Fish Gratin

Photo: flickr user pittaya

Ingredients

750 grams White fish fillets, (such as cod or Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

45 grams Butter

25 grams Flour

300 ml Milk

150 ml Single cream

100 grams Cooked shrimps or prawns, (shelled weight) roug

2 Egg yolks

50 grams Parmesan or other full-flavoured hard freshly grated chees

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas4.

Put the fish fillets into a lightly buttered ovenproof dish and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until just cooked. Drain off any liquid and quickly flake fish, discarding the skin. Place in a shallow gratin dish.

Meanwhile melt the 45g of butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Stir for a minute, then draw off the heat and gradually mix in the milk, a little at a time, followed by the cream. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until thick, with no trace of raw flour taste. Draw off the heat again and stir in the shrimps or prawns (if using), then the egg yolks, salt and pepper.

Pour over the cooked fish and sprinkle with Parmesan. Whip under a preheated grill until nicely browned.

If you have cooked the fish in advance, or are using left-overs from another meal, prepare as above, but finish the gratin in the oven at about 190C/375F/gas5, baking until nicely browned - about 20-25 minutes.