This can be a one-pan meal with fish baked with cream on high of a potato gratin with a golden crunchy topping. It’s a cross between a casserole, gratin and a pie. Fabulously cosy, rustic oven baked fish recipe that’s easy but firm worthy!
Creamy baked fish on potato gratin
This dish offers off very French-country vibes. Which, in hindsight, is fairly unsurprising given it’s a recipe that our very personal Chef JB simply casually threw collectively sooner or later. We ate it, liked it a lot, declared it was “website-worthy” then proceeded to remake it…oh, I don’t know. Possibly 10, 12 instances earlier than we had been totally pleased with it and closed out all of the “what ifs”?
Mainly, it’s a creamy potato gratin, heavy on the leek (or onion), with fish that’s baked on high on the similar time, coated in a crunchy golden breadcrumb topping. So primarily, the breadcrumb topping acts as a lid, maintaining every thing steamy and succulent because the fish bubbles away within the creamy sauce whereas the gratin soaks up the tasty fish juices.
It’s simply an all-out cosy dish of scrumptious cosiness!
Components
Right here’s what it’s essential make this:
Finest fish
Appropriate fish
This recipe is greatest made with the extra delicate white fish fillets which can be round 2 cm (0.8″) thick. We don’t need fillets too skinny else they’ll overcook.
Our favorite fish to make this with is barramundi. Listed below are some extra fish with comparable cooking traits that can work nice:
barramundi (pictured), John Dory, snapper, basa, jewfish, blue eye cod (trevalla), tilapia, cod, halibut, pollock, hake.
Bear in mind, the form of fish signifies that you get thick cuts from the principle physique in addition to skinny cuts from in the direction of the tail. Go for the thicker cuts, aiming for 2cm/0.8″ thick. Pictured above is barramundi which is a thicker fish so we used the tail.
Pores and skin on or off? Both is okay, it actually gained’t have an effect on the bake time. However the pores and skin gained’t be crispy. If it is a turn-off for you, simply eat the flesh and go away the pores and skin.
Fish to keep away from
I like to recommend avoiding:
Fish that dry out simply when cooked – Like swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin, mackerel. Until you’re extraordinarily cautious they’ll turn into dry inside so are very vulnerable to overcooking within the oven. I really feel these fish are (principally) higher in uncooked/uncommon type resembling Ceviche, Poke Bowls, Tartare (additionally see Tuna Steak);
Oily, “fishy” fish – Like mullet and sardines (strive this recipe for sardines!).
For the potato gratin and creamy sauce
And right here’s what you want for the remainder of the dish:
Potatoes – Floury (starchy) and all-rounder potatoes work greatest to realize a beautiful potato gratin flavour. – Australia: a budget dirt-brushed potatoes bought in every single place (referred to as Sebago) are perfect – US: Russet – UK: Maris Piper
Leek – Flavour base for the gratin. Be happy to substitute with a regular onion!
Garlic – Flavour base.
Chardonnay or different dry white wine – This offers the sauce depth of flavour. With out, it tastes extra one dimensional and prefer it’s lacking “one thing”. Chardonnay is my favorite however any dry white wine that’s not too candy or too woody will work high-quality. Non alcoholic substitute – Extra vegetable inventory.
Vegetable inventory/broth – For semi braising the potatoes in a flavoured broth, tastier than utilizing simply water!
Butter – For pan sautéing the potatoes earlier than ending them off within the oven.
Panko, parmesan and olive oil – The crunchy topping!
How you can make Creamy Fish on Potato Gratin
This can be a one pan meal that begins off on the range and is completed within the oven. It might be helpful if the entire dish may simply be achieved within the oven however the taste ultimately result’s simply not nearly as good. Whereas utilizing the stove-to-oven technique makes it firm worthy good!
Crunchy topping – Combine the panko and olive oil collectively, then stir by the parmesan.
Sauté the leeks and garlic, then prepare dinner the sliced potatoes for six minutes or till they’re partially cooked. Throughout this step, the potatoes soak up the flavour of the leek and garlic which is what makes the gratin so good!
Braise the potatoes firstly in wine for 1 minute (simmer quickly to virtually totally scale back to prepare dinner out the alcohol) then the vegetable inventory for 1 1/2 minutes till decreased by half.
Prime with fish items (which we first sprinkle with salt and pepper). Then pour over the cream, aiming for as a lot protection as potential.
Topping – Sprinkle your entire floor with the crunchy topping.
Bake for half-hour – I PROMISE THE FISH DOES NOT OVERCOOK!! You’ll suppose it does, nevertheless it doesn’t. All that creamy goodness beneath the breadcrumb topping retains every thing moist and succulent!
Broil/grill 4 minutes – Then to complete it off, I like to offer it a fast 4 minute blast beneath the oven grill/broiler to offer the topping beautiful color.
