Smoked cod, potato & onion hotpot

Typical of the coastal city of Liepaja in Latvia, this smoked cod hotpot bears a striking similarity to the Scottish soup cullen skink (although its consistency is more like that of a pudding). Made with excellent local produce and cooked in traditional clay pots, it’s a must-try dish when visiting – but it’s also easy to recreate at home as a simple and satisfying winter warmer. As it’s shamelessly loaded with cream, it’s very rich but the portions here are small, so pair it with bread and salad to make it into a substantial dinner, or serve on its own for lunch.

SERVES 4

1 large onion, diced 4 potatoes, peeled and

cut into 2cm cubes 300g smoked cod fillet,

cut into 3-4cm pieces 2tbsp chopped dill, plus

whole sprigs, to serve ½tsp salt Pinch of white pepper 350ml single cream Sourdough or rye bread,

to serve (optional) Salad leaves, to serve

(optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/gas mark 6. Gently mix the diced onion, cubed potato, cod pieces, chopped dill, salt and pepper together in a large bowl, taking care not to mash the fish.

2 Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish, or divide it evenly between four soufflé dishes or small clay pots.

3 Pour the cream over the mixture, place a layer of foil in between the lid and the dish(es) to prevent loss of steam, then transfer to the oven and bake for 45min if in individual pots, or 50min if in one large pot.

4 Remove the foil and lid and bake for a further 20min, until the top has developed some colour and a crust. Remove from the oven, scatter over a few dill sprigs and serve with crusty sourdough or rye bread and salad, if desired.