A delicious and satisfying meal with a twist.
Ingredients
- 570 ml milk
- 1 onion (peeled and halved)
- 1 carrot (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 1 large bay leaf
- a few fresh parsley stalks
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- finely grated rind of one lemon
- 4 finnan haddock (or similar small, split smoked haddock, each approx 175-225g, fins removed)
- 4 fresh eggs
- 150 ml cream
- 3 tblsp chopped fresh parsley
- salt, if necessary, and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Put the milk, onion, carrot, bay leaf, parsley stalks, peppercorns and lemon rind into a saucepan.
- Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Strain the milk into a large frying pan, discard the vegetables, and bring to the boil.
- Add the haddock, skin side up, and cook gently for 3 minutes or until the flesh flakes easily.
- Take care not to overcook it.
- Lift the haddock out of the pan with a fish slice, and place, skin side down, in a shallow ovenproof dish.
- Cover with foil and put in a very low oven, 110°C (225°F, Gas .25) to keep hot.
- Poach the eggs in the stock remaining in the frying pan, lift them out with a fish slice and place one on top of each haddock.
- Cover again with foil.
- Boil the stock remaining in the pan until reduced to about 150ml/5fl oz.
- Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, bring the cream to boiling point and stir in two-thirds of the chopped parsley.
- Strain the reduced stock into the cream and continue to boil it gently for 2-3 minutes.
- Strain the juices from the oven dish into the sauce, taste and add salt if necessary.
- Carefully lift the haddock onto heated individual plates, spoon the sauce over them and sprinkle with the remaining chopped parsley.
- This is delicious served simply with wholemeal bread.
