Melt-in-the-mouth creamy fennel and fish gratin
This dish couldn’t be easier to make – it takes about 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook. You can prepare this gratin the day before and then just pop it in the oven 20 minutes before you want to serve it. Fennel is the perfect partner for white fish as the aniseed taste lifts the flavour and the dill adds so much freshness. I love serving this dish with fluffy basmati rice and a green leaf salad.
SERVES
4
Ingredients
- 25 grams (1 ounce) salted butter
- 2 fennel bulbs, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 skinless white fish fillets, such as hake or cod, weighing 800 grams (1 pound, 12 ounces) in total
- 200 millilitres (7fl oz) double cream
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill
- 100 grams (3-1/2 ounce) Gruyère cheese, finely grated
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Grease a 20 centimeter square ovenproof dish with the butter.
- Place the thinly sliced fennel in a layer on the bottom of the prepared dish, followed by the fish fillets and season with salt and pepper.
- Whisk together the cream, nutmeg, dill and Gruyère cheese in a bowl and season to taste. Pour over the fish.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and the fish is cooked.
- Serve with a green salad, green beans or buttered spinach.
