Cod, eggplant, coffee

This recipe from Maxime Le Gallo, chef at Simplexité restaurant in Caen, comes from the special issue of Gault&Millau magazine, in which you can discover 109 chefs' recipes. These chefs have opened their own establishments over the past 18 months, and have shared their favorite recipes with us. Discover the ingredients and preparation steps to make it easy.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 40 min
Cooking time: 1 h 30

Ingredients for Maxime Le Gallo's cod and eggplant dish

• 600 g cod
• 4 large eggplants
• 1 lemon
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 clove garlic
• 10 cl olive oil
• 200 g button mushrooms
• 10 cl soy sauce
• 1 red onion
• 200 g butter
• 2 shallots
• 30 cl cider vinegar
• 50 cl single cream
• 50 g coffee beans
• Salt and pepper

Specific equipment

• Food processor

Steps for Maxime Le Gallo's cod and eggplant dish

1. Coffee butter: Mix 150 g of butter (warmed and worked like a pomade) with 50 g of coffee beans, blend in a food processor and set aside.
2. Eggplant caviar: Cut 2 eggplants in 2 and place in a dish. Add 10 cl olive oil, thyme, chopped garlic clove and lemon zest. Bake at 180°C for around 20 min. Blend and adjust seasoning.
3. Mushroom paste: Cut the mushrooms (save a few for garnishing) into large chunks and sauté in a pan with the butter and chopped onion. Add the soy sauce and cook, covered, for around 20 min. Mix well.
4. Eggplant purée: Bake 2 eggplants at 180°C for 40 min, until the skin is black and peeling. Put the flesh in a saucepan, add 30 cl of cream and cook for 10 min. drain and blend. Adjust the seasoning.
5. White butter: Peel and chop the shallots. Add the vinegar and cook in a pan until the liquid has evaporated. Add 20 cl cream and set aside. Just before serving, heat the mixture and stir in 130 g coffee butter. Strain the sauce and set aside.
6. Cod: Cut 4 cod steaks and cover with remaining coffee butter. Wrap each piece individually. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, then turn off the heat. Plunge the cod into the water for 6 min. remove the film and drain on kitchen paper.
7. Finishing: Heat the eggplant caviar and mushroom paste in a saucepan. Make a quenelle on each plate. Add dots of eggplant purée and arrange the fish alongside. Top the fish with the sauce and finish with herbs of your choice and slices of raw mushroom.
   

Has this recipe inspired you to discover the cuisine of Maxime Le Gallo? Read the Gault&Millau review of Simplexité.

This article is taken from 109, Le Sang Neuf de la gastronomie française. Find this special issue on newsstands or in our online store.