Finnan Haddie

This is not a true Finnan Haddie recipe since it is usually made with smoked haddock. 

This is my version using cod.

Finnan Haddie is essentially a butter and milk bath for fish and potatoes.

Smoked haddock has a distinctive taste.  And I didn't realize until I started cooking with it again - cod has a very unique taste too.

This turned out rich and creamy and incredibly comforting. The cod remained nice and firm and the Yukon gold potatoes added a nice extra buttery taste.

This dish is pretty much a hug in a bowl.


Finnan Haddie with cod

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb of cod 

1 Tbsp. of butter


1 1/2 Tbsp. of flour

2 - 3 cups of whole milk


2 Bay leaves

a pinch of salt

black pepper to taste

1 large shallot, chopped fine

2 large Yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 1" pieces


Directions:


Put a saute pan on medium low heat. Add in the butter. When the butter is melted, add in the chopped shallot and the bay leaves and let simmer until the shallot starts to become translucent. 

Sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously for about 5 minutes. At this point, tear the cod into 2" chunks and add to the pan along with the potatoes.


Pour in the milk and allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil. As soon as the milk starts to bubble, turn down the heat to low and simmer until the liquid starts to thicken - this should take about 10 - 15 minutes. Continue to simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.


Enjoy!

Bacalao emapanadas

Just like the rest of you, I was getting tired of tofu.

Don't get me wrong, the recipes turned out great but I just wanted something different tonight.


And, nope, I didn't forget the salted cod soaking in the fridge.

Enter tonight's dinner:

Bacalao empanadas.

It started with the dough which you can find the recipe for here. Thanks Jenna!

The pizza dough after rising for one hour.

I put half the dough in the freezer and had fun with the rest.

In a fry pan, I put some garlic and onion with olive oil on medium heat.

Then I added in some canned chopped tomatoes with a bay leaf and some black pepper.

After that hung out for a bit I pulled out a piece of the cod from the fridge, shook off the excess water, tore it into chunks and added into the pan.

I let it simmer until the tomatoes released most of their liquid and the sauce started to get a bit dry. Remember to pull out the bay leaf before you use it to fill the dough.

Then I rolled out the dough and spooned in the Bacalao.

Then I used a fork to seal up the edges.

Then I whisked one egg.

I brushed the egg wash over all.

One of the empanadas was prettier than the other...

They went into a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.


How did the empanadas turn out? 

Incredibly delicious!! But I love cod - you could put cod in anything and I would be happy.


But this dish turned out savory and just a bit spicy (yeah, I was very generous with the black pepper) and the dough was mouthwatering.


I give this dish 5 thumbs up.


But what am I going to do with these?

Pizza dough disk.

It may make an appearance at breakfast tomorrow - who knows.