Icelandic Cod Stew

Description
Icelandic cod stew



Ingredients
For 6 pers :


 * 36 oz cod fillets
 * 3 tbsp butter
 * 28 oz skinned and boiled potatoes
 * 1 medium sized Onion, finely chopped
 * 1-2 cloves garlic (optional), finely chopped
 * ½ qt milk
 * ½ qt water
 * sauce thickener
 * salt and freshly grounded white pepper
 * 2 cups Sauce Hollandaise (see below)
 * ca 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Sauce Hollandaise: (makes 6 fl oz)
 * 1 tbsp lemon juice
 * 1 tbsp water
 * 3 egg yolks salt and ground white pepper
 * 6 oz unsalted butter, diced small

Directions
Remove skin and bones from cod fillets. Bring water to boil, season with ½ tbsp salt, place fish in boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for another 5 minutes, then remove fish from water and keep warm. Save water. Melt the butter in a sauce pan and sweat the Onion and garlic in it. Add the milk and half of the fish stock. Bring to boil and thicken with the sauce thickener. Crumble the fish and dice the potatoes. Blend fish and potatoes and add to the sauce. Season to taste with a generous amount of freshly grounded white pepper. Place the stew in an ovenproof plate, cover with Sauce Hollandaise and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place under a very hot grill until golden and serve hot with a dark bread.

Directions for the sauce :

Put the lemon juice, water and the yolks in a pan or bowl over simmering - not boiling - water, season to taste and whisk. Add 1 cube butter at a time and whisk until absorbed. When all the butter has been used, remove from the heat and whisk for 2 more minutes. Return to the heat and whisk again for 2 minutes. Keep the sauce warm over barely simmering water.