If you want to impress a Newfoundlander, do it with simple goodness. This recipe is straight from Newfoundland!
This was a really nice, homey dish for a cold night. I'm not sure it would still be traditional au Gratin, but I think next time I'll layer some cheese between the fish and sauce, for more melty goodness and less of a bubbly skin on top (which is still delicious, lol). While this recipe doesn't have the complexity and layers of flavor that other, more gourmet-types do with scores of herbs, peppers, etc., I feel it's really unfair for people to mark down this recipe and claim it's tasteless because of that. If you want to go ahead and doll the recipe up that's fine, but it's unfair to the submitter to dock stars or whatnot because of that. Thank you for sharing :)
Read MoreThis recipe looked and smelled great, but my husband and I were less than thrilled with the taste. It seemed a bit bland. Maybe some extra spices would help.
Read MoreThis was a really nice, homey dish for a cold night. I'm not sure it would still be traditional au Gratin, but I think next time I'll layer some cheese between the fish and sauce, for more melty goodness and less of a bubbly skin on top (which is still delicious, lol). While this recipe doesn't have the complexity and layers of flavor that other, more gourmet-types do with scores of herbs, peppers, etc., I feel it's really unfair for people to mark down this recipe and claim it's tasteless because of that. If you want to go ahead and doll the recipe up that's fine, but it's unfair to the submitter to dock stars or whatnot because of that. Thank you for sharing :)
This dish is simply awesome. I adjusted the seaoning a little based upon other reviews. For seasoning I used 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. garlic, 1/4 tsp. dry mustard and 1/2 tsp. salt.
As a Newfoundlander, I have to say that this is definitely the best Cod Au Gratin recipe out there! My husband's grandmother makes a very similar dish, and the taste always reminds of home! A layer of buttered bread crumbs will provide a nice alternative or addition to the cheese. But this recipe is great without it. Thanks for sharing!
I took a few liberties with this recipe, but the end result was pretty good. I didn't boil the fish, but rather fried it in a pan to start. Since some of the other reviews said it was bland, I used olive oil and garlic to fry it, and added some allspice on the tops during the frying. Also, with the sauce, I added some cheese to give it a better taste, poured that over the fish, and used cheddar and a bit of swiss on the top, then put the whole thing in the broiler until the cheese browned. The results were pretty good, and I think I'd make it again.
I agree with the other reviews. I used the recipe as is...except I added about 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese. I layed the cheese alternatly with the fish. I also added some garlic powder and two tablesoons of dried parsley. My husband LOVED it. The kids (ages 2 & 3) also loved it.
Had this last night - everyone really liked it. I followed a reviewer's suggestion to fry the fish in olive oil and garlic before putting in the pan, which put a nice flavor in it and then I topped with small amount of mozzarello and cheddar cheeses. However, I think the next time I make it I'll try putting the garlic (and possible some cayenne) into the sauce and boil the fish as per recipe to cut down on calories. I also think this would be good if topped with buttered bread crumbs.
I really like this recipe - it is just the way my mother makes it as well (and I'm a Newfoundlandler so we know our Cod au Gratin). The only difference we have with our recipe is that we add bread crumbs to the top (this prevents the icky bubbly cheese crust and keeps the cheese gooey). I see that some people are calling this recipe "bland" but this is how it is traditionally done. Newfoundland food is mostly seasoned with salt and thats about it - not every region's food is hot and spicy!
A perfect recipe.I make it exactly as was given. Last night I added buttered bread crumbs, it gave it a little crunch. A wonderful comfort food. Thanks for sharing.
This recipe looked and smelled great, but my husband and I were less than thrilled with the taste. It seemed a bit bland. Maybe some extra spices would help.
My whole family really liked this dish. In fact, my daughter, who has literally never in her 6 years eaten any fish but fish sticks actually ate it and liked it! That says a lot!! My husband said that he'd like me to make it again. It was very easy to make. I used orange roughy and it worked fine.
This is a great recipe! I usually add a half teaspoon of prepared mustard to the white sauce to give it a bit of a kick. My mother used to make a variation of this and cut up hard-boiled egg through the dish. It is nice served with rice.