Relaxation 5 minutes – Place on the counter and let it relaxation for five minutes earlier than serving. Don’t skip this step! That is when the juices within the fish will get reabsorbed into the fibres so while you lower into the fish, it stays within the fish flesh (and results in your mouth) fairly than operating out onto the plate.
What to serve with Creamy Fish on Potato Gratin
All it’s essential end off this meal is a recent, crisp salad to serve on the facet. Simply toss leafy greens in French Dressing, or for those who’re cooking for firm, strive the French Bistro Salad. On theme with the French-ish vibes happening on this dish!
I additionally wouldn’t say no to some crusty bread for mopping the plate clear. And for dessert – anybody for a pile of recent baked Madeleines? Quick turning into a go-to for dinner events as a result of the batter is made upfront (you may even freeze it!) and saved in piping baggage or jugs. Then it actually takes 2 minutes to pipe into the pan and 10 minutes to bake. How good is that!!! – Nagi x
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Creamy fish on potato gratin
Writer: Nagi
Prep: 10minutes
Prepare dinner: 45minutes
Mains
French-style, Western
Servings4
Faucet or hover to scale
Recipe video above. This can be a one-pan meal with fish baked on high of a potato gratin in a creamy sauce with a golden crunchy topping. It is a cross between a casserole, gratin and a pie. The concept is that the panko acts like a lid, maintaining the fish succulent because it bubbles away within the cream whereas the gratin soaks up the tasty fish juices.This can be a fabulous cosy, rustic oven baked fish recipe that is easy but firm worthy!
Directions
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) with a shelf within the center.
Potatoes – Lower the potatoes into quarters, then sliced 4mm / 1/6″ thick. Place lower potato in a big bowl of water (prevents from going brown, removes extra starch so it cooks faster). Drain earlier than use.
Crunchy topping: Combine panko and olive oil in a bowl. Then stir in parmesan.
Season fish: Sprinkle salt and pepper on either side of the fish fillets. Put aside.
Sauté – Soften butter in a big oven-proof skillet (30cm/12″) over excessive warmth till foamy. Add leek and garlic, then prepare dinner for 3 minutes.
Sauté potatoes – Add potato, salt and pepper. Prepare dinner for six minutes, stirring often. The potatoes needs to be half cooked at this stage.
Scale back wine and inventory – Pour in white wine. Simmer quickly till it’s principally evaporated – about 1 minute. Pour in inventory, then simmer for 1 1/2 minutes or till decreased by half.
Prime with fish – Flip the range off. Place fish on high of the potatoes, presentation facet up. (Observe 1) Pour cream throughout, aiming for full protection. Sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs.
Bake for half-hour – I do know this appears like a very long time however the fish stays succulent!
Color topping – Swap to the oven grill (broiler) on excessive and transfer the skillet as much as the highest shelf. Grill/broil 4 minutes or till golden.
Relaxation – Take away and relaxation for five minutes, then serve! Eat the fish and gratin along with every mouthful for optimum consuming pleasure!!
Recipe Notes:
1. Fish – Finest made with the extra delicate white fish fillets which can be round 2 cm (0.8″) thick. Not too thick (not sufficient flavour will get inside) and never too skinny (overcooks). Our favorite fish is barramundi. Different appropriate fish embody: John Dory, snapper, basa, jewfish, blue eye cod (trevalla), tilapia, cod, halibut, pollock, hake.Different white fish fillets will work high-quality (like ling and monkfish) nonetheless, the flesh is slightly firmer and meatier and for this dish, we actually loved it with barely softer white fish fillets.Bear in mind, the form of fish signifies that you get thick cuts from the principle physique in addition to skinny cuts from in the direction of the tail. Go for the thicker cuts!Frozen fish works simply high-quality, thaw then pat dry properly earlier than utilizing.Different proteins – Sorry to say I can’t consider options for the recipe as written or with solely minor tweaks. I believe rooster can be bland. Shrimp/prawns may work however I’d have to scale back prepare dinner time.Presentation facet of the fish is the facet that was lower off the bone which appears to be like nicer when cooked ie the facet the pores and skin was on is NOT the presentation facet.2. Leeks washing – Chop the reedy darkish inexperienced half off, solely use the smooth white & pale inexperienced half. Peel off and discard the primary outer layer. Lower in halve lengthwise, wash. Shake extra water off properly, then slice.3. Potatoes – Floury (starchy) and all-rounder potatoes work greatest to realize a beautiful potato gratin texture. – Australia: a budget dirt-brushed potatoes bought in every single place (referred to as Sebago) are perfect – US: Russet – UK: Maris Piper4. Wine provides extra flavour into this dish however doesn’t make it style winey as a result of we prepare dinner the alcohol out. Substitute with extra vegetable inventory.Leftovers will preserve for 3 days within the fridge. Not appropriate for freezing.Vitamin per serving.