EquipmentSnug sauté pan, small saucepan, fish slice, fine sieve and lightly buttered metal baking tray. A saucepan and frying pan for the sides.
Ingredients
- Fish and poaching milk
- Rarebit topping
- To serve
0 of 15 ready
Method
- Put the new potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until tender. Lightly butter a metal baking tray.
- Heat the milk in the snug sauté pan until steaming with occasional small bubbles. Lower in the haddock, ensuring the milk just covers it. Poach very gently for about 5–8 minutes, depending on thickness, until just opaque and beginning to flake. Do not let the milk boil hard.
- Lift the haddock out carefully with a fish slice, allowing excess milk to drain away, and transfer to the buttered tray. Strain and measure 75ml of the poaching milk for the rarebit. Heat the grill to high.
- Melt the 15g butter in the small saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook gently for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the beer and the measured poaching milk. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir for 2–3 minutes until thick and smooth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce until melted. Let cool for a few minutes, then beat in the egg yolk and a little black pepper. The topping should be thick enough to sit on the fish; let it cool a little further if necessary. No added salt should be needed.
- Spread the rarebit evenly over the haddock. Grill for about 3–5 minutes until bubbling and browned, keeping the tray far enough from the element to heat the topping without scorching. The fish should be hot throughout and flake easily. Timings depend on the fillet thickness and the strength of the grill.
- While the fish grills, melt the remaining 20g butter in a large frying pan. Add the spinach in batches and turn until wilted, allowing excess moisture to evaporate. Drain the potatoes. Serve the haddock straight away with the spinach, potatoes and lemon wedges.
Top tip
Use a mellow amber ale or ordinary bitter rather than a strongly hopped IPA. Keep the rarebit thick and spreadable; do not pour the rest of the poaching milk into it. The smoked fish and cheese already provide plenty of salt.
Allergens
Contains fish, milk, egg, mustard, wheat and barley (gluten). Check the beer, mustard and Worcestershire sauce labels for additional allergens.
Leftovers
Best served freshly grilled. Cool any leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Eat within 48 hours and reheat only once, until steaming hot throughout.