As others have stated, this is an excellent, easy recipe to embellish on. I cut it in half to feed 2 (using a smaller casserole, of course), and followed the instructions as they are, except for adding a few things along the way: I put about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into the boiling water, to cut any fishy aroma as it cooked. In addition to salt and pepper, I added a little bit of garlic powder, some dried, minced onion, and a dash of dry sherry to the cream sauce before I poured it over the fish. It came out very rich and tasty, and I served it with a little rice and asparagus. My husband, who is hard to please when it comes to fish, thought it was good enough to have again, so this is definitely going in my recipe box.
You don't need to cook the cod prior to placing in the dish. We cut the whole cod fillets into cubes and layer them in individual serving dishes. This gives the dish a meatier and moister feel in the mouth. I find the flaked recipes very dry. You can also replace half the amount of cheese with breadcrumbs and sprinkle the cheese and crumbs together on top of the fish and sauce.
I love the simplicity. This is what our authentic Newfoundland Cod au Gratin would taste like. The recipes you might find with other herbs and spices or vegetables (such as lemon zest, cinnamon, peppers etc) added are not the way Newfoundlanders would make this dish. Feel free to add different ingredients as you wish but the recipe posted is our original Newfoundland recipe. I love it.
Like some of the others, I found this recipe too bland. I called my mom in Newfoundland for her recipe, which has different amounts of the sauce ingredients: 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, 1 cup milk, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper. Double or triple depending on how much you're making/size of pan. Also don't let the sauce get too thick, and sprinkle cheese on each layer (not just top). It came out perfect. Just an alternative for anyone wishing to try another version!
Being a Newfoundlander myself, cod au gratin is a staple in my house, I do however usually put a tablespoon of summer savory in the sauce. Gives a mild flavour to the dish. Mary
This is definitely the genuine Newfoundland article, no question. Absolutely delicious. Sometimes I add a layer of finely chopped onion over the fish before adding the sauce, sometimes not. Depends on who's coming for supper. I'm very generous with the cheese layer. I baked mine in individual dishes, covered with tin foil. They're blazing hot coming out of the oven, so I'd recommend letting it sit for about 5 minutes before serving, just to cool it down a bit! Thanks for the great recipe!!
This was very good over rice. If I make it again, I will use whole milk rather than 1% - I think that made the dish a bit watery!
This was awesome!! I don't like to try new fishy recipes, but I am glad I tried this one. My hubby and I loved it. I used Whiting instead of Cod(it was all I had). I took the advice of another poster and added the different seasonings and I fried the fish in olive oil and minced garlic for extra flavor. I added italian bread crumbs on top for a nice finish! This is definitely a keeper.
My family enjoyed this meal. the only change I made was I used 1 pound of cod and 1 pound of special crab meat. Very nice flavor.
I made this for supper tonight, changed very little. I used same measurements only had skim milk and used real butter I only had grated sharp and regular cheddar 2 cups in bag. I made the white sauce then added the cheese to white sauce. After boiling fish and draining I layered it in baking dish added half of sauce over fish then added a layer of frozen broccoli then the rest of sauce. I then added the rest of the grated cheese on top and baked 45 minutes. It was delicious and I am not that fond of fish. Will make again good enough for company, served with long grain and wild rice.
Yes, you should spice it up a bit with some herbs or garlic. This is a good recipe for rainy days.
I absolutely loved it! I am a Newfoundlander and this is the first time I've made it or ate it. I don't know what took me so long to try it. I also fried my onions a little. Perfect recipe :)
this was wonderful everyone liked it I served it with rice I will be making this again
I made this recipe with the recommended addition of dried mustard, garlic powder, pepper and salt. It was awesome and my guests loved it. I think next time I will also add some finely chopped white onion.
Great recipe! I use this sometimes when I forget my own, hehe. I adjust the measurements to my own taste too. For example, I use soy milk sometimes or canned milk. Also, I sprinkle a lot of parsley on top and reduce the cheese. I use multigrain bread crumbs, never white. I use a lot of black pepper in the sauce too. This always tastes better the next day, I find. You can always add a dash of hot sauce to give it a kick too! mmmm, I love cod-au-gratin!
