Classic Cod Au Gratin

With some Newfoundland cod fish that made it's way into my presents at Christmas (thankfully frozen) I've been trying to savor every last piece of it. And this is one of my favorite ways to eat cod! Scrumptious.

Classic Cod Au Gratin
Adapted from downhomelife.com


Ingredients:

1 lb cod fillets
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup of old white cheddar cheese, grated
dash of paprika




Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a large pot of salted water, place cod and boil rapidly for 20 minutes. Drain the fish and cut into small pieces discarding any bones. Place fish in a greased baking dish.

3. To make a white sauce, in a medium sized saucepan, melt butter and stir in onion and flour until smooth. Remove from heat and gradually stir in half of the milk. Return to heat and continue to stir until smooth and shiny. Add remaining milk, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until sauce is smooth and thickened.

4. Pour sauce over fish. Sprinkle grated cheese over the top and dash some paprika over the top.

5. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes until the sauce bubbles and the cheese begins to brown. Serve in a bowl and a fresh homemade bun, slice of bread, or toutons if you're lucky!

Cheese & Spice Potatoes

These are a classic side that goes pretty much with anything. In the meal I prepared in the photos, I cooked some maple glazed salmon with snow peas. It takes minutes to prepare and limited baking time - I find that russet baby potatoes work best.

Cheese & Spice Potatoes
Taken from my Dad's kitchen.

Ingredients:

Russet baby potatoes (I usually fill the cookie sheet for a serving of 3-4 people for a side dish)
1 1/2 cup old white cheddar cheese (2-5 year old)
3-4 TBSP olive oil
2-3 TBSP Montreal steak spice

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 and line the cookie sheet with foil.

2. Slice the potatoes in thin pieces and place in a medium sized bowl. Pour 3-4 TBSP of olive oil in the bowl and mix with hands until completely coated.

3. Arrange potato slices on cookie sheet so that there are none overlapping and they are evenly distributed.

4. Generously sprinkle Montreal steak spice over the top. Eyeballing it, it's approximately 2-3TBSP.

5. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes.

6. While potatoes are baking, grate cheese and set aside.

7. Remove potatoes from oven and cover with cheese. Return to oven and bake for 5 more minutes.

It's that simple! Some favorite dishes that I've also had these potatoes with include BBQ steak or chicken, fish, lamb, and roast beef. Enjoy!