Smoked haddock with mustard sauce and poached egg
Perfectly poached haddock is paired with a mustard beurre blanc sauce in a dish which showcases classic French flavours.
Ingredients
For the poached haddock
- 400ml/14fl oz whole milk
- ½ garlic clove
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns
- 2 smoked haddock (120–140g/4¼–5oz each), bones removed but skin left on
For the mustard sauce
- 200ml/â…“ pint white wine
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 6 black peppercorns
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú double cream
- 250g/9oz unsalted butter, diced
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
For the potatoes
- 400g/14oz British pink fir potatoes
- 3 spring onions, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 150g/5½oz unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the poached egg
- 25ml/1fl oz white wine vinegar
- 2 free-range eggs
To serve
Method
To make the poached haddock, add the milk, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns to a large saucepan along with 500ml/18fl oz water. Place on a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Add the haddock portions to the pan and poach for 4–6 minutes until cooked through. When cooked, the skin should easily peel off the flesh.
To make the mustard sauce, add the white wine, shallot and peppercorns to a saucepan. Heat until reduced by half, then reduce to a low heat and stir in the double cream. Gradually whisk in the butter a cube at a time until it has all been added and incorporated into the sauce, then pass the sauce through a sieve into a clean bowl. Then add the mustard.
To make the potatoes, place the new potatoes into a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then cook for 12–15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and break apart slightly when crushed with a fork.
Drain the cooked potatoes and return to the pan along with the spring onion, a squeeze of lemon juice and a teaspoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper then lightly crush everything together with a fork – the potatoes should still hold some shape rather than be completely mashed. Keep warm until serving.
To make the poached eggs, bring a tall pan of water to a gentle boil and add the white wine vinegar plus a little salt and pepper. Crack one of the eggs into a small ramekin or cup and gently pour into the water. Poach for 3 minutes then remove carefully with a slotted spoon and set aside. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
To serve, place a 10cm/4in metal ring in the centre of each serving plate and spoon in a portion of the crushed potatoes. Remove the ring and top with a portion of the smoked haddock, a poached egg and spoon over some of the mustard sauce. Garnish with a sprig of chervil and serve immediately. Finish with the fresh herbs.
