Plokkfiskur

Plokkfiskur (Icelandic Cod and Potato Hash)

Plokkfiskur is a humble Icelandic comfort dish of flaked salt cod, potato and onion bound together with a simple béchamel, traditionally served with buttered rye bread and a wedge of cheese.

Prep

20 min

Cook

35 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) salt cod, lightly salted, air-dried bacalao style; substitute with fresh cod if unavailable
• •600 g (1½ lb) waxy potatoes, such as Yukon Gold or Charlotte
• •1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
• •30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
• •400 ml (1¾ cups) whole milk, warm
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) white pepper, freshly ground
• •1 pinch ground nutmeg, optional, traditional
• •1 tbsp fresh chives, finely snipped, optional
• •fine sea salt, to taste, go easy if using salt cod
• •8 slices dark Icelandic rye bread, rugbrauð; substitute with dense German or Scandinavian rye
• •30 g (2 tbsp) butter, for serving
• •4 slices aged hard cheese, such as Gouda or a mild Icelandic svieði-style cheese

Steps

1. 1 Place the salt cod in a bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 24 to 36 hours, changing the water 2 to 3 times, until the fish is desalted and pliable. (If using fresh cod, skip this step and poach gently instead.)
2. 2 Drain the soaked cod, place it in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the flesh flakes easily. Remove with a slotted spoon and flake finely, discarding skin and any bones. The fish should reach an internal temperature of 63 °C / 145 °F.
3. 3 While the cod cooks, peel the potatoes, cut into 2 cm / ¾ inch chunks and place in a saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until very tender. Drain well and return to the hot pan for a minute to dry off, then mash roughly with a fork.
4. 4 Melt the 30 g butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion and cook gently for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
5. 5 Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the warm milk and bring to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until you have a smooth, lightly thickened béchamel thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 to 5 minutes.
6. 6 Season the béchamel with white pepper, a tiny pinch of nutmeg and salt only if needed. Stir in the flaked cod and the mashed potato. Fold everything together gently over low heat until just heated through; do not boil or the fish will toughen. Taste and adjust seasoning.
7. 7 Stir in most of the chives, keeping a little back for garnish. Keep the plokkfiskur warm over very low heat while you prepare the bread.
8. 8 Toast the slices of dark rye bread lightly, then spread each with butter while still warm. Cut each slice into quarters or triangles.
9. 9 Spoon the hot plokkfiskur into shallow bowls, scatter over the remaining chives, and serve immediately with the buttered rye bread and slices of aged cheese on the side.