Season the cod loins with salt and roast them at 200 degrees for 10 minutes with a drizzle of olive oil. 10 min

    The fish is done when the flesh flakes into pearly layers.

  2. Plate the mash, set the cod on top, spoon the beurre blanc over and scatter with chives.

    Pour the sauce around, not over, to keep the skin crisp.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick cod loins that are thick and similar in size, they'll cook evenly instead of some drying out while others stay raw.
  • Always keep a small piece of cold butter aside while whisking the sauce, you can add it in an emergency if the beurre blanc starts heating up too fast.
  • Reheat the mash in a bain marie rather than directly on the stove, it won't stick to the bottom and will stay smooth through service.

The variations

  • Swap the cod for pollock or hake, two white fish that handle the same quick oven roast well.
  • For a fish free version, spoon the mash and beurre blanc over steamed asparagus or leeks, the sauce stays the star of the dish.
  • For kids or a quicker version, serve the cod simply pan seared with just a drizzle of melted butter instead of the beurre blanc.

What to serve it with

  • A light vegetable or green salad starter
  • A dry Loire white wine, like muscadet
  • Steamed asparagus as an extra side

Storage

Cooked cod doesn't keep well beyond a day, it's best finished the same evening. The mash keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container and reheats gently with a splash of milk. Beurre blanc doesn't freeze and reheats poorly, make it just before serving.

Questions about this recipe

Why did my beurre blanc split or turn liquid?

The butter melted too fast because the heat was too high. Pull the pan off the heat regularly while whisking so the butter emulsifies without ever really getting hot.

Can you replace the white wine in the beurre blanc?

You can increase the vinegar slightly and add a bit of water, but dry white wine gives an aroma vinegar alone can't match. Avoid sweet wines.

How do you know the cod is cooked without drying it out?

The flesh should flake easily into pearly layers when tested with a knife tip. Ten minutes at 200 degrees is enough for a thick loin, just watch the last few minutes.

Can beurre blanc be made ahead of time?

It holds warm in a bain marie for about an hour before serving, but it won't reheat well once it's cooled down. Make it right before your guests arrive.

Can a cod with beurre blanc be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 30 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 3 steps, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make a cod with beurre blanc?

Allow 1 h in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 30 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a cod with beurre blanc?

About 540 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a cod with beurre blanc cost?

About €8.40 per person, that's €50.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

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