Servings: 4

Mushroom Juice: subheading: Mushroom Juice:
200g fresh shiitake mushrooms 200g fresh shiitake mushrooms
9g fine salt 9g fine salt
 
Cod Stock: subheading: Cod Stock:
½ tbsp coriander seeds ½ tbsp coriander seeds
½ tbsp caraway seeds ½ tbsp caraway seeds
1 tsp whole black peppercorns 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf 1 bay leaf
head, spine and tail of 1 Murray Cod head, spine and tail of 1 Murray Cod
 
Kohlrabi Slices: subheading: Kohlrabi Slices:
1 large kohlrabi, peeled 1 large kohlrabi, peeled
juice 1 lemon juice 1 lemon
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
 
Cod Skins and Poached Cod: subheading: Cod Skins and Poached Cod:
1 cod fillet 1 cod fillet
Cod Stock Cod Stock
½ thumb size piece fresh horseradish ½ thumb size piece fresh horseradish
salt, to taste salt, to taste

For the Mushroom Juice, thinly slice the mushrooms and place in a bowl. Add salt and toss the mushrooms to coat evenly. Cover and set aside 50 to 60 minutes and then squeeze through a sieve and catch the mushroom juice. Set aside.
Prepare the cod; remove the fillets and carefully remove the skin. Set aside in the fridge and reserve 1 cod fillet for another recipe. Chop the spine into small pieces the set aside along with the head and tail.
For the Cod Stock, place spices to a saucepan over medium high heat and toast until fragrant. Add the cod head, tail and chopped bones. Cover with 2L water and bring to the boil. Boil for 20 minutes until reduced by ⅓, skimming impurities as necessary. Strain through a fine sieve and return liquid to a medium simmer, adding salt to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes, until reduced by half, then pass through a fine mesh strainer lined with a muslin cloth. Return stock to the pan and reserve for poaching.
For the Kohlrabi Slices, using a Japanese turning mandolin, slice the kohlrabi into at least two, wide 50cm long ribbons. Fold each into approximate 10cm lengths and trim the edges and ends. You should now have 10 rectangular slices of kohlrabi approximately 5cm x 10cm. Place the slices in a bowl and sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat evenly. Leave to brine for 25 minutes, then drain. Taste the kohlrabi and rinse with water if too salty. Arrange on a paper towel to dry slightly and reserve for assembly. Place the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar into separate small spray bottles and set aside.
For the Cod Skins, using a knife, scrape all fat and flesh remaining on the skin being very careful not to pierce or tear the skin. Bring a saucepan of heavily salted water to the boil, add the skin and blanch for 6 to 8 minutes until soft. Flatten the skin on a baking tray lined with baking paper and place in the refrigerator for 25 minutes to set for slicing. Remove skin from refrigerator and slice into even 2cm x 5cm strips Reserve for assembly.
For the Poached Cod, pin bone the cod fillets then cut into eight portions measuring approximately 5cm wide x 10cm long x 1cm thick. Bring the cod stock to a gentle simmer, add the cod portions and poach until just cooked, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully remove the fish and set aside. Pass the cod stock through a fine mesh strainer lined with a muslin cloth and reserve for assembly.
To assemble, place two portions of poached cod side by side in the centre of each serving bowl to achieve an approximate 10cm x 10cm square. Spoon mushroom juice over the cod, then finely grate some of the fresh horseradish on top to lightly cover the fish. Carefully lay the kohlrabi slices over the cod.
To serve, spray the top of the dish with 3 sprays of the lemon juice and 3 sprays of the apple cider vinegar. Using a blowtorch, warm the cod skin slices, without charring for 5 seconds and finally, pour the hot cod stock around the edge of the fillets.