Classic smoked cod is a wonderfully tasty comfort food, especially when served in a creamy mornay sauce that delights with a mustard tang and bursts of sweet peas. This version is also topped with mash and baked until golden. Yum!
How to make a smoked cod mornay: key tips
This recipe is made in four stages. Firstly, the fish is cooked in a milk and nutmeg mixture until tender and the intense fishy flavour is lessened.
Secondly, the sauce is made – it’s essentially a white béchamel-style sauce laden with onion and celery, garlic and mustard that’s cooked until deliciously thick. The third stage is when the sauce is stirred through the flaked fish, plus some boiled egg and peas in a casserole dish. Be very careful when prepping the fish as you’ll want to ensure there are zero bones present that could cause a nasty surprise later!
The fourth stage is placing the mashed potato on top. Use a fork to smooth the surface and then create some ridges with the tines so that it browns evenly but even more so on top of the ridges.
Key ingredients in this smoked cod mornay recipe
Smoked cod is cod (or sometimes hake) that has been cold or liquid smoked, which gives it a smoky flavour and bright orange colour. It is available as fillets at your local supermarket or fish monger.
Onion, garlic and celery, along with some Dijon mustard, give the white sauce a savoury kick that complements the smokiness of the fish.
Stirring boiled eggs through the fish mixture adds extra creaminess and ramps up the protein in this meal. The peas add a welcome sweetness and freshness that cuts through the rich flavours.
If you like smoked cod, you will also like this smoked cod pie, and this savoury smoked cod and rice dish.
This recipe was originally submitted by Judy1953, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.
Ingredients
- 800 g smoked cod
- 2 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 40 g butter
- 1/4 cup plain flour
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 celery stick thinly sliced
- 2 egg chopped hard-boiled
- 1/3 cup frozen peas
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Topping
- 4 potato chopped cooked large peeled
- 30 g butter
- 1/2 cup milk
Method
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Step 1Place fish in shallow pan, add milk and nutmeg. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until fish is tender.
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Step 2Remove fish from milk, strain and reserve milk for sauce. Measure reserved milk and make up to 500 ml, using extra milk if required.
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Step 3Melt butter in a saucepan, add onion, garlic and celery and stir until onion is softened. Add flour and stir for a further minute. Remove from heat and gradually add milk, return to heat and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Add mustard.
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Step 4Remove skin and any bones from fish and flake into a casserole dish.
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Step 5Add eggs and peas and stir sauce through.
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Step 6Mash boiled potatoes with butter and milk and place on top of fish.
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Step 7Bake at 180C for 45-60 minutes until golden on top and heated through.
Recipe Notes
How do I check smoked cod for bones?
Run your fingers along the length of the fillet, particularly in the thicker section, to feel for any pin bones that haven’t been removed. A simple pair of tweezers (pin bone tweezers, if you have them) can help you to extract any small bones you feel. I find it easier to do this before cooking your fish.
Can I make the white sauce in the microwave?
The cook likes to use a microwave to make quick work of the sauce. To do so, melt the butter in the microwave in a large microwave-safe jug. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, then add the flour and milk, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Stir through the mustard.
This is certainly a quick way of doing it, but I find you get a better flavour by making the sauce in a saucepan, as the onion, garlic and flour get to be softened and caramelised a little before any liquid is added.
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