Curing & Smoking the Cod:

Dissolve 75g sea salt & 25g light brown sugar in 500ml boiling water and allow to cool completely.

Immerse the 850g cod loin in the brine in a snug container and leave for 1 hour.

Rinse and dry completely on kitchen paper.

Set up the Bradley Smoker with the cold smoke attachment and stack filled with Maple Bisquettes, place the cod on a wire rack in the centre of the cabinet, then set to smoke for 2 hours.

Remove from the cabinet, cut into individual portions - 4 generous ones - wrap them tightly in cling film and store in the fridge until required.

I used 2 portions for this recipe and froze 2 immediately for another day, another dinner... 

Smoked and Crumbed Cod with Ratatouille

To further the smokey flavours I also used La Chinata smoked paprika (hot) to liven up the crumb coating.

Remove crusts from a chunk of dry bread (I used my own, half brown, seeded loaf but use whatever you have to hand) and coarsely crumb it in a food processor so that you have about 80g breadcrumbs to which you mix in a teaspoon of smoked paprika, a little salt, and a tablespoon of olive oil.

Mix so that the crumbs ate thoroughly coated with oil.

Set aside.

Heat the oven to 220°C.

Prepare the ratatouille vegetables. Take half a butternut squash and halve it again, peel then slice into 5mm slices.

Fry in a little olive oil in a large sauté pan until golden and tender, remove and set aside.

Top, tail, halve and slice a small courgette; trim, halve and remove seeds from a red ramiro pepper and thinly slice; dice 3 ripe tomatoes; cut half an aubergine into 1cm dice; peel and grate a clove of garlic.

Add all these vegetables to the pan you've cooked the squash in and fry off in a little more olive oil together with a pinch of chilli flakes, salt and pepper.

After around 15-20 minutes when the vegetables are tender, return to squash to the pan and leave over lowest heat. Butter a baking sheet and place the smoked cod portions on it before packing and pressing the crumbs over the fish.

Bake in the hot oven for 12-15 minutes until the crumbs are golden brown and the smoked cod will be perfectly cooked within.

Serve immediately with ratatouille and a squeeze of lemon juice over all.