Cod with Corn Purée and Chili-Lime Butter

Sweet, fresh and smoky on one plate

This dish is all about contrast without letting the cod get lost. Corn gives the purée a gentle, natural sweetness; lime and chili make the butter fresh and mildly spicy. The fish stays mild and juicy, while charred spring onions add a savory, smoky flavor. For the purée, use stock with a modest salt content if possible: that way, you can season it calmly at the end without making the corn too salty.

Fresh corn is mainly available in late summer, but frozen corn works well here all year round and is easy to measure out. Let frozen kernels thaw first or give them a few extra minutes in the pan. Canned corn works too; rinse it and drain it well, as the liquid can make the purée more watery. Heating the corn with a small amount of stock and then blending it until smooth gives you a thick base that complements the fish. Add the stock a little at a time: you can always thin it out, but a purée that's too thin is harder to fix.

Thick fillets are best for the cod, as they stay juicy while cooking. Pat the fish dry before it goes into the hot pan; this way it fries rather than steams. For skin-on fillets, cook them skin-side down first and gently press them down with a spatula for the first few seconds so they make even contact with the pan. Turn them only when the flesh is mostly opaque around the edges. For skinless fillets, you can briefly fry them on all sides or cook them in a hot oven; keep an eye on the cooking time, depending on their thickness.

The butter isn't a complicated sauce, just a quick finishing touch: softened butter takes on lime zest, juice and chili, then melts over the warm fish. Use cold butter and heat the mixture gently so it doesn't brown or split. A mild red chili mainly adds color and a little kick; remove the seeds for less heat. If you don't have fresh chili, you can use a small pinch of chili flakes. Taste the butter before spooning it over the fish, as limes vary in acidity.

Serve as soon as the fish is cooked, so the purée stays warm and the butter is still just liquid. A simple green salad or quickly sautéed snow peas goes well without making the plate heavier. If you have leftovers, cool them quickly and refrigerate them covered; preferably store the fish and purée separately and use them within two days. Reheat gently, for example over low heat with a splash of water added to the purée. The cod can dry out if reheated too vigorously.