# Wine-Poached Lingcod with Summer Vegetables and Basil Butter Sauce > Gently poached lingcod sits over sweet corn, tender leeks, roasted fennel, summer beans, and tomatoes that soften into the cooking juices. Reduce that wine-scented broth, swirl in cold butter, and finish with a generous handful of basil—a late-summer dinner that makes excellent use of a well-stocked fridge. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/poached-lingcod-with-leeks-summer-veg-basil - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2023-08-02 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Wine-Poached Lingcod with Summer Vegetables and Basil Butter Sauce](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2Faaaa2831cf563aef.jpg) ## Leeks and Summer Vegetable Medley Soft leeks and roasted fennel provide sweetness, while tomatoes bring enough acidity to balance the butter sauce. Already-cooked corn and beans need only a brief warming to keep their texture. ### Ingredients - 2 medium leeks, white and light-green parts sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons and thoroughly washed - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter - 2 tablespoons water - 1 cup Sungold tomatoes, halved if large - 1 medium ripe heirloom tomato, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, juices reserved - 1 cup roasted fennel, cut into bite-size pieces - 3/4 cup cooked shelled fresh cranberry beans, drained - 1 cup cooked sweet corn kernels - 1 cup cooked green beans, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste ### Instructions 1. Melt the butter in a wide, deep sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks, water, and salt. Cover and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until silky and tender without browning. 2. Add the Sungolds, heirloom tomato and its juices, roasted fennel, and cooked cranberry beans. Stir gently for 2 minutes, just until the tomatoes begin releasing their juices. 3. Leave this mixture in the pan for the fish-poaching component. Keep the cooked corn and green beans separate to add near the end of poaching. ### Notes - Starting from raw cranberry beans: shell them, cover generously with water, bring to a boil, then simmer until creamy throughout, about 25–40 minutes. Drain before using; do not add raw shell beans directly to the fish poach. - For roasted fennel from scratch, cut one large bulb into wedges, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a little salt, and roast at 425°F for 25–35 minutes until tender and browned. Cut into smaller pieces afterward. - If needed, boil fresh green beans in salted water for 3–5 minutes until just tender, and cook fresh corn kernels for 2–3 minutes. Drain before using. ## Gently Wine-Poached Lingcod A shallow, barely simmering poach cooks the fish gently while enriching the vegetable broth. Removing the fish before reducing the liquid keeps the flakes moist and intact. ### Ingredients - 1 1/2 pounds skinless lingcod fillet, pin bones removed, cut into four similar-thickness portions - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste - 3/4 cup dry white wine - 3/4 cup water, plus a little more if needed - 1 batch prepared leek and summer vegetable medley, including reserved corn and green beans ### Instructions 1. Season the fish evenly with the salt while the leeks cook. 2. Add the wine and water to the pan of leeks, tomatoes, fennel, and cranberry beans. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. 3. Nestle the fish into the vegetables in a single layer. The liquid should reach roughly halfway up the portions; add a little water if necessary. 4. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Maintain a bare simmer, not a boil, and poach for about 7–12 minutes depending on thickness. Add the reserved corn and green beans around the fish for the final 3 minutes. 5. Check the thickest part with an instant-read thermometer; the fish is done at 145°F and should separate into moist, opaque flakes. Remove individual portions as they finish. 6. Transfer the fish to a warm plate. Lift the vegetables into a separate warm bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the poaching liquid in the pan. Cover both loosely while making the sauce. ### Notes - Use a pan just wide enough to hold the fish in one layer. A very large pan requires extra liquid and lengthens the reduction. - Avoid stirring once the fish is in the pan; spoon liquid over exposed surfaces instead. ## Reduced Wine, Tomato, and Basil Butter Sauce Reducing the poaching liquid concentrates the fish, leek, and tomato flavors. Cold butter emulsifies into that concentrated broth, making a glossy sauce without cream. ### Ingredients - all reserved poaching liquid from the lingcod - 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes - 1 loosely packed cup fresh basil leaves, small leaves whole and very large leaves torn once - to taste fine sea salt ### Instructions 1. Bring the reserved poaching liquid to a lively simmer and reduce to about 1/2–2/3 cup, usually 4–7 minutes. Taste as it concentrates; it should be savory and bright, not aggressively salty. 2. Lower the heat to its minimum, then take the pan off the heat. Swirl or whisk in the cold butter a few cubes at a time until the sauce is glossy and lightly coats a spoon. 3. Taste and add salt only as needed. Fold in the basil so it just wilts, then spoon the sauce over the fish and vegetables immediately. ### Notes - Do not boil after adding the butter. If the sauce looks oily or becomes too thick, whisk in cool water a teaspoon at a time. - The tomatoes and wine supply the acidity here; taste the finished reduction before adding any additional seasoning. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Having the vegetables cooked before poaching makes the final stretch quick. The fish rests only long enough to reduce and finish its sauce. ### Instructions 1. Before starting: if not using leftovers, cook the cranberry beans, roast the fennel, and cook the corn and green beans. Allow up to 45 extra minutes; these tasks can run in parallel. 2. 0:00 — Wash and slice the leeks, cut the tomatoes, and portion and salt the fish. 3. 0:10 — Soften the leeks, then add the tomatoes, fennel, and cranberry beans. 4. 0:22 — Add wine and water, simmer briefly, and begin poaching the fish. Warm four shallow bowls. 5. During the final 3 minutes of poaching, add the corn and green beans. 6. About 0:35 — Remove the cooked fish and vegetables, reduce the liquid, and swirl in the butter. 7. About 0:42 — Add basil, plate, and serve immediately. Let fish thickness and doneness determine the exact timing. ## Plating Shallow bowls hold the sauce around the vegetables while keeping the delicate fish visible. Large basil leaves give each bite a fresh aromatic finish. ### Instructions 1. Divide the warm vegetable medley among four shallow bowls, making a loose bed in the center. 2. Set one portion of lingcod over each bed, keeping the flakes intact. 3. Spoon the warm butter sauce over and around the fish, distributing the wilted basil leaves across the bowls. Serve immediately. ## Leftover Path Gentle reheating protects the fish and avoids splitting the butter sauce. Flaked fish also folds naturally back into the vegetable broth. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow, covered containers within 2 hours and use within 2 days. 2. Warm the vegetables and sauce in a small covered pan over low heat with a splash of water. Add the fish last and heat gently until it reaches 165°F, avoiding a vigorous boil. 3. Alternatively, loosen the vegetables with water to make a light soup, then fold in flaked leftover fish at the end and heat through. Finish with fresh basil if available. ### Notes - The butter sauce may separate when chilled; gentle heat and a splash of water help bring it back together. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.