How to make!

Hello Louis,

I’m so pleased to hear that you enjoyed making Delia’s Fisherman’s Pie.

For your discovered ingredients list perhaps you could try as follows…

Smoked Haddock and Broccoli Gratinée 

1 oz butter

1 oz plain flour (or sauce flour)

½ pint milk

¼ pint single cream

6 oz mature cheddar, grated

1 head of broccoli

4 oz sliced mushrooms

1 lb smoked haddock, skinned

2 oz fresh breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon sunflower or olive oil

pepper

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 200°C.

You will also need a shallow ovenproof baking dish with a base measurement of about 8 x 6 inches. Brush the inside with a little melted butter or oil.

Firstly, prepare the fish. Run your fingertips over the surface of the skinned fish and remove any stray bones with tweezers, then cut the fish into 4 even sized pieces.

Next cut the broccoli into smallish florets (you can peel and thickly slice the stalk too) if you like. Then cook the broccoli in a medium sized pan of boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Prepare a bowl of cold water. Then drain the cooked broccoli in a colander and quickly tip the broccoli into the cold water (this will prevent it from overcooking). When the broccoli feels cold you can drain it in the same colander and leave it in the colander over the empty bowl.

Then heat the oil in a frying pan, add the sliced mushrooms and let them cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes.

To make the sauce, put the milk in a saucepan, then simply add the flour, butter and some pepper and bring everything gradually up to simmering point over a medium heat, whisking continuously with a balloon whisk, until the sauce has thickened and becomes smooth and glossy. Then turn the heat down to its lowest possible setting and let the sauce cook very gently for 5 minutes to take the raw taste out of the flour, stirring from time to time. Then remover from the heat and stir in 4 oz of the cheddar, followed by the cream the cream. Finally taste and check for seasoning (I might add a little salt!). 

To assemble, spread the mushrooms over the base of the oven dish then arrange the pieces of fish on top followed by the broccoli which can be tucked in around the fish.

Then pour the sauce over the top then mix the remaining cheese with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle all over the top. 

Bake on a highish shelf for about 30 - 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and top is golden brown.

Obviously I haven’t tested this recipe, but I hope this works well.

Perhaps let me know when you have tried it!

Best wishes and happy cooking!

Lindsey