Ok, so I'm not a fish fan, it was SO greasy, and it tasted way too fishy for my liking (the fish was perfectly fresh). Not recommended. Sorry.
Very good. I made it as is the first time. The second time I mixed 1 cup of cooked instant rice with the fish for a less juicy consistancy and 1 tps cayenne to the flour mixture for a little kick. We loved it then! It will be a regular meal for us. Thank you for sharing!!
I really liked this. It was easy to make. I only made half a batch, after reading some of the other reviews, I added 1 tsp. Old Bay, 1/2 tsp. Tony's, and 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder in with the flour. I also layered the sauce and cheese. Definately will make again. Thank you.
This is a great recipe as it is. It impressed this Newfoundlander as she said it would!! If your fish tastes "too fishy" blame it on the freshness of your fish, not the recipe!
This dish doesn't sound all that delicious........but it is heavenly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No changes!!! Wonderful as is!
I followed some of the suggestions of other reviewers and changed a few things of my own. I used flounder fillets instead of cod. I sautéed the flounder in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil instead of boiling the fillets. I sautéed 2 cloves of minced garlic and two tablespoons of minced onion in the butter for the sauce. I also added about 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, 1 teaspoon dried parsley and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the sauce. I added 3/4 cup of the cheese to the sauce and used the rest for layering. I topped the casserole with some buttered bread crumbs. This was a big hit and I'll definitely make it again!
Really easy and tasty,,with more or less liquid,,could be a fish soup..My husband really like this and so easy..Thanx..
Loved it. It's an easy and quick recipe. Yes, it can be a little bland for those who like a lot of 'kick', but it's the type of recipe that allows for extra 'spices' to be added. It's definitely a good alternative to serving cod (apart from fish 'n' chips, i.e.!!) :O)
I had high hopes for this recipe, but it just tasted like mushy fish. Texture was terrible, tasted bland even with a tablespoon of garlic. Plus it's not very healthy. I wouldn't recommend it and won't make it again.
Fish as a comfort food? YES!!! I did take the advice of MERLIN3370 by adding 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. garlic, 1/4 tsp. dry mustard and 1/2 tsp. salt. This was very tasty and will make it again.
This was just what we were looking for, nice comfort food. I did add some spices (basil, parsley, garlic powder) to the sauce and chose not to boil the fish first. Simply put the sauce over the fish and baked it 30 minutes. Came out tender and delicious and filling. Will definitely make again.
I used Pollock (snow Cod)There was nothing at all wrong with this recipe.* I scaled it down to two in a 7 1/2" baking pan.(1/2 pound shredded = 2 oz. whole cheddar) and served it with broccoli & cheese sauce. EXCELLENT! * Except I extended the cooking time by ten minutes.
Warm, and hearty, and yummy! And most importantly my super picky husband loved it! I used haddock instead of cod, and added a bit of smoked paprika before baking. It turned out great. :)
In my opinion, this is definitely the perfect cod au gratin recipe. You can't skimp on the salt or it will be bland but I believe that cod has such a delicate flavour that it can be ruined by using too many seasonings. Don't break up the fish to much in the casserole dish or it will be mushy. Nice big flakes of cod are delicious! I also tuck some small chucks of cheese into the fish mixture before topping it with shredded cheese. The Cod must be very very fresh or it will taste fishy.
I've made a jazzed up version of this twice now and it's become one of our favorites. I saute sweet peppers and mushrooms, add some sherry/vermouth and use real cream in place of the milk and flour. Also add dry mustard, chives, parsley, sweet paprika and pepper. Melt the cheese into the cream to thicken and top with bread crumbs and more cheese. Serve over rice - so good!
Great recipe. The only change I made was I sauté some onion and added between the layers of cod.
