Butter-fried cod loin with prawns, horseradish and clarified butter
Serves 4 · 45 minutes · Classic frying pan
A Swedish celebration dish that works on a weeknight: thick cod loin with a golden top, prawns, horseradish and clarified butter. The carbon steel pan browns the fish fast so it stays moist inside.
Butter-fried cod loin with clarified butter, hand-peeled prawns and freshly grated horseradish is a Swedish classic that suits the Christmas season as well as a Friday night. It is best when the fish is salted briefly, dried well and fried on one side until golden before being turned and finished over a lower heat.
Ingredients
Serves 4
- 600 g cod loin, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 25 g butter
- 800 g waxy potatoes
To serve
- 100 g butter for clarifying
- 400 g cooked shell-on cold-water prawns
- A piece of fresh horseradish, about 5 cm
- 1 bunch dill, chopped
Method
- Salt the cod all over and leave it in the fridge for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the prawns and boil the potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes.
- Clarify the butter: melt it gently in a small saucepan, skim off the foam and carefully pour off the clear fat, leaving the white milky sediment behind.
- Pat the cod dry with kitchen paper. Heat the pan over a medium-high heat with the oil and add the butter. When it stops foaming, add the fish skin side or best side down.
- Fry without moving for 3–4 minutes until the underside is golden and the fish releases on its own. Turn carefully, lower the heat and let the cod finish for 2–4 minutes, until it has just turned opaque and flakes easily in the centre.
- Plate the fish, top with the prawns, freshly grated horseradish and dill, and serve with the clarified butter and boiled potatoes.
Why it works
Carbon steel heats up fast and gives the cod a golden crust before it has a chance to dry out inside. Leave the fish alone until the crust has formed and it will release from the oiled pan by itself.
FAQ
How do you know when cod is cooked?
It is done when the flesh has turned opaque and flakes easily in the centre, around 52–54 °C. Any longer and it will dry out.
What is clarified butter?
Butter that has been melted and separated from its milk solids and whey. What remains is a clear, golden fat with a clean butter flavour.
Can I use frozen cod loin?
Yes, thaw it slowly in the fridge overnight and pat it completely dry before salting and frying.
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