Signature Cod Loin in Slow-Cooked Tomato Broth with Bouchot Mussels | Cannes Fine Dining Recipe
- Eliane Muskus
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A Best-Seller from my restaurant La Serviette Blanche—Elegance and Flavor United in a Seasonal Masterpiece.
At La Serviette Blanche, my multiple award‑winning restaurant in Cannes, every plate tells a story of place and season. During the bustling international conference season, one dish gracefully rose above the rest—the signature cod loin in a slow‑cooked tomato broth, crowned with delicate Bouchot mussels. Elegant yet unpretentious, it became a beloved staple on our menu, weaving memories into every bite.
Ingredient Spotlight: Bouchot Mussels
The mussels we used were the famed Bouchot mussels—cultivated on ropes wound around wooden poles ("bouchots") along the Channel coast, especially from Brittany to Normandy and the Bay of Mont‑Saint‑Michel. These mussels benefit from tidal motion, growing plump, grit‑free, and rich in flavor, earning PDO and Traditional Speciality labels .
Tomato Broth Base (From Scratch)
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients: Tomato Broth Base
4 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1.2 kg high-quality canned chopped tomatoes (Mutti! Italian brand)
600 ml robust fish or vegetable stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 large sprigs fresh thyme and 2 large sprigs rosemary (tied together)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch of chili flakes (optional, for subtle warmth)
Instructions:
1. In a large heavy saucepan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, carrot, and celery until softened and fragrant, about 6–7 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato paste, cooking another minute to deepen the flavor.
3. Add canned tomatoes, stock, and herbs. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and let cook for 25–30 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
4. Remove the herb bundle, then transfer the broth to a blender and purée until perfectly smooth.
5. For a refined, velvety finish, pour the blended sauce into a sieve lined with cheesecloth and let the clear tomato essence slowly strain through. This step creates a beautifully thin, well-balanced broth worthy of fine dining presentation.
Main Assembly
Ingredients:
8 cod loin fillets (each about 150 g)
2 kg fresh Bouchot mussels, cleaned and debearded
3–4 tbsp butter or olive oil (for cooking fish)0
Freshly chopped flat leaf parsley, for garnish
Crusty baguette slices, to serve
Instructions:
1. Bring the tomato broth back to a gentle simmer. Carefully nestle the cleaned mussels into the broth, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes, until all mussels have opened. Discard any that remain closed.
2. In a separate skillet, heat butter or olive oil over medium-high heat. Season cod loins lightly, then sear—starting skin-side down if applicable—for 2–3 minutes until golden, then flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until just opaque and tender.
3. To serve, ladle the tomato broth into warm bowls. Gently place a cod loin atop the tomato broth, then top with 3 (opened) mussels and garnish with parsley, and accompany with slices of fresh crusty baguette to soak up every drop.
👩🍳 Chef’s Serving Tip & Wine Pairing:
📌 Serving Tip: Offer slices of fresh, crusty baguette alongside, perfect for savouring the rich, tomato-kissed broth.
📌 Wine Pairing: A crisp, mineral-driven white—such as a Pouilly-Fumé from the Loire or an elegant Sancerre Blanc—will beautifully complement the dish's tomato acidity and the sweetness of the Bouchot mussels.
A Final Note:
In the heart of Cannes, amidst the electric energy of the conference season, this dish was a quiet interlude—a plate of warmth, refined flavors, and poetic harmony. It’s easy to imagine the steam curling upward from the bowl, the echoed hush as guests paused to taste, and the sense of timeless elegance that only truly great food can provide.
Comentarios