Smoked haddock & Jerusalem artichoke gratin

3 five a day 5-a-day 600 kcal or less chokes country cook dinner for 2 fibre fish bake fish pie food historian jerusalem artichoke jerusalem artichokes mains one-pot over an hour smoked fish smoked haddock supper winter warmer

N/A

Serves 4 as a starter

Source

Ingredients

800g Jerusalem artichoke

squeeze lemon juice

25g unsalted butter , plus extra for dotting

5 shallots , finely sliced

2 bay leaves

1 large thyme sprig, leaves picked

250ml double cream

350g smoked haddock , skinned and cut into 2cm cubes

25g white breadcrumb

Method

Peel the artichokes carefully with a sharp knife or peeler, cut them into 2cm chunks, then place into a bowl of cold water with the lemon juice to prevent discolouring.

Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. When it begins to sizzle, add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Stir the shallots to coat them with the butter and cook for 5 mins until they begin to soften. Add the bay and thyme leaves and drained artichokes, then stir to mix them all together.

Add 200ml water to the pan, bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cover so that the artichokes cook gently for about 10-12 mins. When they are beginning to soften, add the cream, bring to a simmer again and cook until the sauce is reduced slightly and the artichokes are tender. Season the mixture with a little pepper, then remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves. At this point, you can chill the mixture, and finish the dish when you are ready. It will keep happily in the fridge for a few hrs.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the smoked haddock cubes in a gratin dish big enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour over the artichokes and sauce, spreading the mixture out evenly. Top with breadcrumbs and a few small dots of butter. Place the gratin dish on a baking sheet and bake for 30 mins, until the top is golden brown and bubbling.