Henry Harris's Parmesan-glazed haddock recipe is deliciously rich and comforting. The cheese-topped fish is complemented by a bed of what Henry Harris describes as 'naughty' pomme purée.
Begin by preparing the pomme purée. Cut the potatoes into large, even chunks and place in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Season the water with a good few pinches of sea salt and place over a high heat
Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes until tender. To test, insert a knife into a few pieces of potato to ensure they are tender all the way through. Strain and leave to steam and dry out, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes
3
Pass through a mouli or vegetable mill using the finest sieve attachment, then return to a clean saucepan over a low heat. Use a large spoon to stir and dry out the potatoes for a further 5-10 minutes
4
At the same time, bring the milk to the boil and once ready, add 1/3 of the milk to the potatoes, beating to incorporate. Add the butter slowly in small amounts, stirring thoroughly to combine
250ml of milk
125g of butter, cut into cubes
5
Add small amounts of the remaining milk to create very creamy, smooth, buttery mash - it may not require all of the milk. Add more butter to taste (optional)
6
Add salt and pepper to taste and finish with 2-3 grafts of freshly grated nutmeg. Set aside until required
Add 2 portions of the mash to a pan and reheat until piping hot. Add the cooked peas, a good milling of black pepper, then season further with salt and pepper if required
Fill the 2 20cm gratin dishes with the potato and pea mixture. Add a smoked haddock fillet to each dish, then pour in an equal amount of the Parmesan glaze to each dish. Grate some Parmesan generously over the top of each dish
Set the grill set to a low-medium heat and place the dish over a low shelf. Allow approximately 10 minutes to cook the fish through and brown the Parmesan cheese and cream crust. Once golden and bubbling, serve immediately
