Smoky fish bake
Ingredients
- 750g potatoes, cooked and peeled
- 200g skinless and boneless smoked haddock fillet
- a handful of chopped parsley
- a handful of grated mature cheese, such as Gruyère, Comté or mature cheddar
For the béchamel sauce:
- 25g butter
- 25g plain flour
- 500ml lukewarm milk, plus extra to thin the sauce if needed
- ¼ onion, skin removed
- 1 clove
- 1 bay leaf
- a pinch of ground nutmeg
Step by step
Assemble to the end of step 5 up to 2 hrs ahead; chill.
Start by making the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and beat hard until you have a smooth paste. Take off the heat and leave to cool for 2 minutes, then gradually add
the milk, whisking constantly.Return the pan to a medium heat; add the onion, clove and bay leaf
and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a little more milk.Finish the sauce by removing the onion, clove and bay leaf, then add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper – I like to use white pepper. Leave to cool slightly.
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Tip
This serves four if you’re cooking the whole menu, but if serving this on its own, double the recipe and cook in a larger baking dish. Serve with a leafy green salad.
Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Slice the potatoes into ½cm-thick rounds. Cut the haddock into small chunks and add to the béchamel sauce with most of the parsley. Mix together, then add the potatoes.
Transfer to a baking dish, about 18cm x 22cm; top with the grated cheese. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until bubbling. Sprinkle with the reserved chopped parsley before serving.
Provide plenty of crusty bread for your guests to dip into the cheesy sauce
