Salt Cod Potato Gratin is Rich and Satisfying
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Salt Cod Potato Gratin is rich and satisfying with potatoes, a little cream and seasoned with bay leaves and thyme. |
There is good chance we came home to mom’s rich and
comforting Salt Cod Potato Gratin...
The recipe arrived in our house somewhere around 1990,
found in a cookbook called Bistro Cooking by Patricia Wells. It’s a cookbook
inspired by small family restaurants in France and I was surprised to discover
that salt cod, a staple of my childhood, is ubiquitous in the South of France
too.
Mom’s fish cakes made with salt cod are the best I have ever
tasted but this gratin recipe takes the humble salt cod to a whole new level.
It’s rich and satisfying with potatoes, a little cream and seasoned with bay leaves and thyme. The cookbook author says it’s one of her favourite
dishes of all time.
Salt Cod Potato Gratin
Ingredients:
Salt Cod Potato Gratin
Ingredients:- 1 lb salt cod
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 lb. baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- Place the salt cod in a pot of cold water and soak, covered in the fridge, overnight. Change the water a couple of times during the soaking period to remove excess salt. Drain and rinse the fish.
- Place cod in a large pan with cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer, remove the pan from the heat, cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove bones and tear fish into bite-sized pieces.
- In a large saucepan combine the milk, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes to the seasoned milk and simmer until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and remove bay leaves.
- In a small bowl whisk the egg yolks and cream or yogurt and stir into the potato mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Rub the inside of a medium gratin or baking dish with 1 Tbsp. of the butter and spread over the garlic. Spoon half of the potato mixture in the dish, followed by the cod and top with the remaining potato mixture. Dot with remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter and bake at 350 F until golden, about 45 min.
- Serve hot with a salad.
Delicious and nutritious!
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