Haddock and Leek Gratin with Cheddar Crust

Ingredients

- 500g haddock fillets

- 2 leeks, sliced

- 50g butter

- 50g plain flour

- 500ml milk

- 100g cheddar cheese, grated

- Breadcrumbs

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Fresh parsley, chopped

- Cooking time: 30 minutes

Instructions

To start, preheat your oven to 180°C and grease a baking dish. Next, poach the haddock fillets in a pan of simmering water for about 5 minutes until cooked through. Once done, remove the haddock and flake it into chunks. In the same pan, cook the sliced leeks in butter until softened.

Now it's time to make the sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook for a minute before gradually whisking in the milk. Continue to cook the sauce until it thickens, then stir in half of the grated cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Layer the flaked haddock and cooked leeks in the prepared baking dish, then pour the cheese sauce over the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over the dish, followed by a generous amount of breadcrumbs for that deliciously crunchy crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly. Once done, garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot. This dish pairs perfectly with a side of buttered new potatoes or steamed greens.