Fish Mornay Fotos

you can never have enough cheese

in a sauce!

the flaked fish – be gentle

the fish and sauce folded together -

I repeat, be gentle

before the oven

after the oven

yum!

If you don't need four servings then freeze what you don't need for a rainy day – you'll be glad you did.

Then there's another idea ...

Fast Fish Mornay – the method plus hints and tips

When you're ready to assemble, preheat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

You can use foil trays – 24x24cms to serve 4 or smaller if you want individual servings, otherwise a square casserole.

Open up your foiled fish and tip it into a large mixing bowl. Break the fish into chunks, gently, then season with black pepper. If you're using cooked, peeled prawns, now is the time to add them. There will be jelly from the cooked fish – discard or include – it's all flavour and will combine with the sauce you've made. If you've not used any smoked fish then you may want to add a sprinkle of salt. Add your Mornay sauce and fold to mix, gently.

Tip the mixture into your tray or casserole.

Add the sliced cooked potatoes, add a knob or two of butter and ground black pepper. If you're feeling really decadent then sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with vibrant fresh veggies, preferably steamed or, dare I say, with a coleslaw or, if feeling really Northern, mushy peas!

Back to the three negative comments about fish.

Some may say it's extravagant to use cod loin in a fish pie – they'd be right. However if you're trying to convince your family to eat fish it would be a good idea to use a fish that doesn't have any bones. Using smoked fish with non-smoked gives a far less “fishy” taste. The disguise is the delicious strong cheese sauce. Tick, tick and tick!

Oh and by the way the Dijon mustard is optional but it does give an excellent zing.

Fish Mornay Fotos coming up …

Fast Fish Mornay

Fish Mornay

Serves 4

2 large baking potatoes – stab carefully with a

paring knife, wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour at

180fan/200c/Gas 6 – already done!

Set aside to cool then slice thinly – skin on or

off – personal choice

Whilst your potatoes are baking wrap 500g of fresh

fish in foil and bake for the last 15 minutes of your

potato baking time – use a timer – already done!

Set the fish aside to cool

Your fish can be a mixture of whatever you choose – for example, mix smoked haddock or cod with salmon and prawns – it's whatever floats your boat – pardon the pun. If you're using cooked peeled prawns as part of your 500g of fish then don't add them until you're assembling your mornay.

Next up the sauce for your fish :

Mornay Sauce

Serves 4-6

40g unsalted butter

40g plain flour

600ml of milk – I use semi skimmed

150g mature Cheddar cheese

(or a combination of Cheddar and gruyere)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and black pepper

Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour. Cook gently for a minute, stirring and add the mustard – make sure you don't brown the mixture. Gradually add the milk whisking constantly and eventually bring to the boil, whisking until it's smooth and thick. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the cheese and season. I'd taste before you add salt – there's salt in the cheese – adjust accordingly. Your sauce should be a stiff consistency.

You can make the sauce ahead, fridge or freeze.

Fast Fish Mornay the method plus hints and tips next ...

More fast food ideas for suppers …

The idea here, apart from creating suppers for your working week, is to build up a stock of all sorts in your freezer, elements that you can pull together easily and hey presto, your meal for the evening.

Some elements can take longer than others but they're definitely worth the effort. I've already suggested that you bake Asian Spiced Salmon whilst you're cooking your roast dinner. Ideally the salmon gives you either a lunch during the week or morphs into a supper if you prefer.

Here's the thing – lots of people aren't that keen on fish – the three comments I hear the most – it's full of bones or it's too fishy or it's boring, no flavour.

Fish is good for us and if you want to convince yourself (and your family) you could enjoy it my theory is use the right fish and disguise it!

Instead of baking salmon whilst your oven is on, bake a mixture of fish – ready for a Fish Mornay.

Fish is expensive so you have to shop smart. I buy fish from Aldi and for this recipe I used cod loin and smoked haddock – 280g of cod loin for £3.79 and 250g of smoked haddock for £3.09 – certified and sustainable, responsibly sourced. £6.88 or £1.72 per person – you can freeze too.

If you follow the principles of baking potatoes and baking fish then you have one element to make for this recipe, the sauce and that element can be made ahead and fridged or frozen if you're ahead of the game.

See what you think …

Time for feedback …

… remember the Christmas gift with a difference - The Cheese, Potato and Onion pies for my two friends? I said then that the idea was the pies could be eaten on the day or frozen to eat later. One of my friends ate it that same evening – loved it and wants the recipe. My other friend said …

“... I forgot to say thank you for the pie – I had to freeze it, we're going to have it tomorrow.

