Cod and Creamy leeks is a simply beautiful British recipe. Any recipe of pan-fried cod and creamy leeks will make a meal totally delicious. The sauce is easy to prepare and is suitable for other seafood dishes. Served as a main dish with a glass of wine with family and friends makes this one of those go to recipes.
Cod and Creamy Leeks is the sort of dish that bridges rustic comfort with restaurant-style sophistication. At its heart, it’s a beautifully balanced plate that celebrates gentle, earthy flavours with a touch of indulgence — perfect for a cosy night in or an impressive dinner party centrepiece.
The dish begins with leeks, those mellow, sweet members of the allium family. When slowly softened in butter and finished with a splash of cream, they become silky and fragrant — a luxurious bed for the fish to rest upon. This layer alone speaks volumes of homely cooking, gently elevated by the creaminess that binds it together.
Complementing the leeks is a medley of wild mushrooms, which bring an earthy depth and texture. Quickly sautéed in butter, they retain just enough bite, their savoury notes mingling effortlessly with wilted spinach. The spinach adds colour and a gentle bitterness, balancing the richness of the cream and butter.
The cod itself — thick, flaky fillets — is pan-fried in rapeseed oil until the surface is golden and crisp, while the inside remains tender and moist. It’s the kind of fish that welcomes flavour without overpowering, allowing the accompaniments to shine without losing its own subtle character.
What truly ties this dish together, however, is the elegant sauce. Made by reducing white wine with shallots, then enriched with fish stock, butter, and a final touch of cream, it’s a velvety finish that lifts the dish from comforting to indulgent. A few spoonfuls drizzled over the fish brings brightness, silkiness, and that unmistakable French-style flair.
To serve, everything is arranged with care: a spoonful of creamy leeks, followed by the spinach and mushrooms, the golden cod perched on top, and a final garnish of sauce and chopped chives. It’s a plate full of harmony — delicate yet full of flavour, luxurious but never heavy.
Cod and Creamy Leeks is a celebration of textures and tastes, where every element has its place and purpose. It’s not just food — it’s a quiet kind of magic.
Cod and Creamy Leeks
Ingredients
- 2 large Leeks trimmed and sliced
- 30 g butter
- 100 ml single Cream
- 150 g wild mushrooms cleaned
- 100 g spinach fresh
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 4 portions cod fillet cod loin
- chives chopped
- 15 g butter
- 2 shallots peeled and diced
- 150 ml white wine
- 150 ml fish stock
- 2 tbsp single Cream
Instructions
- Put half of the butter in a pan and melt, add the shallots and cook until soft, but not browned.30 g butter, 2 shallots
- Pour in the wine and let it bubble and reduce by about half.150 ml white wine
- Add the fish stock and let it reduce to about 150ml. Blitz with a stick blender, then whisk in the other half of the butter and the cream, and some seasoning. Set aside.30 g butter, 150 ml fish stock, 100 ml single Cream
- Cook the leeks in half the butter for about 15-20 minutes until softened, then add the cream and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Season and set aside in a dish.2 large Leeks, 2 tbsp single Cream
- Wipe the pan, reheat and add the rest of the butter and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Wilt the spinach in a pan.150 g wild mushrooms, 15 g butter, 100 g spinach
- Heat the frying pan, add the oil and when hot, put in the cod and cook for 5-6 minutes over a fairly high heat until browned on the underside and just cooked through. Reheat the sauce.1 tbsp rapeseed oil, 4 portions cod fillet
- Spoon the creamed leeks on to 4 hot plates.
- Add the spinach and some mushrooms. Put the cod on top, then garnish with a few more mushrooms. Spoon the hot sauce over and sprinkle with chopped chives.chives
- Enjoy
19 comments
The cod was perfectly cooked, flaky on the inside with a beautiful golden crust. The creamy leeks were the star of the dish, rich but not overwhelming, and the wild mushrooms added an earthy depth.
The sauce ties everything together beautifully. This one’s definitely a keeper.
A really satisfying meal.
I’ll definitely be making this again.
The creamy leeks and the fish were a great pairing, and the wine-infused sauce was just divine.
I love how the mushrooms add a nice earthy bite and the spinach just completes the dish. It’s perfect for a cozy night in or when you’re entertaining guests.
The dish looks impressive on the plate with the creamy leeks, vibrant spinach, and perfectly browned cod.
The cod was deliciously tender, and the creamy leeks had just the right amount of richness without being too heavy. The addition of wild mushrooms and spinach added a wonderful texture contrast.
This dish is the perfect balance of comfort and elegance.
The fish was flaky and perfectly cooked, and the creamy leeks were indulgent without being too rich. The wild mushrooms and spinach added layers of flavour
It’s a dish that looks and tastes way more complicated than it actually is.
This dish was absolutely delicious.
The creamy leeks are wonderfully soft and full of flavour, and they complement the delicate cod so well.
The combination of textures from the creamy leeks, tender cod, and the mushrooms was heavenly. The sauce brought everything together so nicely.
If you love seafood, you’ll adore this dish. The cod was light and tender, and the creamy leeks made a perfect accompaniment.
I’m always on the lookout for meals that are easy to make but still feel elegant, and this one fits the bill perfectly.
The sauce was silky smooth, and the chives added a nice fresh finish.
The flavours are so well balanced, with the creamy leeks, tender cod, and the richness of the wine and butter sauce.
I didn’t expect something so simple to taste so luxurious.