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Cod Fillets Recipe with Crab Bisque Orzo and Braised Leeks is a restaurant-style dinner party dish for two from The Mayfair Foodie, ready in around 30 minutes. Crisp-skinned cod fillets of about 150g each are pan-fried skin-side down for 4 minutes, then basted in butter and left to finish in the pan’s residual heat until they reach 60°C (140°F). The cod sits on baby leeks braised in butter for about 10 minutes, over orzo cooked risotto-style for 10–12 minutes and finished with 300ml of crab bisque. A squeeze of lemon and optional white crab meat complete the plate. Martin Seymour developed the recipe using a handmade crab bisque from Bob & Sally in Ivybridge, Devon, bought through Wylde Market, and took the idea for the orzo from a dish of lamb shanks on orzo at Fenix, the Greek restaurant in Mayfair. There are three ways to make it: an everyday version with a 400g tin of Baxters Chef Selections Lobster Bisque, an artisan version with fresh crab bisque, and a from-scratch version with homemade bisque made from a whole 1kg cooked brown crab. The homemade bisque keeps for two days in the fridge or three months in the freezer. Hake, haddock, pollock, sea bass or Alaskan black cod can replace the cod, and arborio or carnaroli rice can replace the orzo. Suggested wines are Chablis, Albariño or Picpoul de Pinet.
One of the bonuses of creating recipes for the website is that it pushes me out of my comfort zone, away from cooking the same tried and tested dishes. When Wylde Market added a crab bisque from a new supplier in Devon, the crab fan in me started thinking about how I could use it in a recipe. I also wanted to add another cod fillets recipe to the site, as my cod fillet with tomato bean stew is a family favourite and has gone down well with readers. So now I had two ingredients for a new dish. Then I remembered a recent meal at Fenix, the Greek restaurant in Mayfair, where lamb shanks came on a bed of orzo – it was delicious. Could orzo work as a base for cod and crab bisque? I was sure it could. Add some baby leeks and a tub of white crab meat, and I had the makings of a new recipe. All I needed to do was work out how to cook it.
As you’ve probably guessed, it went well – better than I expected, in fact – and it got a big thumbs up from my wife, which is always a good sign. I’ve also included a recipe for making your own crab bisque, as well as a cheaper version using a tin of lobster bisque, and you could swap the orzo for risotto rice. As always, recipes are there to be tweaked and given your own identity. I hope you give this one a try, or that it inspires you to create a recipe of your own.
2 Why this cod fillets recipe makes a great dinner party dish
This is a dish that looks and tastes far more impressive than the effort it takes. Crisp-skinned cod sits on a bed of orzo cooked risotto-style and finished in a rich, brandy-scented bisque, with soft, buttery braised leeks in between. A squeeze of lemon at the end lifts the whole plate – don’t skip it.
Every element is quick. The orzo takes about 15 minutes, the leeks about 10 and the cod barely 5. The only real skill is getting organised, so that everything is prepared before the heat goes on and comes together at the same time. Get that right, and you have a restaurant-style plate on the table in around 30 minutes.
It’s also far more flexible than it looks. You can make it with supermarket cod fillets and a tin of lobster bisque, or go the whole way with a homemade crab bisque and a crown of white crab meat. Either way, you can’t go far wrong.
3 Three ways to make it, from everyday to extravagant
1. The everyday version: tinned lobster bisque
Supermarket cod fillets, a bag of orzo and a 400g tin of lobster bisque – such as Baxters Chef Selections Lobster Bisque, made with double cream, white wine and brandy – are all you need. The tin gives you the 300ml (1¼ cups) the recipe calls for, with a little to spare. Use water instead of fish stock if that’s what you have: the bisque brings all the flavour. This version is still very much a dinner party dish.
2. The artisan version: fresh crab bisque
I made this recipe with a handmade crab bisque from Bob & Sally in Ivybridge, Devon, bought through Wylde Market. It’s made with crab stock, crab meat, tomato, brandy and crème fraîche, and gives the orzo a deeper, sweeter crab flavour. Any good fresh crab or seafood bisque from a fishmonger or deli works the same way.
3. From scratch: homemade brown crab bisque
If you want to go all out, make your own bisque from a whole cooked brown crab. You pick the white meat for the topping and use the brown meat and shells for the bisque, so nothing goes to waste. It takes about 1½ hours, but it can be made up to two days ahead. I haven’t tested it for this post, but you’ll find a recipe based on the classic method further down.
The finishing touch: white crab meat
A pile of sweet, hand-picked crab on top of the cod turns this into something truly special – mine also came from Bob & Sally. It’s an extravagance, not a necessity: the dish is excellent without it. If you do use it, take it out of the fridge 20–30 minutes before serving, so it isn’t fridge-cold against the hot fish.
4 How to cook cod fillets with crispy skin
Pan-frying is the best way to cook cod fillets for this dish, because the crisp skin contrasts so well with the soft orzo. Three things make the difference.
- Dry the skin. Pat the fillets thoroughly with kitchen paper and season the skin with salt just before cooking. Moisture is what stops skin crisping.
