Fish Mornay with Watercress Mash. A comforting seafood dish perfect for cool autumn evenings.
Serves 4
800g Agria potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
6-8 saffron threads
1/4 cup cream
100g butter
2 cups watercress leaves, washed, drained, roughly chopped, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp plain flour
1 1/2 cups milk, warmed
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
2 tbsps olive oil
1 leek, washed, finely sliced
500g large prawns, shelled, deveined
250ml white wine
1 lemon, zest of
1kg blue cod fillet, skinned, bones removed, cut into chunks
Boil the potatoes and saffron together in water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and return pot to stove to dry out with lid off. Use a stick blender to puree the potato, adding the cream and half of the butter. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, please the rest of the butter in a pan heating until melted and bubbling. Add flour and whisk. Slowly add warmed milk, whisking all the time, until it begins to thicken. Add the last of the milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add mustards and parmesan and stir to combine.
Heat a saute pan with the olive oil. Fry leek for 5 minutes, until soft and tender. Add the prawns and quickly cook through for 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat up and add white wine and lemon zest. Allow to cook down by half before adding the mustard sauce.
Preheat oven to 180˚C. Add the cod pieces to the leek and prawn mix and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the flesh begins to flake.
Fold the watercress into the mash then spoon the fish and sauce mix into a deep pie dish. Drop spoonfuls of the watercress mashed potato on top and use a knife to smooth the top. Cook in oven for 20 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden and sauce is bubbling through from underneath.
Serve with watercress salad.
Smart Tip
Watercress contains iodine, which turns potato brown, so roughly chop and fold in quickly to avoid the mash changing colour.