Wild Pacific Black Cod with Balsamic Brown Butter French Lentils

Serves 8

For the lentils

1 cup French green lentils
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup small-dice carrot (about ½
medium carrot)
¼ cup small-dice celery (about 1
rib)

½ cup diced onion (about ¼ large
onion)
½ cup white wine
6 cups chicken stock
4 ounces baby spinach
2 tablespoons minced chives
Rince the lentils with cold running water. In a large enough pan, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the carrots, celery and onion and gently saute until soft and with minimal color. Add the lentils and the wine; cook for 1 minute

Add the half of the stock and bring to a simmer, simmer the lentils until they are just cooked add more stock as needed, about 30 to 40 minutes. Just before serving, add the spinach and fold in the remaining olive oil and the micro chives, stir to wilt the spinach.

For the Balsamic Brown Butter

3 tablespoons whole butter, cold
2 tablespoons minced shallots

½ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons whole butter, soft

In a small pot that is heated to medium, brown the cold butter; this will cause splatter, so be careful. Once the butter is brown and foamy, add the shallots and saute for 30 seconds. Add the balsamic and allow the vinegar to reduce by 1/3 volume. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed

Just before serving, bring back to a gentle simmer and whisk in the soft butter to finish the sauce.

For the fish:

2 tablespoons olive oil
8  5-ounce portions of fresh wild
black cod
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
4 sprigs fresh thyme

Heat the olive oil just to the hot point. Season the fish on the skin side with salt. Place the fish skin-side down in the oil and allow the fish to brown. Gently turn the fish over. Add the butter and the thyme and baste the fish until it is medium in doneness