Ingredients

• 300ml/10½fl oz full-fat milk
• ½ onion
• peeled
• finely sliced
• pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 4 whole white peppercorns
• 35g/1½oz butter
• 25g/1oz flour
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz new potatoes
• cooked until tender
• drained
• 200g/7oz celeriac
• peeled and cut into cubes
• cooked until tender
• drained
• 75g/3oz butter
• 1 tbsp double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/1¾oz flour
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 x 175g/6oz cod fillets
• 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 75g/3oz butter
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• plus extra lemon wedges
• to serve

Directions

• For the parsley sauce
• slowly bring the milk
• onion
• nutmeg
• bay leaf and white peppercorns to a simmer in a pan. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for 8-10 minutes.
• Meanwhile
• melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a heavy-based pan. Whisk in the flour to create a smooth paste (this is called a roux)
• then cook
• whisking continuously
• for one minute
• or until the paste has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat.
• Strain the milk mixture into the roux mixture
• then whisk well until completely incorporated.
• Return the pan to the heat and gradually bring the mixture to the boil
• whisking continuously
• until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon.
• Stir in the remaining 10g/½oz of butter until the sauce is glossy
• then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Meanwhile
• for the mash
• crush the cooked potatoes and celeriac cubes in a pan with the butter and cream until smooth and well combined. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm.
• For the cod
• sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the cod fillets in the seasoned flour until completely coated.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot
• add the coated cod fillets and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side
• or until crisp and golden-brown on both sides and cooked through. (NB: The cod is cooked through when the flesh is opaque.)
• When the cod is almost cooked through
• dot the cod fillets with the butter
• then squeeze over the lemon. When the butter has melted
• remove the pan from the heat.
• To serve
• spoon a portion of the mash into the centre of each of four serving plates. Place one fried cod fillet on top of each serving. Drizzle over the pan juices
• then pour over the parsley sauce. Garnish each plate with a lemon wedge.