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haddock with lemon, tomatoes & potatoes

Heavenly Haddock with Lemon, Tomatoes & Potatoes

This simply poached smoked haddock features a delicious lemon & stock cream sauce. Serve with roasted tomatoes & plain boiled potatoes for a blast of colour & flavour on the plate.
Read our post above for detailed instructions, step-by-step pictures and tips.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Supper
Cuisine: British
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

For the poached haddock & lemon sauce
  • 2 smoked haddock loins or fillets, or fish of choice
  • Milk, for poaching, about 600ml
  • 2 unwaxed lemons
  • 2 fish stock cubes
  • White wine, to make lemon juice up to about 300ml
  • 35g butter
  • 35g plain flour
  • 100ml double cream (optional, or to taste)
  • Salt & black pepper to taste
To accompany
  • 1 small pack small potatoes e.g. new, baby or salad potatoes
  • 1 knob butter
  • 2x portions roasted tomatoes, see recipe in our Tips section
  • OR 1 tin tomatoes, plus flavourings of your choice e.g. garlic paste, mixed herbs or chilli

Equipment

  • 1 lemon juicer
  • 1 Lemon zester (optional)
  • 1 measuring jug at least 600ml
  • Weighing scales
  • 1 colander or large sieve
  • 1 fish slice or spatula
  • 1 wooden spoon or spatula preferably with a pointed end
  • 1 sauce whisk (optional)

Method
 

Preparation & boiling the potatoes
  1. Zest & juice the lemons, and cut the zest smaller. See our lemon Tip. Add the juice to the measuring jug, and make up to 250-300ml with white wine.
  2. Rinse the potatoes, and scrub or cut out any eyes if needed. Place in a large saucepan & cover with completely with cold water.
  3. Weigh out the flour & butter to make the roux. This can be made ahead & kept until you are ready to make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan large enough to fit the finished 600ml sauce. Add the flour, and stir over a low heat until it smells nutty and looks golden, about 5 to 8 minutes for a blond roux. See our roux Tip.
  4. About 30 minutes before you wish to serve, get the potatoes on to boil over a high heat. When at a rolling boil, turn down to simmer and cook until tender. How long depends on the variety & size of your potatoes, normally about 20 to 25 minutes. They are done when a sharp knife goes in easily. See our potato Tip.
  5. Drain the potatoes. They can be kept warm back in the pan with a little butter on, covered, over a low heat, until you are ready to serve.
  6. The Roast Tomatoes take about an hour in a low oven - see how to make them here. If you have pre-made the Roast Tomatoes, you will also need to warm them in a pan over a low to medium heat. See our Roast Tomato Tip here for the full recipe & method to make them. If using tinned tomatoes, flavour them to your taste (we suggest garlic paste, mixed herbs and a little chilli, if liked) and allow time for them to reduce down on the hob on a medium heat, about 15 minutes.
To poach the haddock
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 60C (40C fan) or its lowest setting close to this. About 10 to 15 minutes before you wish to serve, you can start poaching the fish.
  2. Add enough milk to eventually cover the haddock to a pan large enough to hold the fish pieces in one layer. Bring the milk just to a simmer over a low to medium heat and season with black pepper, but don't add salt.
  3. Trim any excess skin from the fish and remove any pin bones if needed. Pat dry on some kitchen paper, but you shouldn't need to rinse.
  4. Once the milk is simmering, turn the heat down low and add the haddock in one layer, making sure it is completely submerged. The fish will only take between about 4 to 7 minutes to cook; ours today took 5 minutes. It is ready when it looks opaque and starts to flake.
  5. When cooked, remove the fish to an oven-proof dish. Spoon over just a very little of the poaching milk to help keep it moist, then cover tightly with foil. Place into the heated oven, keeping the heat very low. It will keep warm for about 10 to 15 minutes, but don't leave in longer or it will overcook, even in a low oven.
  6. Reserve the poaching liquid in its pan to make the sauce.
To make the lemon sauce
  1. If you have pre-made the roux, warm it over a low heat. Keep the poaching liquid over a low to medium heat and add the lemon zest and stock cubes, and stir well so they dissolve. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a minute or two.
  2. Add some of the poaching liquid to the jug with the lemon juice & wine, making the total up to 600ml.
  3. To make the sauce, follow the method for white sauce. See full details in our white sauce Tip here. Add the mixture from the jug to the roux, keeping the heat low, in small splashes. Stir well with a wooden spoon or spatula between each addition; the sauce base should be well-mixed and smooth before adding the next splash. A sauce whisk helps with this. Keep going until all the liquid is incorporated. See our Tip.
  4. Once the liquid is all in, simmer the sauce for a couple of minutes - it will thicken slightly. The finished sauce should look smooth & glossy. It can be served as it is, or you can add cream to taste. This softens the flavour & adds even more richness - today we added about 100ml.
Serving the haddock with lemon, tomatoes & potatoes
  1. Remove the fish from the oven, and serve with a fish slice or slotted spoon so none of the liquid comes with it. Add the potatoes on the side.
  2. Pour over the lemon sauce. We like it on both the fish and potatoes, but you can just serve it over the fish if you prefer.
  3. Serve the Roast Tomatoes on the side.
  4. Enjoy!