Pacific Cod with Ginger-Braised Asparagus

I love the versatility of asparagus. Here it gets a bit of an Asian treatment with the addition of fresh ginger and garlic. The cod has a nice chewy flake to it and is a good foil for the ginger.

Ingredients

• 1 egg white

• 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

• Four 5-ounce portions Pacific cod fillet

• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)

• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 2 teaspoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger

• 1 clove garlic, sliced

• 2 pounds asparagus, heavy bottoms trimmed

• Salt

• 1/2 cupwater

Instructions

Preheat the broiler.

Whisk together the egg white and mustard well, until the white is no longer stringy. Lightly brush each of the fillets on one side with the egg mixture. Mix the panko and orange zest and sprinkle over the top of each fillet. Gently pat down to ensure that the breading adheres to the fish. Set the fillets on a baking sheet and broil until golden brown. Turn off the broiler and move the cod to the lowest rack in the oven to continue to cook slowly.

For the asparagus, heat the butter, ginger, and garlic over medium heat in a large sauté pan. When the butter begins to froth and the garlic begins to soften, add the asparagus so that all the spears point the same direction. Season with salt and pour in the orange juice and water. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.

Serve the cod fillets with the asparagus and spoon any remaining glaze on top.