Leek-wrapped cod with almond saffron sauce
Swap sausages for elegant, barbecued fish this summer. Leek leaves are perfect for wrapping up chunky cod fillets.
For this recipe you will need a food processor and temperature probe.
Method
Trim both ends of the leeks a little (no need to remove all the green). Slice each leek in half lengthways and peel off the top four layers or so, saving the inside layers for a different recipe. You should have around 16 leek strips in total.
Rinse the outer layers clean of any mud and lurking debris. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the leek strips – they won't fit, but you can push them under the water gently as they soften, as you would with spaghetti. Blanch for just a couple of minutes until floppy, then drain and rinse under cold running water to stop them from cooking any further. Drain well.
Lay the strips out on a baking tray in four piles (there should be four strips per pile), with each strip slightly overlapping the next. Pat dry with kitchen paper, then lift each pile and turn over, patting dry the other side. Sprinkle most of the thyme leaves over the leeks and season well with salt and pepper.
Place a piece of fish at one end of a pile and roll up snugly, folding in the edges. Secure the join with a little metal skewer or cocktail stick, then repeat with the other pieces of fish. Chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours until ready to cook.
Fire up the barbecue ready for direct high heat cooking and set a grill tray or fish cage over the fire to heat up.
Meanwhile, start on the almond saffron sauce. Pour the fish stock into a small saucepan and add the saffron. Set over a medium heat on the hob and bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat right down and keep warm.
Set a frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it's hot, add the blanched almonds and breadcrumbs and stir over the heat for a few minutes until crisp and golden. Stir through the parsley for the final minute to soften it a little. Tip into a food processor, add the garlic and a generous grind of salt and pepper and blend until ground. Set aside.
When the barbecue is hot, drizzle a little oil over the leek fish parcels and tomatoes. Set the fish onto the hot grill tray or into the fish cage and rest the tomatoes over the heat until soft and lightly charred. Grill the fish over a high heat for a few minutes on each side until you get a reading of around 55C/131F on a temperature probe. Remove to a tray and take inside to keep warm, along with the griddled tomatoes.
To finish the sauce, pour the hot stock into the food processor and blend with the breadcrumb mix to make a smooth paste. With the motor running, drizzle the extra virgin olive oil down the spout so it emulsifies to a thick, creamy sauce.
To serve, spoon the sauce onto warmed plates, spreading it out, then top each with a leek fish parcel. Tuck a vine of tomatoes alongside and sprinkle with the rest of the thyme leaves.
