Plokkfiskur

Instructions

1. 1 Place the fish fillets in a wide saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Poach the fish for eight to ten minutes until it turns opaque and flakes easily when pressed with a fork.
2. 2 While the fish poaches, boil the quartered potatoes in a separate pot of salted water for fifteen to eighteen minutes until they are completely tender when pierced with a knife, then drain thoroughly and return to the pot.
3. 3 Remove the poached fish from the water with a slotted spoon, let it cool slightly, then flake it into large pieces with a fork, carefully feeling for and discarding any small bones or skin that may remain.
4. 4 Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the diced onion, and cook for five minutes until softened and translucent. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for two minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
5. 5 Gradually pour in the milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming, then continue cooking and stirring for five minutes until the bechamel sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon smoothly.
6. 6 Add the flaked fish and drained potatoes to the bechamel sauce, then mash everything together with a fork or potato masher to your preferred texture, which can range from chunky to nearly smooth depending on family tradition.
7. 7 Season generously with black pepper, white pepper, and salt, remembering that Icelandic tradition calls for a particularly generous hand with the pepper. The dish should taste comforting, creamy, and warmly peppery.
8. 8 Serve the plokkfiskur hot in shallow bowls alongside thick slices of dark Icelandic rye bread spread with plenty of cold butter, which provides the essential contrast of sweet, dense bread against the savoury, creamy fish.