This week is an odd one, Rosie and Luca are both away on holiday, leaving just Myself, Hubby and Olly at home, I miss them terribly but have to admit that the house staying clean and tidy, plus a nearly empty washing basket every day is a nice bonus! It also gives us an opportunity to eat things that they don’t like, Olly will try everything and also likes fish, so we have three fish dishes on the menu this week and I just had to share these smoked haddock toasties with you.
I suppose really they are a brunch and not a dinner, but sometimes you just want something healthy, quick and what I feel is a good comfort food and these smoked haddock toasties really hit the mark. We served ours with a huge side salad, didn’t even bother with a dressing, just added some balsamic vinegar over it and hey presto, a yummy and very filling meal in minutes.
This truly is delicious, the delicate smoked haddock flavour, combined with a slight hint of the Tabasco (obviously you can make it hotter if you like, but I didn’t want to overpower the fish) and the creamy cheese sauce, with the crunch of the hot buttered toast just delivers on all levels, I had a huge portion and really thought that I would be unable to eat it all, but it is one of those dishes that once you start eating it you know that you just do not want it to end.
As I have already mentioned, this is a very simple and extremely quick dish to prepare, the only thing that some may find a little tricky is making the roux and the white sauce, I am known as the roux queen in our house, but it really is not that difficult, its just a matter of taking your time, don’t panic and it will all come together in its own time. I always start my roux with a wooden spoon, making sure I keep moving the flour and butter paste around, ensuring that it does not burn, cook all the flour taste out and then very slowly add the milk, mixing in well with each addition, making sure that there are no lumps and then when the paste becomes runny I move on to the whisk, it really is that simple.
I can promise you one thing, if you like smoked haddock or if you are a fish pie fan, you will just love this dish.
Buon appetito
Note : It would make a fabulous starter if served in a smaller portion on a gorgeous slice of fancy bread.
Serves 4 to 6
450g smoked haddock
600ml milk
1 bay leaf
30g butter
30g plain flour
110g cheddar, freshly grated
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco sauce
Bunch of spring onions, finely sliced
8 to 12 slices of hot buttered toast (2 slices each, we used a fresh loaf and cut big fat doorstep slices)
Place the haddock, milk and bay leaf in a shallow pan and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and leave for 5 minutes. Lift the fish out of the milk, reserving the liquid, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Flake the flesh, discarding all of the skin and bone. Strain the milk.
Make a roux by cooking the butter (see tips above for the perfect roux) and flour together until bubbling. Add 300ml of the reserved milk and simmer, whisking until you have a smooth and thick white sauce, it takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the cheese and season to taste with pepper, and if needed a little salt. Add Tabasco to taste. Very gently fold in the fish and spring onions. This can be done ahead.
Just before serving, heat the grill. Spoon some of the haddock mixture on to bread that has already been toasted, then scatter over the remaining cheese. Grill until golden and bubbling. Halve the toast and serve at once. If using a lovely farmhouse loaf like we did, we didn’t halve ours, we just served it up as it was.
Recipe from ‘The English Summer Cookbook’.
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