- Leave it alone. Lay the cod skin-side down in hot oil and don’t move it. After about 4 minutes the skin will be crisp and release easily, and the flesh will have turned opaque most of the way up.
- Finish with butter and residual heat. Turn the fillets, add a large knob of butter and baste for a minute or so, then turn off the heat. The fish finishes cooking gently in the pan.
Timing depends on the thickness of your fillets. The cod is ready when the flesh is opaque and flakes apart with gentle pressure. If you have a probe thermometer, it should read about 60°C (140°F) in the thickest part.
5 Getting organised: the order of cooking
This is the part that makes or breaks the dish. Before you start, chop the shallot and garlic, halve the leeks, measure out the stock or water, wine and bisque, pat the cod dry, and put your bowls somewhere to warm. Then cook in this order:
- Orzo first: about 15 minutes, risotto-style
- Bisque in: stirred through the orzo, then kept on the lowest heat
- Leeks next: about 10 minutes
- Cod last: about 5 minutes
- Plate: orzo, then leeks, then cod, then the crab if you’re using it, and a squeeze of lemon
The orzo is cooked using the same method as a risotto – softening the shallot, toasting the grains, adding wine, and then stock a ladle at a time. A note on the orzo: mine was a handmade orzo from Devon, made with freshly milled heritage wheat, which is why it looks brown in the photos and took 10–12 minutes. Regular white orzo is usually a little quicker, so start tasting after about 8 minutes. If you’d like more detail on the technique, see my guide to how to cook risotto –read here.
6 Alternative: homemade crab bisque from a whole brown crab
A whole cooked brown crab gives you everything for this dish: white meat for the topping, and brown meat and shells for a deeply flavoured bisque. Roasting the shells first and cooking out the tomato purée are what build the depth of flavour. Makes about 750ml (3 cups) – enough for this recipe, with extra to freeze or serve as a starter.
Ingredients
- 1 cooked brown crab, about 1kg (2 lb 4 oz)
- 2 tbsp olive oil and 25g (2 tbsp) butter
- 1 onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery stick, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 3 tbsp brandy
- 100ml (scant ½ cup) dry white wine
- 1 litre (4 cups) fish stock or water
- 1 bay leaf and a few thyme sprigs
- 100ml (scant ½ cup) double cream
- A squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of cayenne pepper, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Prepare the crab. Twist off the claws and legs and crack them to pick out the white meat; you should get roughly 120–150g (4–5oz), enough to top two plates. Chill until needed. Pull the body away from the top shell, discard the feathery gills (dead man’s fingers), and scoop the brown meat into a separate bowl.
Roast the shells. Break the shells into smaller pieces. Roast in an oven heated to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F) for 20 minutes, or fry them hard in the oil for 8–10 minutes, until browned and smelling toasty.
Build the base. In a large pan, melt the butter with the oil (if you roasted the shells) and soften the onion, carrot and celery for 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic for a minute, then the shells and tomato purée. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the purée darkens.
Flambé the brandy. Take the pan off the heat, add the brandy and carefully light it with a long match, standing well back. When the flames die down, return to the heat. If you’d rather not flambé, simply let the brandy bubble away for a minute.
Simmer. Add the wine and let it reduce by half, then add the stock or water and herbs. Simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, skimming occasionally.
Strain and finish. Strain through a sieve, pressing hard on the shells to extract every bit of flavour, then discard the shells. Return the liquid to the pan, add the brown meat and blitz with a stick blender. Strain again for a silky finish. Simmer for 5–10 minutes until it lightly coats the back of a spoon, then stir in the cream. Season with lemon juice, cayenne, salt and pepper.
The bisque keeps in the fridge for up to two days and freezes well for up to three months.
7 Variations
- Black cod: for a richer, more luxurious dish, use Alaskan black cod, also known as sablefish (it isn’t a true cod). Its buttery flesh is delicate, so cook skin-side down for slightly less time and turn it carefully.
- Other white fish: hake, haddock, pollock and sea bass fillets all work well. Adjust the timing for thinner fillets.
- Without wine: leave it out and add an extra splash of stock or water, with a little more lemon at the end.
- Larger leeks: if you can’t find baby leeks, cut medium leeks into 5cm (2in) lengths and halve them. They’ll need 12-15 minutes to braise.
- Risotto rice: swap the orzo for 150g (¾ cup) arborio or carnaroli rice. It takes 18–20 minutes and needs more liquid – about 600ml (2½ cups) of stock or water before the bisque goes in.
- More cod recipes: for a lighter, summery dish, try my Herb crusted cod.
8 Make ahead and storage
- Bisque: homemade bisque can be made up to two days ahead and chilled, or frozen for up to three months.
- Leeks: braise and drain earlier in the day, then cool and refrigerate. Reheat gently in a little butter while the orzo cooks.
- Prep: chop, measure and dry everything before guests arrive, so only about 20 minutes of cooking is left.
- Leftovers: the orzo keeps in the fridge for a day. It thickens as it cools, so loosen with a splash of water when reheating. The cod is best eaten freshly cooked.
9 Cod fillets recipe FAQs
How long do cod fillets take to cook?
