I call this a fish spread, but you can also make it into a dip, although personally, and especially in winter, I don’t use it as a dip. It is best warm, over potatoes, sprinkled with some parmesan.

This white fish spread is not what American associate with smoked whitefish dip, a delicious fish dip made with whitefish from the great lakes ( I am told Lake Superior). Dictionaries are confusing, and whitefish is not generic “white fish”. 

Wether you are looking for a lake whitefish spread or not, if you are open to cod and to a different kind of spread, please keep reading! You may actually like this tasty dip or cream ! Just try it out !

A different type of fish 

French Inspired Recipe

This is a fish spread inspired from a French traditional recipe called “brandade”, originally made with salted Atlantic cod and heavy cream.  Although I do love the taste of that spread on bread sprinkled with cheese, the cream of the original recipe does not make it particularly easy to my stomach. So over the years, my mother and I worked on several alternate versions.

Simple, Fresh ingredients only

This cod cream does not contain sour cream. It is a simple, healthy recipe with only whole foods. No condiment such as Worcestershire sauce, sweet relish or hot sauce are used here. I personally find such condiments mask the real taste of fish. So I would use only a bland or mild fish to make a spread or a dip with these condiments.

This recipe makes for a light fish cream dressed in garlic and olive oil. It goes very well over young, small potatoes ( try it on fingerling it is astonishingly delicious! ), or spread as a thick lager on sourdough bread, sprinkled with Pecorino sheep cheese, or aged parmesan. I don’t typically like it as much as a dip, as most crackers like saltine crackers taste are too strong or too salty to match it.  As a dip, it works well with raw vegetables or olive oil dressed croutons .

Can I make this spread with a different fish?

You can make this fish spread with any white fish, really, that tend to have a similar “fishy” taste. But because of my experience of the traditional cod spread, I prefer it with cod. If find bland fish require more condiment for the fish to taste good. A fish spread with sardines tastes wonderful. Herring spread assumedly would also taste wonderful as a steamed fish spread, but I haven’t tested it yet.

Only 4 ingredients

Simple, healthy and Flavorful

In the French tradition, a few simple but good quality ingredients make for the best dishes. This one is no exception. Besides, this makes for a healthy recipe.

Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients I use.

• Preferably fresh cod ( generally I use a pound fish for 4 persons) , as it tastes better. But frozen cod works very well too! Make sure to fully thaw it before steaming.
• Yellow or sweet onions
• Fresh garlic
• Extra Virgin Olive oil 
• Of course (grey) sea salt and pepper ( which I don’t count as “ingredients”)
• Optional garnish: Grated hard sheep cheese ( Pecorino Romano) or parmesan or/ and green onion.

That’s the whole thing!

Equipment needed: 

• A Food processor like this one
• The Vitaliseur Steam cooker. Learn more about How Gentle Steam cooking is the healthiest cooking method 

Why steam the Cod?

Steaming fish is better for two reasons: First, it does not dry out the fish, at least if you don’t keep cooking time too long. Steaming heats under boiling point temperature and does not damage as many precious nutrients. It also detoxes your food from toxins by giving it a steam bath ( see article) 

Made in a few minutes

Provided  you anticipate thawing the fish, if applicable,  making the cream will take only a few minutes. 

• Step 1: Fill up the tank of your food steamer with one quart water and turn on the stove on high heat. Don’t fill with more water, as the toxins falling from cod into the tank tend to make the tank water bubble up!
• Step 2: Cut the onion in thin slices, then steam for 4 minutes and transfer to the food processor.
• Step 3: Steam the fish for 4 minutes. Remove the fish and place in the food processor.  Dress with olive oil and salt, add the fresh garlic. Optionally, sprinkle fresh dill on top.
• Step 4: Blend until creamy ( it can take 1 to 2 full minutes). Add oil and salt as needed.
• Step 5: Pour into a cute medium size mixing bowl, and serve along sliced small potatoes, or served on a slice of sourdough bread and sprinkle with pecorino cheese.

Enroll your favorite helper(s) to make it ! That’s the best way to make sure they will taste it, and may even love it! That’s how I get my kids to try things I’m not sure they would otherwise want to try.

Sides:

Steam the side ingredient to eat with your cod cream, such as fresh vegetables or/and potatoes.

– Steam fingerling potatoes for 4 minutes ( use a knife to test, if the tip of the knife goes into the potato easy, it is cooked enough!) or mini potatoes ( 1 cm / 1/2 inch slices of potatoes need approximately 5 to 6 minutes to steam). You finish the potatoes in the pan with olive oil and garlic for few minutes. Serve the cod cream over warm potatoes, serve with your favorite vegetables, like 4 minutes steamed broccoli, and sprinkle with cheese.

– If you decide to serve cod cream along with potatoes or with any type of other steamed vegetables, make sure to steam the side vegetables before the fish, or they may be dirtied by the fish leftovers – especially after steaming frozen cod!

Variations:

Cod cream with Thyme dressing: 

Because of a loved one with garlic allergies, we also created one version with organic dried thyme ( 1 tbsp), 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, a bit of lemon zest and no garlic. It is also delicious, in a different way. Eat along with the same side ingredients, such as steamed green vegetables or potatoes.

Diet Keto compatible

Steamed potatoes that remain firm have a lower glycemic index. The longer you cook your ingredients, the more their fiber break down, which raises their glycemic index. Make one of your diet keto recipes by steaming a few zucchini ( 4 minutes) cut in half lengthwise, instead of bread or potatoes. Spread the cream across each half a zucchini.

Fish dip : 

Simply use a half the amount of olive oil so it is thicker.

It’s enough to make it into a dip and eat it with croutons ! Simply used sliced baguette dressed with olive oil and salt roasted in the oven for 10 minutes. You can easily dip some vegetables like raw carrots or bell pepper. You can also use bagel chips. I would say it’s the best fish dip, but I’m biased!

Storage

Store for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. 

Next day

• Next day, if you gave any leftover, spread the fish on bread or dip in raw vegetable stick. It is particularly delicious with fermented carrots!

• How to warm it up: You can reheat for up to 5 minutes in a Pyrex type storage container in your Vitaliseur steam cooker! It is also very tasty at room temperature.

Recipe card

More healthy recipes with fish?

– Try my Mediterranean Rice and Tuna Salad

– Mediterranean Steamed Fish Medley

You can also steam chicken ! Try Pineapple Chicken over Basmati Rice or my favorite of the moment, Gentle Steam Cooking Guide to Healthy Coconut Mango Chicken. Very flavorful and easy to digest, you will LOVE it!

– and of course, learn how to steam fish from my article and video !