Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb. cod (or haddock or any other codfish)
- 1/4 lb. smoked haddock (Finnan Haddie) (TFD change here, original was just regular cod or haddock, but I like the smoky flavor)
- 1 lb. Russet Burbank or Kennebec potatoes
- 1 large white onion, finely chopped
- 11 oz. whole milk
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 oz. Icelandic butter, if you can find it – Smjor is my go-to brand, although Kerry Irish butter makes a good substitute
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tsp. mild yellow curry powder or to taste
- ***
- Béarnaise sauce:
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
- 3 tablespoons minced shallots
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
- ***
- Grated cheese to taste, TFD uses 50% Emmental and 50% cave-aged gruyere (about 1 cup total)
- Salt, white pepper and course black pepper to taste
- Wild arctic thyme for garnish
- Snipped Chives for garnish (optional)
- Rye Bread
- Butter
Instructions
- First, make the béarnaise sauce:
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir to coat. Stir in vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vinegar is evaporated, 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and continue cooking shallots, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer shallot reduction to a small bowl and let cool completely.
- Meanwhile, fill a blender with hot water to warm it; set aside. Melt remaining 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is foamy. Transfer butter to a measuring cup.
- Drain blender and dry well. Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in warm, dry blender. Purée mixture until smooth. Remove lid insert. With blender running, slowly pour in hot butter in a thin stream of droplets, discarding milk solids at bottom of measuring cup.
- Continue blending until a smooth, creamy sauce forms, 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce into a medium bowl. Stir in shallot reduction and tarragon and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.
- For the stew:
- Peel the potatoes, then boil with bay leaves until fully cooked. Drain, discard the bay leaves and let cool.
- Bring plenty of water to a boil in pot: Put the cod and smoked haddock in, put the lid on and leave the fish in the water for about 10 minutes.
- Skin, bone and break up the fish into flakes – if using fillets, just flake the fish.
- Slowly heat milk in a saucepan almost to a boiling point.
- Meanwhile melt the butter and sauté onion over medium heat until soft. Do not allow it to brown. Add curry powder and stir.
- Sprinkle flour over the butter and onion, stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add warmed milk, stir and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Add fish and stir to break up the flakes. Season with salt, pepper and curry powder.
- Cut boiled potatoes into small bite-size pieces and fold into the stew.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Put the almost ready Plokkfiskur into a baking pan or gratiné pan. Pour béarnaise sauce on top of the fish stew. Then, put grated cheeses on top of it. Bake in the oven until the cheese turns golden brown, 3-5 minutes.
- Served with dark sweet Icelandic rye bread and plenty of butter.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Category: Recipes
Nutrition
- Calories: 1060.4 kcal
- Sugar: 7.34 g
- Sodium: 1213.43 mg
- Fat: 83.54 g
- Saturated Fat: 50.81 g
- Trans Fat: 3.06 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.04 g
- Fiber: 4.63 g
- Protein: 43.77 g
- Cholesterol: 379.4 mg