Pan-fried cod fillets about 2.5cm (1in) thick take 5–6 minutes in total: about 4 minutes skin-side down, then a minute or two on the other side with butter. Thinner fillets need less time. Tip: once the fillets are skin-side down, don’t move them – the skin crisps faster if you leave it alone.
How do you know when cod is cooked?
The flesh turns from translucent to opaque white and flakes apart easily when pressed gently. On a probe thermometer, the thickest part should read about 60°C (140°F).
Should you cook cod skin-side down first?
Yes. Starting skin-side down protects the delicate flesh and gives you crisp, golden skin. Don’t move the fillets until the skin releases from the pan on its own.
Can I use frozen cod fillets?
Yes. Defrost them overnight in the fridge, then pat them very dry with kitchen paper before cooking – frozen fish releases a lot of water, which stops the skin from crisping.
What can I use instead of crab bisque?
A tinned lobster bisque, such as Baxters Chef Selections Lobster Bisque, is the easiest swap and is widely available in supermarkets. Any good fresh seafood bisque works too, or you can make your own from a whole brown crab.
What is the difference between crab bisque and crab soup?
A bisque is a smooth, rich French-style soup made from shellfish. Its flavour comes from simmering the shells, and it’s usually finished with cream and brandy. Crab soup is a broader term and can be chunky or brothy.
Can I make crab bisque ahead of time?
Yes. Homemade crab bisque keeps for up to two days in the fridge and freezes for up to three months, which makes this a good make-ahead dinner party recipe.
Do I need the white crab meat?
No. The crab meat is an optional luxury. The bisque already gives the orzo plenty of shellfish flavour, and the dish is excellent with just the cod, leeks and a squeeze of lemon.
Can I use white or wholewheat orzo?
Either works. Wholewheat and heritage wheat orzo has a nuttier flavour and takes 10–12 minutes; regular white orzo is usually tender a little sooner, so start tasting after about 8 minutes. You can also cook it in water instead of stock, because the bisque provides most of the flavour.
What other fish can I use?
Hake, haddock, pollock and sea bass all work well. For a special occasion, try Alaskan black cod, which is richer and more buttery.
Can I make this for more people?
Yes. Allow 75g (⅓ cup) of orzo, one cod fillet and about 150ml (⅔ cup) of bisque per person, and scale the rest accordingly. When cooking more than four fillets, use two pans so they fry rather than steam.
What wine goes with cod and crab bisque?
A crisp white with some richness suits the creamy bisque: a Chablis or other unoaked Chardonnay, an Albariño or a Picpoul de Pinet
10 Recipe-Ingredients and Method
Cod Fillets Recipe with Crab Bisque Orzo and Braised Leeks
Print RecipeIngredients
- INGREDIENTS FOR CRAB BISQUE ORZO
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 15g (1 tbsp) butter
- 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 150g (¾ cup) orzo, white or wholewheat
- 350ml (1½ cups) hot fish stock or water
- 75ml (⅓ cup) dry white wine
- 300ml (1¼ cups) crab bisque or tinned lobster bisque
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- INGREDIENTS FOR THE BRAISED LEEKS
- 4 baby leeks, halved lengthways
- 30g (2 tbsp) butter
- 100ml (scant ½ cup) fish stock or water
- Sea salt
- INGREDIENTS FOR COD
- 2 skin-on cod fillets, about 150g (5oz) each
- 1tsp of olive oil
- 30g (2 tbsp) butter
- Sea salt
- TO FINISH
- ½ lemon, for juice
- A pinch of sea salt or seaweed salt
- Optional: 120g (4oz) white crab meat, at room temperature
Instructions
Get organised. Chop the shallot and garlic, halve the leeks, measure out the stock or water, wine and bisque, pat the cod dry and warm two shallow bowls. If using crab meat, take it out of the fridge now.
Cook the orzo. Heat the oil and butter in a wide pan over a medium heat. Soften the shallot for 4–5 minutes without colouring, then add the garlic for a minute. Add the orzo and fry for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until lightly toasted. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until absorbed, then add the hot stock or water a ladle at a time, stirring often, until the orzo is just tender – about 10–12 minutes for wholewheat or heritage orzo, a little less for regular white orzo.
Add the bisque. Stir in the bisque and bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to its lowest setting. Don’t let it boil. If it thickens too much while you cook the rest, loosen with a splash of water. Taste before adding any more seasoning, as the bisque is already seasoned.
Braise the leeks. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks cut-side down with a pinch of salt and cook for 3–4 minutes until lightly golden. Add the stock or water, lower the heat and braise for about 10 minutes until tender. Drain and keep warm.
Cook the cod. Season the skin with salt. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and lay the cod in skin-side down. Don’t move it. Cook for about 4 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque most of the way up. Turn, add the butter and baste for a minute, then turn off the heat and let the residual heat finish the cooking. It’s ready when the flesh flakes easily.
Plate. Spoon the bisque orzo into the warm bowls. Layer the leeks on top and set the cod on the leeks, skin-side up. Top with the crab meat, if using. Finish with a good squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt or seaweed salt.
