Gail Simmons’ quick and easy pan-seared cod

Video: Cook restaurant-quality cod

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   >>> show you why two of bravo's " top chef " judges have come together in harmony after this.

   >>> and we're back with "today's" kitchen. we have two of " top chef " judges with us. tom colicchio and gail is with us.

   >> tom is going to show us how he makes the cod in your restaurant, right?

   >> uh-huh.

   >> while gail is going to show us how to make cod at home. if you happen to live in cape cod , it's great.

   >> works out for you.

   >> hi, todd.

   >> how are you doing?

   >> good. first off, i will use two different kinds of cod. fresh cod and salt cod . the salt cod we stuff into the onion --

   >> explain what that is?

   >> it's salted dry so you can preserve it.

   >> it's old fish?

   >> yes, it's old fish. it's a way of preserving it, and then we reconstitute it in water and then we take it and we cook it with some cream and butter and stuff it into the ravioli. the other thing we do in the restaurant is we take the whole filet of cod and we actually kind of glue it together with meat glue .

   >> meat glue ? what is meat glue ?

   >> no, i don't have it with me. it's already done. and we try it. we do a quick little tie.

   >> meat glue . i have no idea what you're talking about. what are you talking about?

   >> anyway, it's just powder that you can actually have, two protein that's adhere to each other.

   >> oh, i'm sorry. how do you know if you're picking a good piece of cod?

   >> if it smells fishy and and it doesn't and it has clear eyes and red gills and it's springy to the touch and it shouldn't smell like fish.

   >> okay.

   >> so we cut it like a filet.

   >> i love cod. love it, love it.

   >> and you leave the string on there while you're doing that?

   >> exactly.

   >> so we're cooking it --

   >> into the butter and --

   >> olive oil . and then we will put a sprig in there of that.

   >> what is that?

   >> this is thyme. we have our onions down. they're already cooking. i put them in ahead of time. ly trai will transfer that to the lemon butter sauce.

   >> this is not for you if you're calorically challenged, right?

   >> right. no. you break your diet for this one.

   >> people think they're having fish and they're going to save calories.

   >> we're just going to baste this fish with butter.

   >> cooking is as important as the amount of time. you don't want to overcook it.

   >> that's right. it all depends how quickly you cook it. if you cook it slow, you can actually cook it about ten minutes. so now at the end, we have our sauce. this is a lemon -- a preserved lemon butter sauce.

   >> that looks really good.

   >> put some on the plate.

   >> stop it.

   >> we also have --

   >> and spinach.

   >> this is dandelion greens .

   >> what?

   >> we want bitter, nice and bitter.

   >> where do you get those?

   >> in your garden.

   >> exactly. no, you can buy them in the green markets. and then with have our cod. and then we can finish it -- this is preserve lemon we make in the restaurant. it's made by salting -- salt, sugar, gelatin garlic. it sits for a couple days and you finish it with olive oil .

   >> cod, you could make that at home.

   >> yes.

   >> not as good.

   >> a little more complicated.

   >> that looks delicious.

   >> how did i ruin it?

   >> she doesn't like chives.

   >> she has issues.

   >> do we get to taste it?

   >> not yet. that comes later.

   >> okay.

   >> so actually making the preserve lemons is quite simple but if you don't have time, you haven't done it in advance, you can totally buy them at specialty markets. there are great online resources.

   >> what's a preserved lemon ?

   >> what tom was using before, salt, garlic, pickling spices basically, preserve the lemons. these are three different kinds. i'm going to make a mayonnaise and half of flavor. so i'm taking a cup of mayonnaise, half a cayenne, garlic.

   >> is this a particular mayonnaise you use? i'm a hellmann's girl. what are you?

   >> if i would say, i would say hellmann's girl. but it's also ease dwroi make it at home. but it's another segment.

   >> okay.

   >> you put the vitamin mix. sf ready?

   >> hold on, hoda woman.

   >> you stir it up and you will get this. it's a beautiful lemon iolle. it is a great sauce. it's great for dipping, sauce, sandwiches, anything you want. now for the cod. i have two pieces of cod here. i'm going to take wonder flour and dredge it lightly.

   >> instead of glue. good for you.

   >> no glue.

   >> i don't like glue in my fish. that's just me.

   >> i'm using wonder flour.

   >> that thing is amazing.

   >> it is. it won't glupe. and i will put it in some hot oil .

   >> how long do you cook it for? i always make that mistake when i'm cooking fish.

   >> that's a good question. want it nice and brown and crispy on the outside but you don't want to overcook on the inside. three or four minutes on each side and you want there to be heat in the pan. that's the key. you want to keep it hot. i have my piece here. i will put it on my plate when it's done.

   >> that looks delicious.

   >> oh, thank you.

   >> so does that piece.

   >> take that pieces.

   >> that looks amazing. and i have my sauce. you can taste the sauce, too, if you want to.

   >> no dandelions for you?

   >> no dandelions. i have roasted potatoes. i won't use chives.

   >> thank you!

   >> gail , do it!

   >> thank you.

   >> i don't want to upset kathy. are you crazy?

   >> the old lady will go off on you.

   >> that's not pretty.

   >> and let's get the tom dish.

   >> this is how much i love you, hoda. i will give you that to eat.

   >> this is not one versus the other. let's be clear on that.

   >> this might be overcooked, too. it spent a little extra time in there.

   >> hoda, you didn't get any of the sauce in there.

   >> that is so good!

   >> you can use it for dipping.

   >> incredible.

   >> try this, kathy.

   >> oh, that is scrumptious.

   >> try this. this one's done.

   >> you see how easy it is. people are worried about cooking fish at home. it's really quite an easy thing to do and it's quick cooking, which makes it perfect for week nights.

   >> oh, my god, both delicious! i'm trying to talk.

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   >> i'm so honored i can actually be in the same round as tom.

   >> try the dandelions. get in there. tom and gail , thank you so, so much.

   >> this is delicious.

   >> you can catch " top chef " on bravo, 10:00 , 9:00 central time .

   >>> and look who's going to perform for us right after

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