Poaching the smoked cod in milk gives this dish a delightful creamy flavour.

What you need to know before you start

You will need a saucepan and a deep frypan as well as other basic cooking equipment like a slotted spoon, a knife, a strainer and paper towels. This recipe comes together in 40 minutes, including 10 minutes of prep time to thinly slice the potatoes and onion and chop the bacon. 

Why is this the best milk-poached smoked cod with bacon recipe?

This no-fuss recipe heroes tender and flavour smoked cod. It’s cooked in a fragrant poaching liquid of milk and fresh herbs, and is served alongside potato slices and crispy, salty bacon. Aside from boiling the potatoes and frying the bacon, the dish is cooked in the one pan to allow the aromas to infuse and intensify. 

On the table in well under 1 hour, this seafood dish is ideal for weeknights for the family, or when you’re looking to serve an easy dish that is still sure to impress. 

What is the best liquid to poach fish in?

For this recipe, we use a herb-spiked milk and cream mixture to poach the smoked cod. Other liquids like stock (including a chicken or fish stock), butter, coconut milk, soy sauce or even wine can be used for poaching. However, milk is naturally sweet, so it brings a perfect sweetness to a salty fish like smoked cod. It also makes for a beautiful creamy sauce.

What ingredients you’ll need 

Potatoes: Potatoes provide a hearty base to complement the creamy sauce.

Extra virgin olive oil: Bacon is cooked in olive oil to help achieve a crispy exterior. 

Bacon: Bacon brings a savoury, smoky depth that contrasts with the delicate flavour of the cod. 

Onion: Onion adds a sweet, aromatic foundation to complement both the cod and bacon.

Smoked cod: Smoked cod is the star ingredient of the dish. Its firm, flaky texture is enhanced by the milk mixture to create a rich and deeply savoury dish. 

Full-cream milk: Full-cream milk creates a rich, smooth base for poaching the cod.

Thickened cream: Thickened cream adds extra richness and a velvety texture to the poaching liquid.

Bay leaf: Bay leaves add a subtle, earthy herbal note to the milk liquid.

Thyme: Thyme contributes a fragrant, earthy, and slightly floral note.

How long does it take to poach smoked fish?

A 500g piece of smoked cod is poached on a medium-low heat for roughly 6-8 minutes. You can test the doneness of the fish by gently pressing it with a fork. You’ll know it’s ready when it flakes easily.

How to store leftover milk-poached smoked cod with bacon

Poached smoked cod is best enjoyed on the day it’s made, however, if you do have leftovers, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Consume within 2-3 days. 

What to serve with milk-poached smoked cod with bacon

This smoked cod is served with the milk liquid spooned over the top, along with the potato slices, crispy bacon bits and the strained thyme and bay leaf. It can be eaten as is, or you can pair it with fresh greens like broccolini and bok choy, and a few slices of fresh chillies. Feel free to arrange a few wedges of lime around your serving platter for brightness, too. 

Drink pairings for milk-poached smoked cod with bacon

Seafood and white wines make for a classic pairing. Choose light and crisp wines like a sauvignon blanc or a pinot grigio, a beer like a pilsner, or a sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon juice. 

If you love our milk-poached smoked cod with bacon recipe, try this 

Learn to use different cooking techniques to prepare your seafood with our top recipes:

• Spicy seafood laksa
• Baked salmon with honey mustard and parsley crust
• Matt Preston’s moules ‘boganaire’