Olive Tapenade Crusted Cod and Rosé Braised Fennel
Fish & Seafood · Main Course · Maison Mirabeau Wines · Provencal Recipes · TasteThis recipe combines the best flavours of Provence in one dish – seafood, olives, fennel, and rosé. The very talented Gemma Wade crafted these ingredients into a delicious and almost-too-beautiful-to-eat Olive Tapenade Crusted Cod with Fennel Braised in Rosé. This dish was part of an Easter lunch menu that Gemma created for the Mirabeau Team, but don’t wait until next year to try it.
Cod (morue, in French), buy your fish the day you plan to cook it to ensure maximal freshness. Save some preparation time by making the olive tapenade and braised fennel in advance.
Cod with Tapenade Crust and Rosé Braised Fennel
This recipe has a few steps. However, as long as you prepare the fennel and black olive tapenade in advance, the cod takes no time to cook.
Equipment
- food processor or mortar and pestle
Ingredients
For the Braised Fennel:
- 30 g salted butter
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp fennel seeds
- 2 large fennel bulbs
- 200 mL Mirabeau Rosé
- 1/2 cube chicken stock or vegetable stock (I use Kallo brand)
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Roasted Cod with Black Olive Tapenade:
- 900 g cod fillet skinless, boneless, ideally in one (1) piece
- 2 tbsp breadcrumbs fresh, blitz a slice of bread in the food processor
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 stem fresh rosemary
- 2 lemons
- 4 tbsp black olive tapenade I use Belazu version (UK) or Trader Joe’s (US)
Make Your Own Black Olive Tapenade:
- 200 g black olives with pits
- 3 tbsp capers
- 2 anchovies
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Prepare the Braised Fennel:
- Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) 400°F (350°F convection).
- Put the butter into a small frying pan over medium heat while you peel and slice the garlic.
- Add the garlic slices and fennel seeds to the pan and cook gently while you prepare the fennel.
- Cut the very ends off the fennel stalks, keeping any feathery fronds to use as a herb at the end of cooking.
- Chop the fennel bulb in half from root to stalk, then cut the root ends off. Then, cut each half into slices around 5mm (¼ inch) thick from root to tip.
- Lay the fennel in a deep-sided ceramic or glass baking dish, around A4 size.
- When the garlic is lightly golden and soft, add the wine to the pan and allow it to bubble for a minute before adding the stock cube and 100ml (half a cup) boiling water.
- Use a spatula to squish the cube into the liquid until combined. Then, take the mixture off the heat and pour it over the fennel slices. Tightly cover the fennel dish with foil, then bake for 45 minutes until the fennel is tender.
- When the fennel is ready, either season with lemon zest and juice and a final splash of wine and serve immediately or use it as a base for the cod. Once the fennel is cooked, it can be stored in the fridge for 4 days and reheated in the oven.
Cooking the Cod:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) 400°F (350°F convection).
- Put the breadcrumbs into a small frying pan with a teaspoon of oil and a whole rosemary stem. Cook on medium heat for around 6 minutes, shaking occasionally until they turn a dark golden brown and rustle when you shake the pan. These can be done the day before and sit out of the fridge.
- Season both sides of the cod with salt and pepper. Then, mix the tapenade and two-thirds of the breadcrumbs and spread over the top of the fish. It is easier but slightly messier to do this with your fingers.
- Place the cod on top of the cooked fennel or cook it on its own on a lightly oiled metal baking tray. Cook for 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your piece of fish. A single piece will take longer. Check after 10 minutes, and once you see the large flakes starting to separate, take a look at the centre. It should no longer be cold and should flake gently when you push it. If it doesn’t flake, put it back in the oven for 2 minutes before checking again. Remember, the fish will continue to cook for a few minutes, so it is worth playing a waiting game and checking every 2 minutes at this stage.
- When the fish is ready, remove it from the oven and zest a lemon all over the tapenade before sprinkling the remaining toasted breadcrumbs over it for a final contrasting crunch.
- Serve the fish and fennel with lemon wedges. A blob of good homemade or shop-bought mayonnaise would be lovely alongside, too.
Make Your Own Olive Tapenade:
- Make the salty, pungent tapenade for the recipe above and use any leftovers as a topping for crostini stirred through pasta or boiled potatoes or spread on a sandwich. I love it dotted on tomatoes too. The saltiness makes it the perfect thing to dip into alongside a glass of rosé before dinner.
- Use the side of a knife to squish the olives, then rip them to remove the stones. Discard the stones.
- Put the olives, capers, anchovies and garlic in a food processor and pulse until you have a fine mush. Alternatively, crush in a mortar and pestle or chop finely with a knife.
- Add the olive oil and the juice and zest of half a lemon and mix or blend again. Taste and add more lemon juice and zest as needed. A jar will last for a week in the fridge.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
More Recipes with Cod:
Salt Cod Gratin Brandade de Morue by Tasha Powell
Cod with Zucchini Flowers by Jane Langton
Roast Cod à la Provencal with Ratatouille and Tomato Coulis by Jane Langton
Full-Day Wine Adventure from Marseille: Exploring the Côtes de Provence Appellation
Join us for a captivating day tour as we explore the Côtes de Provence wine appellation! Your adventure begins by unveiling the beauty of Montagne Sainte Victoire, an iconic symbol of the area.
Book this ExperienceLegal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Related Provence Articles
Excellent Olive Oil from the Var the Tastes of Provence
June 8, 2023
Few things exist so precious and beneficial to our health and happiness than that pure, liquid gold – olive oil. Softening, calming and astringent, olive oil nourishes strengthens and protects us inside and out. Containing vitamins E and K, omegas 3 and 6, and phenolic compounds, olive oil promotes anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory reactions in our …
Red Wine Poached Saumonette (Spiny Dogfish)
December 5, 2018
There are some words are naturally more attractive en Française, and Spiny or Piked Dogfish is no exception. This recipe for Saumonette (Rock Salmon) poached in red wine is quick to prepare. You can have a gourmet dinner on the table in 40-minutes.…
Provencal Staples Goat Cheese and Olives
August 13, 2019
Goat Cheese and Olives The Provencal diet is a Mediterranean one that relies heavily on local produce, seafood, cheese, olives and olive oil. In Provence, locals eat “de saison” focusing on what is in season and fresh at the market. A visitor to the area should certainly try some- if not all – of the …
Roasted Rack of Lamb and Potatoes with Stewed Sweet Onion and Fennel
December 18, 2014
Sheep and goats have wondered the hilly fields of Provence for centuries – providing milk for all the wonderful regional cheeses. Larger animals such as dairy cows and beef cattle are not well-suited to the harsh Mediterranean climate and limited grazing land. The seasonal movement of the sheep and goat herds to and from higher/lower …
No Comment