Haddock & Jarlsberg gratin

I went to Norway for the first time 18 years ago, way before the ‘new Nordic cuisine’ started to develop. The food was very simple then, and almost all of it was fish-based, made with either haddock, cod or salmon. There was also a lot of soured cream, too. I ate a version of this in an old manor houseturned-hotel near Flåm.

SERVES 6 PREP 30 mins

COOK 1 hr 15 mins MORE EFFORT G

15g butter, plus extra for the dish 1/2 tbsp sunflower, groundnut

or rapeseed oil

2 onions, finely sliced 600g haddock fillet or loin,

skin removed

800g potatoes

450ml double cream 150ml soured cream

160g Jarlsberg cheese, grated 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 with a baking sheet inside. Heat the butter and oil in a heavybottomed pan over a medium-low heat, and cook the onions until golden and soft, about 15-20 mins.

2 Cut the haddock into 2 x 4cm pieces. Cut the potatoes into wafer-thin slices using a mandoline or sharp knife – if the slices aren’t thin enough, the potatoes won’t become tender while the fish cooks. 3 Heat the double cream and soured cream in a saucepan large enough to hold all the potatoes. Bring to just under the boil, then add the potatoes and season well. Cook gently for about 10 mins until the potatoes are just slightly softened.

4 Butter a 2-litre pie dish. Spoon in a third of the potatoes, then scatter over half the onions and a quarter of the cheese. Lay half the fish pieces on top, then season. Sprinkle over another quarter of the cheese, then add another third of the potatoes, then the remaining onions and another quarter of cheese. Add the remaining fish on top, season, then scatter over the remaining potatoes. Pour over any leftover cream mixture, then sprinkle over the remaining cheese.

5 Carefully slide the dish onto the hot baking sheet in the oven and bake for 40-45 mins, or until golden and the potatoes are tender. If you want to freeze the gratin, leave to cool completely first, then cover tightly. Will keep in the freezer for up to two months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 20 mins.

GOOD TO KNOW calcium • gluten free

PER SERVING 736 kcals • fat 56g • saturates 34g • carbs 27g • sugars 6g • fibre 3g • protein 29g • salt 0.3g