This smoked haddock, coated generously in a punchy cheese sauce, would make a spectacular start or end to any lazy weekend.
Ingredients
- For the smoked haddock Welsh rarebit
- 4 x 175g/6oz
smoked haddock fillets, skin removed - 1 litre/1¾ pints full-fat
milk - 2 fresh bay leaves
- 110g/4oz
cheddar, grated - 25g/1oz
breadcrumbs - 25g/1oz plain
flour - dash
Worcestershire sauce - 1 free-range
egg - 1 free-range
egg yolk - ½ tsp
English mustard powder - salt and white
pepper
- 4 x 175g/6oz
- For the tomato chutney
- 110g/4oz
caster sugar - 6 plum
tomatoes, 3 skin removed and chopped, 3 thinly sliced and reserved to serve - 2 tbsp
white wine vinegar - 50g/2oz
sultanas - 2 sprigs fresh
thyme, leaves only - salt and freshly ground
black pepper
- 110g/4oz
- To serve
- 3 tbsp
olive oil - 2 tbsp chopped fresh
chives
- 3 tbsp
Preparation method
For the smoked haddock Welsh rarebit, preheat the grill to its highest setting.
Place the smoked haddock fillets into a high-sided pan and pour over the milk. Add the bay leaves.
Place the pan over a gentle heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Poach the fish for 4-5 minutes, or until it is just cooked through.
Remove the pan from the heat and strain 50ml/2fl oz of the milk into a measuring jug. Strain off the remaining milk and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the drained poached haddock to a grill tray. Keep warm.
Place the reserved 50ml/2fl oz of warm milk into a saucepan and add the cheese. Heat the mixture, stirring regularly, until the cheese has melted.
Add the breadcrumbs, then whisk in the flour. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
Set the mixture aside to cool, then add the Worcestershire sauce, egg, egg yolk and mustard powder. Mix thoroughly, then season, to taste, with salt and white pepper.
Spread the sauce over the smoked haddock fillets and grill for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce is golden-brown and bubbling.
For the tomato chutney, heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the caster sugar and heat, without stirring, until it has melted and caramelised to a light golden-brown. Add the three chopped tomatoes, white wine vinegar, sultanas and thyme and stir well until combined. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, whisk the olive oil and chives together and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange some of the sliced tomatoes in a circle in the centre of each plate. Place a spoonful of tomato chutney into the centre of each. Place one smoked haddock fillet on top of each and spoon over the Welsh rarebit sauce. Spoon the chive oil around the edge, over the sliced tomatoes.