Cod à la Béchamel is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of cooked cod re-heated in a mix of bechamel sauce and butter that's topped with breadcrumbs and browned under the grill before serving. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Cod à la Béchamel.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
239. INGREDIENTS.—Any remains of cold cod, 4 tablespoonfuls of béchamel (see Sauces), 2 oz. butter; seasoning to taste of pepper and salt; fried bread, a few bread crumbs.
Mode.—Flake the cod carefully, leaving out all skin and bone; put the béchamel in a stewpan with the butter, and stir it over the fire till the latter is melted; add seasoning, put in the fish, and mix it well with the sauce. Make a border of fried bread round the dish, lay in the fish, sprinkle over with bread crumbs, and baste with butter. Brown either before the fire or with a salamander, and garnish with toasted bread cut in fanciful shapes.
Time.—1/2 hour.
Average cost, exclusive of the fish, 6d.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
200g cooked cod (from the remains of a cod meal), flaked
4 tbsp Béchamel sauce
60g butter
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
fried bread
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
Method:
Carefully flake the cod, removing any skin and bones. Combine the béchamel and butter in a pan and heat gently until all the butter has melted. Season to taste then gently stir in the fish, mixing thoroughly to incorporate with the sauce.
Form a border of fried bread strips around your serving dish then spoon in the fish and sauce mixture. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and baste the top with a little butter. Brown beneath a hot grill (broiler), decorate with toast cut into fancy shapes and serve.
