Welsh Seafood Recipes using Fresh Fish & Smoked Fish

Smoked Haddock & Crab Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 200 grams smoked haddock
• 800 millilitres milk
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 black peppercorns
• 250 grams baby leaf spinach
• 450 grams macaroni
• 50 grams unsalted butter
• 50 grams plain flour
• 200 grams mature cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoons grain mustard
• 50 grams fresh white crab meat
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 50 grams dry white breadcrumbs
• 50 grams finely grated parmesan

Method

How to make Smoked Haddock Mac & Cheese

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pour the milk, nutmeg, bay leaf and peppercorns into a deep, wide saucepan and bring to a simmer. Lay the haddock in and poach gently for 5 minutes.

Remove the fish with a spatula and transfer to a plate to cool. Strain the milk through the sieve into a jug. When the fish is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and flake into chunks, discarding any bones.

Put the spinach into a large pan with a splash of water and cook over a high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until just wilted. Drain in a sieve and put out any excess liquid with the back of a ladle.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture starts to turn a light brown colour. Gradually whisk in the reserved milk; don’t add too much at once or the sauce will turn lumpy.

Once all the milk has been incorporated bring the sauce to a simmer and cook gently for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.

Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the mustard and cheese. Add the cooked pasta, haddock, spinach and crab to the sauce and stir until evenly coated.

Pour the mixture into a large ovenproof dish then sprinkle the breadcrumbs and parmesan over the top.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before serving

Pan-roasted cod with creamed leeks

• Serves:4
• Prep time: 10 mins
• Cooking time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 2 large leeks, trimmed and sliced into 1cm rings
• 30g butter
• 100ml single cream
• About 100g wild mushrooms, rinsed and dried
• About 100g fresh spinach leaves
• 1tbsp rapeseed oil or olive oil
• 4 portions of cod fillet or cod loin
• Chopped chives, to garnish
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For the sauce:

• 15g butter
• 2 shallots, peeled and diced
• 150ml white wine
• 150ml fish stock
• 2tbsp single cream

Method

1. To make the sauce: Melt half the butter in a pan, add the shallots and cook until soft, but not browned. Pour in the wine and let it bubble and reduce by about half. Add the fish stock and let it reduce to about 150ml. Blitz with a stick blender, then whisk in the rest of the butter and the cream, and some seasoning. Set aside.
2. Cook the leeks in half the butter for about 15-20 minutes until softened, then add the cream and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Season and set aside in a dish. Wipe the pan, reheat and add the rest of the butter and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Wilt the spinach in a pan or in the microwave.
3. Heat the frying pan, add the oil and when hot, put in the cod and cook for 5-6 minutes over a fairly high heat until browned on the underside and just cooked through. Reheat the sauce.
4. Spoon the creamed leeks on to 4 hot plates. Add the spinach and some mushrooms. Put the cod on top, then garnish with a few more mushrooms. Spoon the hot sauce over and sprinkle with chopped chives.