Cod with mustard sauce

This is a simple recipe from Northumbria but it does liven up cod on its own.  The mustard sauce is a basic white sauce enhanced with mustard.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 40 Mins

Total Time: 55 Mins

Ingredients

For 4 servings…

680 gms          Cod  - fillets

3 tbs               Parsley  - chopped    

1                    Onion  - chopped finely          

40 cl               Water       

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

                     Salt          

For the mustard sauce

30 cl               Milk         

1                    Bay leaf     

1 blade            Mace        

1                    Shallot  - chopped    

30 gms            Butter       

30 gms            Flour        

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, white 

                     Salt          

3 tbs               Mustard  - Dijon      

1 squeeze         Lemon juice            

Method

Start preparing the mustard sauce by making a basic white sauce…

Place the milk, bay leaf, mace and shallot into a small saucepan and bring to the boil very gently.  Remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 20 minutes.  Strain the milk into a jug.

Melt the butter in a saucepan very slowly.  Take it off the heat as soon as the butter has melted and stir in the flour.  Stir to a smooth paste, then return the saucepan to a medium heat and add the milk a little at a time, making sure all the milk is incorporated before adding any more.  When all the milk has been incorporated, turn the heat very low and let the sauce cook for about 5 minutes.  Season to taste with the salt and pepper.

To finish the mustard sauce…

Whisk the mustard into the white sauce at the last moment with a generous squeeze of lemon juice.

To cook the fish…

Cut the cod into even-sized pieces and place in a large saucepan.  Add the parsley and onion and cover with water.  Season with salt and pepper and bring gently to a simmering point.  Cook the fish for 5 minutes.  Drain and put on a warm serving dish.

Serve immediately with mustard sauce.

Variations

Instead of using Dijon mustard, English mustard, wholegrain mustard or sweet mustard can be used.

Wine recommendations

A white wine.

Conventional

     Mâcon

Interesting

     Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur lie

     Riesling

     Vouvray