Non-VegetarianScottish cuisine Main Course

Shetland Salt Fish and Tatties

Name: Shetland Salt Fish and Tatties
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 600 g dried salt cod or ling fillets; 800 g tatties; 500 ml Whole milk; 40 g Butter; 30 g Plain flour; 1 piece Bay leaf; 1 piece small brown onion; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley; 0.5 tsp ground white pepper

Tender poached salt fish served with steaming boiled tatties and coated in a silky, fresh parsley milk sauce, celebrating Shetland's coastal heritage.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· Orkney and Shetland

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 55 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 460 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

600 g dried salt cod or ling fillets — boneless, soaked for 24 hours in cold water
800 g tatties — floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward, scrubbed
500 ml Whole milk — divided use
40 g Butter — salted
30 g Plain flour
1 piece Bay leaf — fresh or dried
1 piece small brown onion — peeled and halved
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
½ tsp ground white pepper — to taste

Equipment

•large saucepan
•wide frying pan
•small saucepan
•whisk
•colander

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 460 kcal
fat: 11 g
carbs: 48 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 42 g
calories: 460 kcal

Instructions

1
Drain the soaked salt fish thoroughly and rinse well under cold running water.
2
Place the unpeeled tatties (potatoes) in a large saucepan and cover with cold water.
3
Bring the tatties to the boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 20 minutes until tender.
4
Drain the cooked tatties and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm.
5
Arrange the salt fish, halved onion, and bay leaf in a wide frying pan.
6
Pour in 300 ml of milk and enough cold water to just submerge the fish.
7
Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat and poach for 10 minutes until the fish flakes easily.
8
Transfer the poached fish to a warm plate and strain the poaching liquid, reserving 200 ml.
9
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the plain flour for 1 minute.
10
Gradually whisk in the remaining 200 ml of fresh milk and the reserved poaching liquid until smooth.
11
Simmer the sauce for 3 minutes until thickened, then stir in the chopped parsley and white pepper.
12
Divide the fish and hot tatties between plates and ladle the warm parsley sauce generously over top.

Chef's tips

Always change the soaking water at least three or four times over 24 hours to draw out excess salt. Do not add any table salt to the cooking water or sauce, as the preserved fish retains plenty of natural seasoning.

Ingredient substitutions

dried salt cod or ling fillets → fresh thick cod fillets (skip soaking and reduce poaching time to 7 minutes)
plain flour and milk sauce → melted salted butter with chopped hard-boiled eggs for a traditional Shetland egg butter dressing

Storage

Keep leftover fish, sauce, and potatoes in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Warm gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of milk until piping hot throughout.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Skipping the 24-hour water-soaking period, which leaves the cured fish unpalatably salty and tough.
•Boiling the fish vigorously rather than poaching gently, which causes the delicate flakes to break apart and dry out.

Serving suggestions

Serve alongside steaming boiled neeps (swede) or buttered greens.Accompany with a pot of strong black Scottish tea and extra melted butter at the table.