Cod à la Crème is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of cooked cod mixed with butter, shallots and parsley that's finished in a cream sauce with lemon juice. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Cod à la Crème.
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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
238. INGREDIENTS.—1 large slice of cod, 1 oz. of butter, 1 chopped shalot, a little minced parsley, 1/4 teacupful of white stock, 1/4 pint of milk or cream, flour to thicken, cayenne and lemon-juice to taste, 1/4 teaspoonful of powdered sugar.
Mode.—Boil the cod, and while hot, break it into flakes; put the butter, shalot, parsley, and stock into a stewpan, and let them boil for 5 minutes. Stir in sufficient flour to thicken, and pour to it the milk or cream. Simmer for 10 minutes, add the cayenne and sugar, and, when liked, a little lemon-juice. Put the fish in the sauce to warm gradually, but do not let it boil. Serve in a dish garnished with croûtons.
Time.—Rather more than 1/2 hour. Average cost, with cream, 2s.
Seasonable from November to March.
Sufficient for 3 persons.
Note.—The remains of fish from the preceding day answer very well for this dish.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
1 large cod fillet
30g butter
1 shallot, chopped
2 tbsp parsley, minced
60ml white stock
150ml milk (or cream)
plain flour, to thicken
cayenne pepper, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
1/4 tsp powdered sugar
Method:
Bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil, add the cod and cook for about 12 minutes, or until done. Remove from the pan and flake whilst still hot.
Combine the butter, shallot, parsley and stock in a large pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes then stir in enough flour to thicken the sauce. Whisk in the milk or cream, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes before adding cayenne pepper and lemon juice, to taste. Add the fish to the sauce and allow to warm through gradually (but do not boil).
Turn into a decorative dish, garnish with fried croûtons and serve.