My high school principal made cod au gratin for a cultural day one year and I loved it, so I just had to make it again. I found this recipe and decided to give it a shot. I've made it twice now, as is and tweaked. It's great as is or made using seasoning salt instead of salt, about a teaspoon of dried summer savoury or thyme in the sauce, and by putting a few tablespoons of dehydrated onion in the with the boiling cod. Even my fussy family liked it. Thanks Rose Small
Excellent base recipe. This was delicious! I broiled the fish with some garlic powder and old bay, then made the roux with 1 TBS less flour and added the following spices: dry mustard, Old Bay, Pepper, garlic powder, and a bit of poultry seasoning. I didn't layer - just flaked it up a bit in a shallow layer then added a layer of swiss and a bit of cheddar.
Pretty decent, lacks a bit of taste, but a good meal for white fish. This I'd make once in a while.
A few tweaks and this was outrageously delicious. I used butter rather than margarine. I added 1 tsp each of garlic powder, mustard powder and Old Bay Seasoning to the roux. I skipped the extra step of boiling the fish and just put it straight in the pan. I layered - fish chunks, then sauce, then cheese and then repeated once. I also used Nile Perch instead of cod - I think any thick fillet can work. This was a huge hit with the whole family.
I enjoyed this, but had to add quite a bit of salt...not sure if it's the recipe or just my palate. I served it over wild rice and it was pretty delish.
Yes, this is a real recipe from "The Rock". I've eaten it in homes and restaurants in NFLD - sometimes with the cheese mixed into the white sauce. It can be jazzed up with other herbs as other reviewers have suggested.
We really liked this recipe, even the kids. I normally hate any fish, but I keep trying it prepared in different ways. I read other reviews first, and combined several suggestions, such as sauteing the fish in butter and olive oil first, and adding a little garlic, dry mustard, and parsley to the sauce. I also left the fish whole, and just poured the sauce over it before baking. I served it over rice. Very good.
From one Newfoundlander to another, this is the best! I hadn't tasted cod au gratin since I was a child. I varied your recipe a little by sprinkling a little olive oil on the cod and microwaving it. I sauteed some garlic in the melted butter before adding flour, but I think I overdid the garlic. I'll use much less next time. I also added dry mustard, nutmeg, parsley and put some of the cheese in the sauce. Even my husband liked it, and he's not a Newfie!
This was great! I did change it a little by adding a little more cheese and a small diced onion.
This was good but not great. It just needed something and just cannot put my finger on it. Probably will not make again
Not usually an inventive cook, however this time I used what I had on hand (a white fish in freezer from someone's fishing trip) slightly thawed and put it in a small greased baking dish in the toaster-oven (convection kind) at 375 degrees F. In a heavy saucepan I melted butter, added chopped shallot, garlic, red and green pepper (bits of this and that from the vegetable drawer). After they were browned I added 2 TBS flour,and stirred until thickened. Then slowly added about a cup of 2% milk and a little half n half for flavor. Added a chunk of cheddar (~ 1/2 cup cubed). Stir until melted. Add S&P to taste. Poured this over the fish and topped with some seasoned stuffing mix and put back in oven at 400 for~ 15 minutes. Just enough time to cook instant brown rice. Served the fish over the rice with a salad on the side. My husband (83) praised it as worthy of serving in our local restaurant. High Praise indeed!
This is a solid everyday dinner for families with kids. I find it bland, but the kids and hubby love it. I often stir in a bag of frozen veggies (peas, corn, beans, etc) when poaching the fish and add it all to make a one dish dinner. Next time I will try a sharper cheddar or swiss and see if that helps perk it up a bit.
Absolutely wonderful! I used tilapia I had on hand and due to other reviews added 1 tsp parsley, 1 tsp garlic powder and layered the cheese with the rest and It was incredible. We loved it!
I loved this. It is a heavy dish. I would recommend eating with a salad or cooked veggies. Skip the starches with this. You just won't have the room for both. This recipe is definitely going to be a favorite. I dish add some parsley along with salt and pepper. That was my only, tiny, modification.
