Haddock Gratin

We love fish here at Lancashire Food and like to experiment with different ways of cooking it. I currently have a great store of fish in my freezer (from Delish Fish) so we love to come up with new easy ways of cooking it.

 

This dish requires no great skill and is a great standby recipe made with store cupboard ingredients which is suitable for all the family, ideal if you need a quick supper dish, what's all important is the quality and freshness of the fish. Your supplier or fishmonger should be able to skin and de bone your fish for you.

Ingredients

• Fillet of fish per person, I used haddock (skinless and boneless)
• Cheddar cheese grated - 100g per fillet
• Dijon mustard - 1 tsp per fillet
• Crème fraiche - 2 tbsp. per fillet
• 6 Baby cherry tomatoes per fillet - sliced in half
• Freshly picked thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Preheat your oven to 170c
• Very lightly oil a baking dish the appropriate size for your fish fillets
• Place the fish fillets in the bottom of the dish
• In a separate bowl, toss the tomato halves with the thyme and some freshly ground pepper
• In another bowl mix the Dijon mustard, crème fraiche and grated cheese, spoon this on top of the fillets in the baking dish and spread out
• Serve with a fresh green salad or green vegetables.

 

Chicken with Leeks, wild garlic and creamy mustard sauce

I really enjoy foraging and seasonal food, spring has really sprung in Lancashire and in the countryside the wild garlic (ramsoms) is rampaging in the damp shady areas and hedgerow bottoms in the countryside. Wild garlic is a great wild food but is highly seasonal and available for only about a month to 6 weeks so cook with it while you can. I love using the juicy leaves and flowers in cooking and salads to impart a mild spicy garlic flavour. So that I am sure of supply I grow a couple of clumps in the garden , that way I can ensure that its not polluted with weedkiller, car fumes or dog pee.

Ingredients 

• chicken breast fillets 
• Leeks - cleaned for grit and chopped into rings
• Wild garlic leaves - handful
• Grain mustard - about a tablespoon per 2 chicken breasts
• Double cream
• White wine 
• Chicken stock powder 
• Honey
• Black pepper - freshly ground
• Rosemary - finely chopped

Method

• Preheat your oven to 180c
• I used a heavy cast iron casserole dish, you could use a ceramic dish and a frying pan.
• Using a tiny amount of olive oil or butter, softened your leeks and wild garlic and rosemary
• Now gently colour your chicken breasts without burning the leek mixture
• Once golden , add your mustard, honey and chicken stock powder, stir and then add enough wine to come up to the chicken breasts
• Add cream until the chicken breasts are just covered, add some black pepper
• Bring to a gently simmer and stir to ensure all mixed
• Cover the dish with the lid or foil 
• Place in the oven for approx 30 mins until your chicken breasts and the sauce slightly reduced.
• Serve with seasonal vegetables, I used crushed potatoes, but rice or orzo pasta would be nice.