This recipe is inspired by one of the entrées from our meal at Limmat, a v hip restaurant that seems to attract le cool (privileged) kids of Marseille. Limmat is located quite literally in the middle of a grand concrete stairwell that’s embellished by ornate street art. Climbing the staircase will direct you to the artsy Cours Julien. We arrived at the restaurant around nine after a long day of swimming and boating at les Calanques. Exhausted from the sun, sea, and pastis, I was barely lucid and sipping on more pastis when this salad arrived, I didn’t pay much attention to her as she looked like a beige cole slaw. But when I tasted it, I was shook and taken aback by the contrasts in textures and flavors—the crunchy cabbage and carrots juxtaposed by the tender flaked fish; the creamy dressing that wasn’t flat or bland tasting, but vibrant and bright. I was surprised at how fresh, savory, rich yet refreshing, and crunchy this cabbage salad was. It was just the dish I needed after a long day in the sun, and a wonderful start to our meal.
I recreated this salad shortly after coming back to Paris to recapture that Marseille moment. I opted to use a beautiful red pointed cabbage (for the drama, dahling) and made a bright, creamy sauce with coriander seeds, lime juice, and zest. I added fresh herbs, julienned carrots, and poached cod, let her sit for a couple of hours, then served her as a fabulous side to dinner. Since cabbage is in season in Paris, New York City, and other similar climates, this is the perfect opportunity to pick one up…and maybe a bottle of pastis.
Recipe Type: side or starter
Time: 30 minutes plus at least an hour to rest
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
½ red cabbage (I used a pointed red cabbage)
2 carrots
½ medium red onion or 1 small red onion
Handful of cilantro
1 lime
½-¾ cup of homemade mayo
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic
Cayenne or piment d'Espelette
2 scallions or 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
150 grams or 5 oz. cod filet
Equipment
Knife
Cutting board
Mandolin (optional)
Small pot
Mixing bowls
Instructions
Prepare Mise en Place
Wash cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and scallion or chives. Peel onion, garlic, and carrots.
Set up your cutting board, garbage bowl, and mixing bowls; set out the ingredients you’ll need.
Prepare the vegetables for slaw
Cut the half cabbage piece in half, or into quarters, and cut the core out by slicing above it on the diagonal. Cut the half cabbage into ⅛ inch shreds using a knife or a mandoline and place sliced cabbage into a large bowl.
Chop onion in half and slide crosswise into ⅛ inch half-moon slices. Julienne carrots. Chop a handful of cilantro (including stems) reserve a few leaves for garnish. Slice scallions or chives into ⅛ inch pieces. Add all these ingredients to the large bowl with the cabbage.
Assemble the dressing
Bring a small pot of water to a simmer over medium high heat while you assemble the dressing (for the cod).
Because this dish is so simple, I think it’s essential to use homemade mayonnaise. You can find the recipe and instruction video here.
In the same bowl as the homemade mayo (or if you’re using store bought mayo add ½-¾ a cup to a bowl). Whisk in the juice of one lime (around two tablespoons), one teaspoon lime zest, one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, a pinch of cayenne pepper (or piment d'Espelette), and two gluggs of good quality olive oil.
Whisk the dressing together and taste it. Then adjust seasonings to your preference.
Set aside
Poach the Fish
When the water is simmering slightly (you can see a few bubbles), salt the water, and drop in the cod. Poach for two to four minutes until it’s cooked.
You can see if the fish is cooked when you insert a knife or cake tester into the center of the filet and you feel no resistance in the flesh. FYI-Cooking fish is one of the most difficult things to master in cooking, so give yourself a pat on the back for doing this.
You can also pull out the fish, put it on a plate and pull apart the meat of the fish in the center (since we’re gonna flake it later anyway). If the meat is opaque and white and a knife easily pierces it with no resistance, then it’s cooked. You should also feel the blade of the knife and it should feel warm (which means the fish is warm inside as well). If the fish is raw if the flesh will feel firm and look translucent.
Let the fish cool on a plate. Then cover and put into the fridge until ready to serve.
Assemble the salad
Add the dressing to the cabbage and toss with tongs. Let sit for at least an hour and up to four. Toss every 20 minutes or so. As the cabbage sits, it will wilt a bit and soak up the sauce.
Right before serving, break the fish up into flaky pieces and place in the salad. Give everything a quick toss and add it to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions/chives.