Cod Steaks with Mushroom Sauce

This is the kind of recipe your grandmother had tucked in a recipe box. Thick cod steaks under a blanket of creamy mushroom sauce, baked until the fish turns fork-tender and the sauce bubbles around the edges.

The sauce is a simple roux with sauteed onions and mushrooms, loosened with milk until it pours like velvet. A dusting of paprika on top adds color and a hint of smokiness.

Nothing fancy. Just honest, satisfying food that makes a cold evening feel a whole lot warmer.

Kitchen Tips

• Use thick-cut steaks. Three-quarter inch is the sweet spot. Thinner fillets can overcook and fall apart under the sauce.
• Stir the roux constantly. When you add milk to the butter-flour mixture, keep stirring to avoid lumps. A smooth sauce is worth the 2 minutes of effort.
• Don’t skip the paprika. It adds more than color. A good Hungarian paprika brings warmth and depth that ties everything together.