Pan-fried skrei recipe

Celebrate spring being around the corner with this simple but scrumptious skrei cod supper. Caught straight from the cold, clear waters of northern Norway annually between January and April, skrei is of exceptional quality and a much-loved Norwegian delicacy.

Skrei Ambassador, Michelin-star chef Michel Roux Junior, explains how to pan-fry skrei. ‘Make sure the skrei is dry and the pan very hot. Add a little vegetable oil to the pan and carefully place the seasoned fish in the pan. Once lightly seared, add plenty of butter and baste with frothy bubbling butter. To test if cooked, use a skewer – it should go through the fish easily.’

Ingredients (serves 4)

800g Skrei fillet or 4 portions

5tbsp salt

1L water

1tbsp sunflower oil

Knob of butter

100g chorizo, sliced

2 stalks fresh parsley

Half a pomegranate

1 lemon

For the mashed potatoes:

800g white potatoes, peeled and chopped

400ml milk

2tbsp butter

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Divide the skrei into four portions. Dissolve the salt in the water, and soak the skrei in this for 15 minutes. Remove and pat dry with kitchen towel.

While the fish is soaking, boil the potatoes until soft, mash and stir in the milk and butter to a suitable consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Heat sunflower oil in a hot pan, fry the skrei skin-side down, add a knob of butter and fry until golden brown – for about three minutes. Reserve the cooking oil.

Gently lift the skrei into a lightly-greased ovenproof dish with its skin side up, and roast in the oven until the fish is cooked through – for about three minutes.

Using the reserved skrei cooking oil, fry the chorizo until crispy.

Shred parsley, remove pomegranate seeds and grate the lemon peel. Mix the parsley, pomegranate and lemon peel with chorizo.

Serve skrei portions on top of the mash, sprinkle over the chorizo mixture and drizzle over a little of the cooking oil.

Prep time 30 minutes (includes 15 minutes soaking time)