Rick Stein's : Cod (white fish) Gratin Recipe

 

Rick Stein is one of my favourite TV chef's and this recipe featured in an episode of Rick Stein's Long Weekends, in which he visits Reykjavik, Iceland. He shares an easy gratin recipe which you can make with 'any white fish'.  The core recipe calls for just eight ingredients and is very versatile, as Rick notes:- "You can use any white fish in this gratin recipe, and you can flex your chef muscles over the béarnaise sauce." (there's some whisking to do!).

Cod gratin recipe

Ingredients

Serves Four
Two leeks, sliced
Two carrots, sliced
One onion, chopped
40g/1½oz butter, plus extra for greasing
600g/1lb 5oz cod loin, skinned and cut into 3cm/1in chunks
Two tbsp plain flour
50ml/2fl oz dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the béarnaise sauce
70ml/2½fl oz white wine vinegar
Two shallots, finely chopped
Two sprigs of fresh tarragon, plus one tsp freshly chopped
One bay leaf
Six peppercorns
Four free-range egg yolks
300g/10½oz unsalted butter

Method

In a large saucepan, add butter, leeks, and carrots. Gently fry until softened and starting to caramelise.

Add the cod and flour and stir over the heat for a couple of minutes before stirring in the wine. Allow the contents of the pan to cook until thickened.

Add salt and pepper to taste, then make a start on the béarnaise sauce. Gently heat the vinegar in a saucepan then add the shallots, tarragon sprigs, bay leaf and peppercorns.

Heat gently over medium heat until the volume of liquid has reduced by at least half, then strain the liquid and set aside until cooled.

Turn the oven on to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and butter a shallow ovenproof dish ready for the gratin.

Crack the egg yolks into a bowl and add a teaspoon of water to loosen. Pour the mixture into the strained, cooled vinegar, stirring as you go. Pour this liquid into a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

Continue to whisk the mixture constantly until the sauce has increased in volume and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Melt the unsalted butter in a new saucepan on the hob. Next, remove the bowl of egg yolk and vinegar mixture from the heat and slowly pour in the melted butter in a steady stream, whisking continuously.

Keep whisking until the mixture has thickened and is smooth. Fold in the chopped tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the cod and vegetable mixture into the ovenproof dish, then pour over the béarnaise sauce and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Above seen here

You may like this chicken recipe also from Rick Stein
Stuffed Chicken Legs with Mushrooms and Cheese here

You will find a variety of recipe ideas within this blog, and it is important to note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic (more about this here) and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use a reliable meter. If you have any concerns about your health it is always advisable to consult your Doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan