Smoked haddock rarebit tart

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

• Plain flour: 1 tbsp, plus extra to dust
• Ready-made puff pastry: 250g/9oz packet
• Smoked haddock: 500g/1lb 2oz, skin on and pin boned
• Bay leaf: 1
• Milk: 300ml/½ pint
• Unsalted butter: 15g/½oz
• English mustard: 2 tsp
• Worcestershire sauce: 1 tbsp
• IPA beer: 100ml/3½fl oz
• Cheddar: 250g/9oz, grated
• Free-range egg yolks: 2
• Spring onions: 3, chopped
• Baby spinach: 200g/7oz

Method

Preparing the Pastry Base

1. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 20cm/8in circle, approximately 1cm thick.
2. Prick the pastry all over with a fork, wrap in cling film, and refrigerate.
3. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
4. Place the chilled pastry on a baking tray and cover with another heavy tray to weigh it down.
5. Bake for 15–20 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.

Poaching the Haddock

1. In a saucepan, combine the haddock, bay leaf, and milk.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer and poach the fish for about 5 minutes until cooked through.
3. Remove the fish, reserving the poaching milk.
4. Once cool enough to handle, flake the fish into a bowl and set aside.

Preparing the Cheese Sauce

1. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter.
2. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour and the mustard, cooking for 2 minutes.
3. Add the beer and Worcestershire sauce, whisking until smooth.
4. If the mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved poaching milk.
5. Remove from heat and whisk in the cheese.
6. Beat in the egg yolks, then fold in the spring onions and flaked haddock.

Wilting the Spinach

1. Heat a sauté pan and add the spinach with a small amount of water.
2. Cook for 3–4 minutes until wilted.
3. Remove from heat and, once cool enough to handle, squeeze out excess water.

Assembling and Grilling the Tart

1. Preheat the grill to its highest setting.
2. Scatter the wilted spinach over the cooled pastry base.
3. Spoon the cheese and haddock mixture over the spinach.
4. Grill for a few minutes until the top is blistered and the egg is cooked.