Haddock Mornay Food

CREAMY HADDOCK GRATINS

Steps:

• Place 4-6 small, shallow flameproof dishes on a baking tray.
• For the gratin topping, mix the breadcrumbs, gruyere and parsley and set aside while you make the filling.
• For the filling, pour the milk into a large, deep frying pan and add the onion, bay leaf and lemon peel. Place the fish skin-side down in the pan and bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat. Baste the fish occasionally with the milk, and cook for 5-6 minutes. When cooked, the fish will be opaque and be starting to flake into pieces. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
• Drain the fish in a colander over a large jug, reserve the milk.
• Melt the butter in a large non-stick saucepan and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Remove from the heat and slowly add the reserved warm milk, stirring constantly. Return to the heat, bring the sauce to a simmer and continue to stir until it is smooth and thick. Stir in the wine or vermout, Gruyère, mustard and cream. Cook over a low heat for a further 2-3 minutes, while stirring. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Flake the fish into chunky pieces and discard the skin, onion, bay leaf and lemon peel. Add the fish to the pan with the sauce and heat very gently for a 2 minutes to warm it through.
• While the fish is warming, preheat the grill to hot and place the baking tray with the shallow dishes under the heat to warm for a few seconds. Carefully remove them from the heat and divide the hot fish mixture between the warm dishes. Sprinkle with the gratin topping and return to the grill for 3-5 minutes or until nicely browned and filling bubbling undeneath.

FISH MORNAY

Steps:

• Pat the fish dry after defrosting with kitchen paper and cut into bite sized pieces.
• Divide the fish between the dishes.
• Put the flour butter and milk in a saucepan over a medium heat.
• Whisk the mixture constantly to break up the flour and whisk it together with the butter as it melts.
• Turn the heat down and cook for a minute while whisking. The sauce should be glossy and thick. Turn off the heat.
• Grate the cheese and add 110g (4 oz), to the sauce. Whisk the cheese in to melt and season the sauce to taste.
• Divide the sauce evenly between the dishes.
• Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4 and cook for 20 minutes.
• Add the remaining cheese and place under a hot grill or broiler for a minute.
• Remove from the grill and leave for a few minutes before serving.

HADDOCK MORNAY

Steps:

• Bake at 350.
• Arrange fillets in a large shallow baking dish. Brush lightly with butter or margarine. Add salt and pepper.
• Place a buttered piece of brown paper or parchment paper over fish. Bake 35-40 minute or until done. Ten minute before fish is done, drain off liquid and remove paper. Fish should be just barely done with plenty of moisture still in the flesh. While fish is baking, prepare sauce.
• To make sauce: In heavy saucepan, heat butter, add onions and saute. Add flour, stirring constantly.
• Saute over low heat, stirring for 3-4 mi. to make a roux. Continue to stir, add milk or half and half and chicken base or bouillon cube. Stir until sauce thickens.
• Add salt and white pepper to taste. When sauce is of a medium to medium-thick consistency, remove from heat. Add cheeses and Worcestershire sauce and blend. Add sherry.
• Pour hot sauce over fish to cover. Top with Parmesan cheese and grated cheddar cheese mixed with a few bread crumbs, if desired.
• Bake in preheated 325 oven 20-30 minute or until sauce bubbles. Serve immediately. Makes 8-10 servings.
• If dish is prepared ahead and baked later, be sure that the center of the sauce is bubbling when reheated. This will take about 1 hour.

HADDOCK & SPINACH CHEESE MELT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pile the spinach into a large pan over a medium heat, turning it over and over until wilted. Remove from the heat and drain off the excess liquid.
• Mix spinach with the soft cheese, then place in the bottom of a small baking dish and sit haddock pieces on top. Lay sliced tomatoes on top of the fish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake for 15-20 mins (depending on thickness of the haddock), or until the fish flakes easily.

SMOKED HADDOCK GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Place the spinach in a large colander in a sink and carefully and slowly pour over a kettleful of hot water to wilt it. Cool again under the cold tap then squeeze out as much liquid from the spinach as possible. Butter a medium gratin dish. Roughly chop the spinach and scatter evenly over the base of the dish. Season the spinach lightly with salt and pepper and lay the haddock fillets, skinned side down on top. Nestle the tomatoes among the haddock fillets.
• Mix all the ingredients for the topping, except the breadcrumbs, in a small bowl and season with lots of pepper and a little salt. Dollop and spread the mixture over the fish and spinach. Scatter everything with the breadcrumbs and bake for 30 mins until bubbling and golden. If you like things really grilled finish for a few mins under a hot grill. Serve straight from the dish.