My grandmother, Martha Aletta “Allie”Hayward Maury, was a Bermudian lighthouse keeper’s daughter who married an American, then lived for most of the rest of her life on Long Island Sound in Connecticut.

Fortunately for Allie, the foodways in the two locales were very similar, so at least the transplanted bride didn’t have to learn to cook with a whole new set of ingredients.

Both Bermuda and coastal New England are influenced by their British roots and also by their proximity to the sea, and in both places, dried salt cod played a major culinary role for centuries. Salted codfish and potatoes, like my grandparents’ binational marriage, are natural partners, with the tangy saltiness of the fish being smoothed and tempered by the neutral starchiness of the potatoes.

The recipe below is a version of Allie’s salt codfish cakes – simple and straightforward, accompanied by the extra richness of smoky bacon – and there is no better supper. I confess that we all doused them with ketchup as children, but these days I prefer such side dishes as Piquant Swiss Chard and sliced ripe tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette.

Grandmother Maury’s Salt Codfish Cakes with Bacon

It’s an easy recipe, but you need to think ahead and start soaking the salt cod (it usually comes packed in cute little wooden boxes) a day ahead.

Makes 4 servings

12 ounces boneless salt cod

2 pounds russet or all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup finely chopped onion

1 egg

About ⅓ cup half-and-half or light cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 slices bacon

Flour or plain bread crumbs for dredging

Additional vegetable oil or butter if necessary for cooking

1 tablespoon minced parsley

Soak cod in cold water to cover for at least 12 hours or overnight, changing the water 2 or 3 times. Drain, place in a saucepan, add water to cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium-low heat until the fish is soft and flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain, pick through to remove any skin or bones, and shred into flakes.

Cook potatoes in salted water to cover until they are very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, and put through a ricer or mash with a potato masher or a large fork. Add flaked cod, butter, onion and the egg tos potatoes and beat with a wooden spoon, adding enough half-and-half to make a smooth but stiff mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Shape into 8 or 12 (½-inch-thick) cakes. (Cakes can be made several hours ahead and refrigerated.)

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels, leaving drippings in the pan.

Dredge cod cakes in flour or crumbs, shaking off the excess, and cook over medium to medium-high heat in the bacon drippings, supplemented with a tablespoon or 2 of additional oil or butter if necessary, until golden brown and heated through, about 4 minutes per side. (If you need to cook the cakes in 2 batches, keep the first batch warm in a low oven.) Serve cakes topped with the cooked bacon and sprinkled with parsley.

Piquant Swiss Chard

Capers and lemon juice add a fresh kick to this quickly made sauté. You can substitute kale or other greens for the chard.

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons drained capers

About 1 pound Swiss chard, largest tough stems removed, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large deep skillet, heat the oil. Add garlic and capers and sauté over medium heat, stirring, until garlic begins to brown, about 2 minutes. In batches, stir in the chard and cook until tender and wilted, 4 to 10 minutes, depending on size and degree of toughness. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Brooke Dojny is author or co-author of more than a dozen cookbooks, most recently “Chowderland: Hearty Soups & Stews with Sides and Salads to Match.” She lives on the Blue Hill peninsula, and can be contacted via Facebook at:

facebook.com/brookedojny