Ingredients
2 lb. baking potatoes (about 4)
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
2 lb. cod fillets
2 tsp. Cooking oil
4 cloves garlic
Preparation
Step 1Heat the oven to 450°F. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling until tender, about 15 minutes.Step 2Drain the potatoes and put them back into the saucepan along with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Mash the potatoes over very low heat, gradually incorporating the butter and cream.Step 3Rub the cod with the oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put the cod in a large roasting pan, sprinkle the fillets with the garlic, and then spread with the mashed potatoes. Roast until the fish is nearly done, 8 to 10 minutes for 3/4-inch-thick fillets.Step 4Heat the broiler. Broil the fish until the mashed potatoes have a golden brown crust, about 2 minutes.Step 5Fish Alternatives: Use other relatively thick, white-fleshed fillets in place of the cod. Good choices include grouper, haddock, orange roughy, red snapper and turbot.Step 6Wine Recommendation: This comforting dish will find its ideal wine soul mate in just about any chardonnay. Try a bottle from California or a more refined version-a Rully, Montagny, or Mâcon-Villages,for example-from southern Burgundy in France.
