Cod with mussels in white wine and saffron sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g mussels
• 1 shallot(s)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 300 ml white wine
• 1 stalk(s) leek
• 800 g cod fillet(s), preferably loins – 1 fillet per person
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp curry powder
• some saffron threads
• 100 g cream
• 30 g butter, cold
• e.g. sea salt and pepper

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

Clean, halve, and wash the leek. Cut the halves into fine strips. Blanch the strips in boiling salted water until al dente, then rinse in ice-cold water and drain. Brush the mussels thoroughly in cold water and remove the beards. Discard any open mussels. Peel the shallot and finely dice. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and sauté the shallot until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes until they open, stirring twice to ensure even cooking. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and discard any closed mussels. Remove the top shells from the mussels and pour the liquid through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. For the sauce, reduce the mussel liquid by one-third. Add the curry powder and saffron and simmer for a few minutes. Pour in the cream and blend until fluffy. Mix in the butter in small pieces and season the sauce with sea salt and pepper. Rinse the cod fillets under cold water, pat dry, and remove any remaining bones with tweezers. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan and fry the fish fillets, skin-side down, over medium heat for 3 minutes until light brown. Turn the fish over and fry for 3 minutes on the other side. Remove the pan from the heat and let the fish marinate in the pan until ready to serve. Briefly warm the mussels in the sauce. Arrange the leeks, fish, and mussels decoratively on four warmed plates and drizzle with the sauce. Serve with rice and a dry white wine.