• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Combine the butter and flour in a saucepan; when they are well blended, gradually add the milk, stirring until it is thickened. Season with a little nutmeg and black pepper. Add the egg yolks, blend well, and add the codfish. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture. Pour into a buttered soufflé dish and bake at 375° for 35 to 45 minutes or until puffy and brown. Serve with a béchamel or Hollandaise sauce — and forget you ever ate a fish cake.

FRIED CODFISH STRIPS

1 pound filleted salt codfish

Flour

Freshly ground black pepper

Fat for frying

Tartar sauce (pages 35–36)

Soak the codfish in cold water for several hours. Rinse and cut in diagonal strips about 1 to 11/2 inches wide. Roll in flour, sprinkle with pepper, and fry in deep fat at 375°. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot with tartar sauce.

CODFISH LYONNAISE

Naturally the combination of onion and codfish is elegant. So it is not surprising that there should be a Lyonnaise version, for the traditional dishes of that city use onions a great deal.

1 pound salt codfish

6 medium potatoes, sliced

2 medium onions, sliced

Butter or oil

Chopped parsley

Soak the codfish in cold water for several hours. Sauté the potatoes and onions as you would for Lyonnaise potatoes. Flake the codfish and brown it nicely in butter or oil; combine with the potato-onion mixture and let it cook down for a few minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped parsley. This is a wonderful Sunday breakfast dish.

CODFISH CARCASSONNE

11/2 pounds salt codfish

11/2 pounds small new potatoes

Butter or fat

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 to 4 tablespoons flour

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped parsley

Soak the codfish for several hours and poach for about 15 minutes. Cut into small pieces.

Scrape or peel the potatoes and brown them in butter or fat until they are just golden. Add the garlic and sprinkle with the flour. Season with the pepper and a bit of parsley. Add broth from the fish and water mixed in equal parts — enough to cover the potatoes. Let them simmer until tender. About 4 or 5 minutes before you remove them from the heat, add the codfish and let it all blend well together.

CODFISH MARSEILLAISE

Here is another tasty way of combining salt cod and potatoes:

11/2 pounds salt codfish

Flour

1/2 cup olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

5 large or 6 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

Sage

Thyme

Salt

6 potatoes cut in quarters

White wine

Chopped parsley

Soak the codfish. When it is freshened, cut it into even-sized squares. Roll these in flour and sauté them in hot oil until nicely browned. Remove them from the pan and n the same oil sauté the onion and garlic until they are light-colored and soft. Add the tomatoes, black pepper, a pinch of sage, a bit of thyme, and let this simmer about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Oil a casserole, put the quartered potatoes in the bottom, pour the sauce over them, and add just enough white wine and water mixed to cover. Add the pieces of cod, cover the casserole, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the cover and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

CODFISH PORTUGAISE

2 pounds dried salt codfish, soaked 12 hours, or overnight, in cold water

6 to 8 potatoes

cream

1/3 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup buttered crumbs

Drain the codfish and pull apart into small pieces. Put in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until flaky and tender. Drain well and cool. When cool enough to handle, shred or chop very fine and pound in a mortar.

Meanwhile, steam the potatoes and mash, adding a very little cream. Beat in the codfish, oil, and garlic to make a light fluffy mixture. Taste for seasoning. (Codfish is salty, so you might not need any more salt.)

Turn into a well-buttered baking dish or casserole and sprinkle with crumbs.