Pink Peppercorm Braised Cod, Pink Peppercorn Fondue
Around this time last year, my initial obsession with pink peppercorns was unveiled for all of the internet to ignore. Just kidding - my pink peppercorn exploratory attracted about .0001 percent of the hits that "Sandra Lee's breasts" or "Giada's cleavage" bring to this site, and that counts for something, right?
No, I guess not. But hey, I'm not fooling myself by thinking that an exploratory of pink peppercorns is as eye popping as the wunderbra goodness of Giada. Thing is, though, if you wanted to open someone's eyes at your dinner table, you could enhance your cleav to Giada status (not an option for many of us..I never got my hands on Kramer's Bro), or you can present an ingredient that doesn't get much exposure and will impress your guests with its bold, fragrant and even slightly exotic flavors.
I brought the pink peppercorn to a fish dish in two tasty ways. I began by toasting a bunch of the PP in a dry pan and grinding them finely in a spice grinder. I then decided to infuse some of the PPs into a mild veggie stock by simmering them in stock for 15 minutes and then letting them steep for a while longer off the heat. I seasoned the cod and submerged it in the PP broth and placed it in a very low oven (about 200) to braise at low temp to ensure juiciness. The thicker the cod, the better the results.
In the meantime, right before serving, I created a pink peppercorn fondue. You can read about the methodology in my previous ramblings about pink peppercorn fondue here. I simply plated the cod and drizzled the pink peppercorn fondue around the fish without any extra garnishes (other than sprouts) - I just wanted to ensure the pink peppercorn was a staring element on the palate.I suppose many sides would work well here - potatoes, root veggies are a few off-the-cuff thoughts.
The pink peppercorn infused itself into the fish, while the fondue added the richness of a creamy, decadent sauce that brought out the natural, floral brilliance of the PPs I enjoy.
OK...Sorry for interrupting you - please continue with to your Giada cleavage Google searches and forget this pink peppercorn randomness ever happened.
Related:
Your passion for pink peppercorns definitely mirrors my own, reflecting an appreciation for what's delicate, refined, delicious, and well, hip, at the same time.
I have recently returned from Brazil where I contracted the entire crop of certified organic pink peppercorns for 2007...
I don't know if organic means anything to you or not, but the non-organic are sprayed wtih PE3 after they are picked...
There's a great story behind the trees, harvest, community, and the butterflies who breed in the nature preserve where my crop is coming from.
If you are interested, please do contact me.
I'd love to tell you more. Melissa
Posted by:Melissa Kushi | June 02, 2007 at 06:13 AM
ha-ha! you are too funny. i for one am not interested in giada's cleavage. I was actually researching pink peppercorns, trying to figure out what they are & why they taste different. thanks for the laugh though!
Posted by:smeggy | January 31, 2008 at 01:44 AM