The king of classics, Michel Roux Jr takes comfort food to a new level with this warming stew using top of the cods - sustainable Skrei - from the cold, clear waters of Northern Norway. Totally moreish family fodder, best served straight at the the whole table to tuck into.

Michel Roux Jr's Stewed Skrei Cod with Cannellini Beans and Chorizo (serves 3)

Prep: 20 mins (plus 5 hours minimum soaking time for beans)
Cook: 1hr 25mins

Ingredients

3 thick Norwegian Skrei fillets (deboned and skinned) from Whole Food Market, Selfridges, Booths, Harrods and quality fishmongers
175g cooking chorizo
2 small white onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
70g cavolo nero, roughly chopped
125g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 sprig thyme
200ml fish stock
2 tbsp olive oil

For the cannellini beans (best prepared the day before): 

240g dried cannellini beans
1 carrot, peeled
½ shallot
1 tsp sea salt
Salt and pepper

Method

Prepare the beans (ideally the day before): Soak the beans in cold water for at least 5 hours. Once doubled in size, drain and rinse. Place in a large pan with the veggies, season and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, scoop off any foam and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover pan and cook for approximately 1 hour, adding more water if it gets too low. Once tender, strain and discard the cooked carrot and shallot.

Slice the chorizo in bitesize morsels. Sear in a frying pan over med-high heat for 3 minutes on each side (no fat needed). Remove chorizo from pan and set aside on kitchen paper.

Use the fat left in pan to sear the onions, garlic and cavolo nero. Cook for about 4 minutes until tender. Then add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes until softened. 

Finally, add the cooked beans, chorizo, thyme and stock together with the Skrei. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 8 minutes. Season to taste and discard the sprig of thyme before serving. 

To serve: Take the dish straight to the table for everyone to tuck into, topping a good bed of the stew with a chunky Skrei cod fillet. 

Michelin-star chef Michel Roux Jr comments: ”As a chef, I am always looking for exceptional ingredients, Skrei cod is one of those that never lets me down. Skrei is so versatile and that's why I love cooking with it. Whether it's a French classic or a more contemporary dish, its quality always shines through. I am proud and honoured to be an Ambassador for what I consider to be one of the finest products of the sea.“

–ENDS–

Get involved on @NorwaySeafood #Skrei2017

2017 Quality-Labelled Skrei Availability

Whole Foods Market, Booths, Selfridges and Harrods, in addition to quality fishmongers are stocking Skrei subject to availability from February through to April 2017. Skrei is also available to enjoy in top Michelin-star and fine dining restaurants in London and across the UK.

Making Quality-Labelled Skrei Both Special & Sustainable

Only available between January and April each year, Skrei is a migratory cod, which journeys thousands of miles annually from the Barents Sea to Northern Norway. Fishing is a way of life for many Norwegians and each year, this annual phenomenon is met with great excitement and celebration.

Skrei is such a revered product in Norway that it has its own grading standard. Hundreds of millions of Norwegian cod migrate each year back to their spawning grounds of Lofoten and Vesterålen, yet only a small percentage of all landed cod will be branded with the prized dorsal fin Skrei tag, which acts almost like a seal of approval or quality assurance.

Only the very best of the fresh Norwegian cod catch (10-13%) will be labelled as Quality Skrei, having to meet stringent quality standards, however no fish that are caught are wasted; an exemplary example of the Norwegian fisheries management system - Norway banned discards over 27 years ago. Norwegian fishing is a perfect example of man working closely with the environment - all Norwegian cod is MSC certified and the Barents Sea provides Norwegians with the largest growing cod stock in the world.

Thanks to its epic journey through icy and dark waters, Skrei is lean and rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, which makes it a hugely versatile, healthy and wholesome food, caught in its prime and in perfect condition. Quality-Labelled Skrei has firm flesh, with obvious fat lines defining the large bright white flakes which melt away during cooking. The fish can be prepared in a variety of ways and can be enjoyed both raw and cooked.

Top Skrei Cooking Tips From Ambassador Michel Roux Jr

• To Pan fry Skrei: “Make sure the Skrei is dry and the pan very hot. Add a little vegetable oil to the pan and carefully place the seasoned fish in the pan. Once lightly seared, then add lots of butter and baste with frothy bubbling butter. To test if cooked use a skewer, it should go through the fish easily.”
• To Poach Skrei: “To poach Skrei perfectly, rule nº1 is to quickly bring the poaching liquid to the boil then turn down the heat to a very gentle simmer for the rest of the cooking duration, otherwise the fish will be tough and dry”

Always Ask For Quality-Labelled Skrei

• Caught fully grown - as a large mature cod before it has spawned (approx. five years old)
• In pristine condition, with no scratches, bruising or injuries – the fish must look as good as it tastes
• Packed by trained staff within 12 hours of being caught
• Stored on ice at a temperature between 0° and 4° Celsius
• Third party quality controlled by the Fishery Sales Organisation
• Approved sustainable by Marine Stewardship Council
• Whole, fresh Skrei is required to have the Skrei brand fastened to the forward dorsal fin and put in a branded Skrei box 

About the Norwegian Seafood Council

www.seafoodfromnorway.co.uk

www.codfromnorway.com

http://barentssea.seafood.no   

@NorwaySeafood #Skrei2017

Founded in 1991 by the Ministry of Fisheries, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) builds awareness of and educates the public on seafood from Norway.  Headquartered in Tromsø, the NSC carries out Norwegian Seafood promotional, media, marketing and public relations campaigns and is a resource for market information in more than 20 different markets.  Its efforts are financed by the Norwegian seafood industry itself.  As the world's second-largest exporter of seafood, Norway provides quality, nutrient-rich seafood to over 150 different countries and is the world's largest joint marketer of seafood. 

About the Norge Logo

Norge is Norwegian for 'Norway' and this logo is a guarantee that the product is of Norwegian origin. The logo can only be used on products caught, farmed and processed in Norway and on licensed products in foreign markets.