Fish and Brewis (Newfoundland)
A very old traditional Newfoundland recipe made from hard tack and salt cod. It’s still an incredibly popular dish year-round as well as at the holidays like Easter, Good Friday and Christmas Eve. Made with salt cod and hard tack. This is the quintessential Newfoundland fish dish. Pronounced “brews” this dish dates back to the early years of fishing in Newfoundland when cod was salted to preserve it for trade. The hard tack bread as well was dried to both be reconstituted and turned into a substantial meal in the off season or even while on a long fishing trip to feed the fisherman at sea.
1 lb salted cod, boneless, soaked in cold water overnight
3 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
6 biscuits hard tack, soaked in water
3 small onions, sliced
1 cup salted pork fat, diced
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked
Garnish:
fresh parsley
lemon juice, freshly squeezed
In a large pot bring the peeled and sliced potatoes to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Drain excess water off the soaked hard tack and add to the potato pot to continue simmering for about 10 minutes.
In a separate small pot add the drained salt cod and top up with fresh water.
Bring the salt cod to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes.
In a third large skillet slowly render out the pork scrunchion fat until crispy and golden brown.
Drain off 75% off the fat and reserve for later to top the dish.
Sauté sliced onions with the crispy pork scrunchions until onions are a deep golden brown. About 15 minutes.
Drain both the potato and hard tack as well as the salt cod and stir into the crispy onion pan. Have a taste and adjust seasoning, keeping in mind the salt cod and scrunchions are both salty.
Transfer the whole mix into an oven safe dish. Top with extra pork fat drippings if desired and broil under your oven broiler setting for about 5-10 minutes or just until a nice golden crust is formed.
Top with fresh chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Makes 4.
Nutritional Information:
Calories 767 | Total Fat 26g | Saturated Fat 8g | Trans Fat 0g | Unsaturated Fat 16g | Cholesterol 78mg | Sodium 2385mg | Carbohydrates 94g | Fiber 8g | Sugar 7g | Protein 40g