Your pie was delicious. Thank you so much – well worth the wait for it – two very happy tummies, yum yum! A lovely gift.”

I got a huge hug and another recipe request!

Then there was the halloumi sandwich for Lucas … after the holidays he sent me an email …

“... It's so easy and better than a lot of the chain restaurants serve! Not squeaky or cold but fresh and melty with a fantastic coating – very hard not to eat the whole block. Which I did. A kinda “why have I not done this before now!” moment when you throw it into a wrap with some hot sauce and hummus and marvel in that it took next to no time to make!”

Finally, there was the “Get Well gift” of the Chicken and Mushroom Pie …

“... Yum, yum, yum that was soo delicious. Have I got the recipe? We loved it. Love you, thank you. P.s. Please forward menus!”

My work here is done and it was worth every minute.

Coming next … more elements for you to make and freeze when you have spare time, so you can assemble home-made food – fast - it's worth it!

Fast food suppers … speaking of chicken

Remember I mentioned the meal deal and picking up the chicken that I roasted? Remember too that I mentioned making the most of the time in the kitchen and the slow cooker? If you're roasting a different meat this is where your slow cooker comes into its own - slow cook a whole chicken.

If you'd like the anise stock instead of sprinkling with herbs I added two whole star anise to the cavity.

Slow Cook a Whole Chicken

1 chicken – between 1.5kg – 1.75kg

1 chicken stock pot

2 tsps of garlic paste or 1 garlic stock pot

generous sprinkle of oregano or garlic

Italian seasoning

Alternatively use two whole star anise in the cavity

and omit the herbs

Place your chicken in the slow cooker and mix the stock pot with the garlic paste and spread over the chicken. Sprinkle with the herbs or add the whole star anise to the cavity. Switch your slow cooker to the low setting and leave it for 8 hours.

Strain the stock and freeze the resultant liquid gold, strip the chicken and bag – divide the stripped chicken into two bags.

What happens next is up to you. I have to confess that I buy a chicken when it's part of a meal deal and slow cook it – the best value – every morsel can be frozen and used whenever – the perfect emergency food.

However, if you'd like another idea – just for the fun of it – perfect for a weekend treat or a lunch with a few other bits and pieces.

Way back when I'd slow cooked and stripped a chicken just before visiting the kids – big kids - and decided to take the chicken with me - some delicious bread and chicken sandwiches for lunch? We've already had chicken soup for the soul - now we have a sandwich for the soul – I've never seen food disappear as quickly for a long time. They loved the chicken – tender, moist and full of flavour.

Very often you find that an afterthought turns into a huge hit. I'll be serving chicken sandwiches for the soul again – soon.

It's time for some feedback …

The story so far … with the fast food suppers

… we're up to Wednesday supper without really thinking about it.

Then there's the soup or chicken soup for the soul – it makes you feel better when you're in need of comfort. I still have the remains of the chicken – there are always scraps left behind. Remove the chicken left on the legs and wings – and anywhere else. Dice, box and fridge - ready for later. Using a large saucepan, cover the carcass with water and any veggie stock you've got and bring to the boil, turn it down to a simmer and let it do its magic for 30/45 minutes. Strain the stock, cool, cover and set aside until you're ready – you may find more chicken to add to your stash. Another rummage produces a few Charlotte potatoes that need using plus a large onion that's always in the veggie basket.

Here's the recipe :

Cream of Chicken Soup

Serves 4

30g unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic – preferably roasted

500ml chicken stock

250ml whole milk

celery salt and white pepper

diced chicken stash

garnish of grated nutmeg

50-75ml double (heavy) cream

leftover Charlotte potatoes, peel and cut

into small dice

a handful of frozen petit pois

Heat the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently for 2-3 minutes – there should be no colour, season with celery salt. Add the stock and diced potatoes and simmer gently for 15 minutes then add the milk and simmer again for 10 minutes Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Blitz 2/3 ladles of the soup until thick and return to the pan. Add the cream, nutmeg, peas, ground white pepper and chicken - heat gently until piping hot.

Don't forget to warm the soup bowls.

Here it is :

chicken soup for the soul – a generous

serving for supper - add good bread for dunking!

Freeze any leftover, ready to use on a cold winter day!