Cod with Mustard Sauce

Cod must be one of most popular fish in Denmark. Nutritionists recommend eating fish at least once week. With the immense variety of fish available at fish markets and supermarkets, this should be quite easy. However, because fresh seafood is quite perishable, its regional availability is often limited. If you cannot find the specific type of fish that a recipe calls for, substitute with a species that is similar in taste and texture.

Cod with Mustard Sauce

Serves 4

4 cod steaks or 3 lbs./1400 g fillet

water

1 tbsp. salt

4-5 whole peppercorns

2 bay leaves,

Fish Mustard Sauce 

1 oz. (30 g) butter

1 tbsp. flour

1½ cups (l2 fl.oz.) fish stock (water from cooking the fish)

Milk or cream

1 tbsp. fish mustard

salt and freshly ground pepper

Accompaniments: fish mustard sauce, chopped hard-boiled eggs, bacon, pickled beets and boiled potatoes.

Garnish: chopped parsley

To make fish, rinse fish under cold running water. Place in a pan large enough to accommodate the fish. Add enough water just to cover fish. Add salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Bring fish slowly to boil. Skim, and simmer fish gently for 2 minutes, and turn off the heat. Let the cod stand in the water 10-15 minutes. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and place on a warm dish.

To make fish mustard sauce, melt butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and add about 1½ cups fish stock. Add a little milk or cream, fish mustard and let the sauce simmer 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To make accompaniments, fry bacon crisp on a warm skillet and transfer to paper towels. Peel eggs and chop. Dice beets. Boil potatoes.

To serve, place cod on four warm plates. Crumble bacon and sprinkle over cod. Sprinkle egg and beets over cod. Serve with boiled new Potatoes sprinkled with parsley. Serve fish sauce in a separate bowl.