Creamy smoked haddock & celeriac gratin
An unsung hero, knobbly celeriac might be tricky to peel, but its gentle celery flavour is worth the effort.
SERVES 6 PREP 30min COOK about 1½hr
• 2tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
• 300g skinless smoked haddock fillets
• 250ml milk
• 450ml double cream
• 300g celeriac (peeled weight)
• 700g potatoes, peeled
• Butter, to grease
• 100g ciabatta, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 50g Gruyère, grated
1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Heat 1tbsp oil in a medium pan and gently cook onion, stirring occasionally, for 10min, until softened. Add garlic and thyme, fry for 1min, then set pan aside, off the heat.
2 Meanwhile, put haddock into a medium frying pan in a single layer and pour over milk. Bring gently to boil, then set pan aside for a few min to let fish cook through off the heat.
3 Lift out the fish with a slotted spoon on to a plate and flake into large pieces. Strain milk into a jug and add cream; check seasoning as haddock may have already made it salty enough. Set aside.
4 Finely slice celeriac and potatoes (a mandolin is best for this). Butter a 3 litre ovenproof serving dish. Put a layer of celeriac and potatoes in bottom of dish, top with a scant layer of onions and flaked fish and repeat layering until all veg and fish are used up. Pour over milk mixture. Cover dish with foil and cook in oven for 45min.
5 Mix ciabatta pieces with remaining oil and some seasoning. Uncover gratin and scatter over bread and grated cheese. Return to oven for 30-35min, until golden and vegetables are tender and can easily be pierced with a knife. Serve with a crisp green salad, if you like.
PER SERVING: CALS 673; FAT 49G; SAT FAT 28G; CARBS 36G