Fiskibollur

Fiskibollur are the everyday Icelandic fish dish — fish balls made from minced cod or haddock, the cheap and abundant fish of the North Atlantic. Iceland's diet was historically fish-and-lamb; when fresh cod was too plain, mincing it with milk and flour made it go further and appeal to children. Fiskibollur are sold canned (the famous 'Fiskibollur in dós') in every Icelandic supermarket — a quick dinner for generations of families. The homemade version, fried fresh, is far better. They are the equivalent of Swedish fiskbullar but distinctly Icelandic in the cream sauce and the bread-and-peas accompaniment.

A plate of golden fish balls, crisp outside, soft and fluffy inside, in a creamy white sauce with boiled potatoes and bright-green peas. The fish is sweet and fresh; the sauce is milky and comforting; the whole is the warmest, most ordinary, most beloved weeknight dinner in Iceland.

The fish mince must be mixed cold (overworking warms it and makes the balls tough); the milk and flour bind it and keep it soft. The balls can be pan-fried (crisp outside) or poached in salted water (softer). The white sauce is a basic béchamel, the standard Icelandic accompaniment for fish. Potatoes and peas are non-negotiable — this is the plate every Icelander grew up on.