Creamy Fish Gratin
This changes the whole concept of fish pie from a hearty meal that needs an hour or two to prepare, to a light and creamy dish that takes less than half an hour. I got the idea from a Russian cookbook I worked on in which there were a couple of recipes that used smetana (similar to creme fraiche) to cover a whole fish before baking. The smetana sealed the fish in the same way as the Spanish use salt. So I used the same method to poach fish pieces topped with cheese and breadcrumbs, and it works perfectly. You don't need to precook the fish, you don't need to make a bechemal sauce and you don't need to boil and mash potatoes.
Ingredients
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300 g creme fraiche, don't use half fat - it will separate
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couple of handfuls grated mature Cheddar cheese
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couple of handfuls of fresh breadcrumbs
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couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan cheese
Cooking Instructions
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1
Butter an ovenproof dish and place the fish pieces at the bottom. Squeeze over a little lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
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2
Cover the fish completely with creme fraiche, smoothing over the top to make an airtight layer, only use as much creme fraiche as you need.
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3
Spread the grated Cheddar over the top in an even layer. Mix the breadcrumbs with the grated Parmesan and then add that to the top too. I didn't have quite enough breadcrumbs, you need a good layer so you have a nice crispy topping.
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4
Grind over some black pepper and some paprika too if you wish and then bake for about 20 minutes. The fish will cook quickly in a metal dish, you'll need a bit longer if you're using a ceramic or china dish. Serve with chips and peas!
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