My parents got a bumper crop of morels this spring and were kind enough to dry a bunch and give them to us. I don't get morels very often (and TF had never tried them), so I wanted to make good use of them. I had initially debated making the morel and green pea curry from Iyer's book. But, in the end, I decided that I wanted to prioritize this baked cod recipe. I really liked the sound of combining the morels with leeks and bacon! That sounded like a very appealing combination. And it was! Definitely pleased with how this one cake out.

Baked Cod with Leeks, Morels, and Bacon

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 20g dried morels
• 1/2 c. boiling water
• 4-6 slices bacon
• 2 c. thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
• 1 tsp. champagne vinegar¹
• 4 cod fillets (~185g each)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp. minced fresh chives

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Pour the boiling water over the morels and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes.
3. Squeeze dry and roughly chop the rehydrated mushrooms. Set aside.
4. Fry the bacon until crisp, then transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain.
5. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. of the fat from the pan.
6. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown (~10 minutes).
7. Crumble the bacon and add half of it to the leeks.
8. Add the morels and vinegar and toss to combine.
9. Spread the leek mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.
10. Season the cod with salt and pepper and place it on top of the leek mixture.
11. Dot the butter on top of the cod.
12. Bake at 190°C (375°F) until the cod is cooked through (12-15 minutes).
13. Garnish with the chives and remaining bacon and serve.

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¹ I didn't have any champagne vinegar and I wasn't about to go out and get a whole bottle just for 1 tsp. for this recipe. IIRC, I just used sherry vinegar in its place. ^Back