This was surprisingly very good and fairly easy to make. I changed it around a bit using the same ingredients. I left the fish in fairly big chunks so it wouldn't be mushy. I also made a cheese sauce instead of a white sauce and all cheese topping. I also didn't layer the fish and sauce. It did the layer of fish, a layer of broccoli, and then the cheese sauce sprinkled with paprika. I know it probably then really changes the idea of the original dish, but it was still delicious!
We absolutely loved this. My fish hating daughter did, too. Will make this one a lot. It was very easy to make. I might try a different fish/cheese combo next time.
It is a comfort recipe, and can be altered with herbs and any vegetable of choice. I do add some petit baby peas, a little finely chopped onion and a dash of garlic into the sauce. Whether you saute, microwave or boil the fish before hand, add a tsp of lemon juice and you will take care of the fishy smell if your fish has it. I always pre-cook the fish. If you don't it makes it very watery. Go ahead and try it, use some herbs your family loves. Serve with some rice or as mentioned in one review, boiled potatos.
This is a great recipe. I also do this with other white fish as well. Halibut is my favorite. I also add onions to my white sauce as well (I am an onion addict). Very yummy and my kids love it They are 6 and 9.
I sauted the cod in oil and after seasoning it with garlic salt. Then mixed the cod with one package of cooked hash brown potatoes and added 1 tablespoon of dried mustard to the white sauce. Then layered white sauce, potato cod mixture & sharp cheddar cheese. Baked for 20 minutes covered in foil and 20 minutes uncovered. This was the first time I ever cooked fish and I am glad it choose to follow these directions. AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME! I can't wait for leftovers!
I like some others added garlic and old bay and layered the cod, sauce and cheese. It was excellent. I will make this again.
YUM!!! As a fellow newfoundlander, I love and grew up on this recipe. I did not use salt cod, so I made sure to add lots of salt and pepper. Also, traditionally, this recipe is served with boiled potatoes , which is a wonderful with the extra cheese sauce on it.
Add some savory breadcrumbs to the top Really good , just love this recipe and the whole family as well
Good Recipe, my family loved it, even my four year old and my husband who does not like fish so much. I switched it up a bit, I didn't pre cook the fish, I cut it up into cubes, with salt pepper, basil, paprika, onion and garlic powders then I mixed it with the sauce, topped with fiesta blend cheese, toasted whole wheat bread crumbs and baked it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. It has been requested regularly.
This was great! My hubby and I chowed down on this, it was just what I was looking for. I did layer extra cheese in with the sause, because the more cheese, the better - of course! And I added some garlic powder to the sauce for more flavor. Yumma!
Yum! I substituted healthier butter for margarine and deleted salt. I added fresh ground nutmeg (maybe 1/8 tsp) to the white sauce. My picky husband even went back for thirds! My son, who is not a fish eater even gobbled it up!
This was soooo delicious and so easy to make. This is one of the best recipies ever. Definetely try.
Being from Newf, cod is a must in our diet. I have made this recipe several times but I have added a few items. I add bread crumbs to the top. To punch up the flavour a little I add some minced onion and 1 cup of shredded cheese to the white sauce while I am making it. It's our favorite cod recipe.
Simple and delicious, hubby raved about this and the kids couldn't get enough.
Great recipe!! I added a little more cheese and then topped it with fried onions! YUM!!
I'm giving this a 5 because I LOVE it. My family could take it or leave it. I was making it with the cheese but my husband isn't a cheese lover so now I make it with crushed Ritz on top. I love the leftovers too!
We thought this was great. Even my three year old scarfed it. Good in a comfort food kind of way. I read the other reviews and was about to take some advice and add mustard powder and garlic to the sauce, but at the last minute decided to use 1/2 tsp Old Bay (instead of salt and pepper or anything else); I was really happy with the result. Perfectly seasoned.
This cod au gratin is delicious!! I am from Newfoundland and this is true Newfoundland cod au gratin. I agree, it doesn't use a lot of spices or flavours but traditionally we don't. Some recipes I love to change/add spices but in this recipe I cooked it as is and it was wonderful! Love it! Definitely a keeper!
