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
Legal
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
Antibes: A Timeless Treasure on the Côte d’Azur
June 5, 2025
Nestled between the Mediterranean Sea’s azure waters and Provence’s rolling hills lies Antibes, a gem of the French Riviera that enchants visitors with its irresistible blend of history, art, and culinary traditions. A Journey Through the Centuries As you wander through the narrow, cobblestone streets of the old town, you ...
My Chicken Ispahan Recipe – Inspired by Pierre Hermé’s French Pastry
May 26, 2025
It may seem strange, but I am not a café au lait fan. However, a hot chocolate (chocolat chaud) in Paris with a beautiful pastry called an Ispahan – now that is a magical French experience. Pierre Hermé created the dessert for Ladurée, the finest purveyor of macarons in Paris ...
Maussane-les-Alpilles: A Friendly Hotel-Restaurant with Excellent Food
May 23, 2025
“We love our clients and treat them like honoured guests.” These are the words of Marielle Fabregoul of l’Oustaloun, a charming hotel-restaurant in Maussane-les-Alpilles. She and her husband Thierry share a passion for customer service, which shows. A Local Institution L’Oustaloun has long been an institution in Maussane. It began ...
Authentic French Cream Potato Soup For Your Next Dinner Party
May 19, 2025
Potage Parmentier is an easy French cream potato soup that makes a delicious first course. The ingredients are only a few: potatoes, leeks, salt, water, and a little cream. Considering the ingredients, this is most likely a peasant soup, but these days, it is served in some very nice restaurants ...
No Comment