Another Newfoundlander here. I like my pieces to stay in the shape of fillets, and therefore don't boil the fish. Just put them in the casserole pan you are going to serve from, sprinkle them with some pepper, paprika and dried parsley and put it in your 350 degree oven for 10 minutes while you make the sauce. Saute onion and garlic in the butter before you add the flour to make the roux, and use skim milk, which still makes a rich tasting bechamel. Use twice the cheeze (sharp cheddar, half layered around the fish and the rest over the top with some breadcrumbs mixed in. Before the top layer of cheeze you can also add mushrooms, or some cooked spinach for color. You can use any white fish. I serve it over rice. Delish!
This was good and really easy to make. I omitted the salt, since there is so much in the cheese already, but added some Old Bay Seasoning, sprinkled on top, as others have suggested. Even my picky son, who hates all casseroles, liked this recipe pretty well!
Excellent! I added some garlic salt in place of regular salt, but great recipe for cod. Everyone loved it.
This recipe was just okay. I thought it was kind of bland and really fishy tasting. It just wasn't that impressive.
OMG! This was so good! I did not use the requested cheese. I used sharp cheddar and added chopped onions and peppers between the layers. I also added fresh herbs to the cod before putting it on my skillet for a minute or two.Even my eldest daughter liked it and she does not care for fish.
I never alter recipes the first try, and this one definately needs some work. First timers, spice it up, this is bland as is. Add cheese and some spices to the sauce. Fry the fish in butter and spices anything will help. Won't do this one again.
Made it for the first time last night and the family loved it. I used the suggestion on adding mustard to the sauce, otherwise didn't alter anything else. Served it with rice and crusty bread.
This is a very nice EASY recipe to do. I also took others advice and added a few more spices, and layered the cheese into the cod and sauce. I also added some sun-dried tomatoes. Everyone in my family loved it, and took seconds! I would advise serving it with rice, or garlic toast to sop up some of the sauce.
I will give this recipe five stars it was excellent! Had all the qualities of a good meal for a busy mom. Quick and easy to prepare, kid friendly, and it was essentially a two pan dish! Now it would have been a bit bland as given so I doctored it up some with season salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and dry mustard. I also skipped the boiling step by using pre-cooked and breaded fish filets from the store. I did not remove the breading because it's no different than bread crumbs! I also felt the cheese needed some play so I used mild cheddar, aged swiss and mozzarella and sprinkled it in between layers as well as on top. My three year old who has not cleaned her plate in eight mos had three helpings of this! My one year old (who eats everything) attacked it! My husband ate it happily and I loved it. A great easy main course. DELICIOUS!
My family really liked this. It's not fancy but a great dish for a weeknight meal and simple to prepare. Thanks!
I read past reviews and adjusted to my taste. I also prefer small flakes of fish versus big chunks. This recipe is easy to adjust: 1) After boiling the cod, saute fish in butter or olive oil. Add spices and or herbs according to taste. I added chives, parsley, salt, pepper, old bay w/garlic & herb, and fresh garlic. 2) When making the white sauce, I adjusted to taste with the same herbs and spices used to saute fish. If you like the taste if the fish and sauce, you will most likely enjoy the final outcome. 3) If you like onions, saute thinly sliced onions and layer with fish, sauce, cheese, and onion. 4) While baking, saute panko crumbs in butter or oil until golden brown. Top dish with crumbs in the last 5 minutes if bsking. 5) Enjoy with a side if brown rice and veggies.
This was delicious!! I couldn't find cod though, so I used tilapia, and I added little shrimp. I also ate it with rice. It was so creamy and cheesy, there is no doubt that I will be making this again!
This is a great recipe! The only changes I made were adding garlic and frozen peas to the sauce and increased my baking time by seven minutes than recommended (although I think that was because of my oven). My husband loved it as well and says he would love to have it again! Thanks so much!
Absolutely delicious! I get tired of fish the same old way and have given up and eaten it only in restaurants, but this recipe was very easy and very flavorful, its the new fish favorite at my household, my husband gave it a thumbs up as well. I did take the suggestion of others and used garlic, onion, cayenne pepper and parsley in the sauce and also sauted the fish first in garlic and butter. YUMMY!
