
That is a one-pan meal with fish baked in cream on the pinnacle of a potato gratin with a golden crunchy topping. It’s a move between a casserole, gratin, and a pie. Fabulously cozy, rustic, oven-baked fish recipe that’s effortless yet employer worth!

Creamy baked fish on potato gratin
This dish offers very French-united States of America vibes. Which, in hindsight, is as an alternative unsurprising given it’s a recipe that our very own Chef JB simply casually threw together at some point. We ate it, cherished it so much, declared it became “website-worthy” then proceeded to remake it…oh, I don’t understand. Maybe 10, 12 instances before we had been fully glad with it and closed out all of the “what ifs”?
essentially, it’s a creamy potato gratin, heavy at the leek (or onion), with fish that is baked on top at the equal time, covered in a crunchy golden breadcrumb topping. So basically, the breadcrumb topping acts as a lid, retaining everything steamy and succulent as the fish bubbles away within the creamy sauce whilst the gratin soaks up the tasty fish juices.
It’s just an all-out comfortable dish of deliciousness!
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this:
This recipe is first-rate made with the greater delicate white fish fillets which are round 2 cm (zero.8″) thick. We don’t need fillets too thin else they’ll overcook. (replace: Readers have made and loved it with salmon – examine remarks in the feedback section!)
our favorite fish to make this with is barramundi which is a famous Australian fish. right here are a few greater fish with similar cooking traits to work high-quality:
- barramundi (pictured), John Dory, snapper, basa, jewfish, blue eye cod (trevally), tilapia, cod, halibut, pollock, hake, and salmon (readers have tried and loved – see recipe feedback!).
don’t forget, the form of the fish approach which you get thick cuts from the primary frame as well as thin cuts from closer to the tail. opt for the thicker cuts, aiming for 2cm/0.eight″ thick. Pictured above is a barramundi that’s a thicker fish so we used the tail.
the skin on or off? both are high-quality, it simply gained’t affect the bake time. however, the pores and skin won’t be crispy. If this is a flip-off for you, simply consume the flesh and go away the pores and skin.
FISH TO AVOID
I recommend fending off:
- Fish that dry out without problems when cooked – Like swordfish, tuna, bonito, kingfish, marlin, and mackerel. unless you’re extraordinarily cautious they can come to be dry interior so are very at risk of overcooking in the oven. I experience these fish are (in most cases) higher in raw/uncommon shape consisting of Ceviche, Poke Bowls, Tartare (also see Tuna Steak);
- Oily, “fishy” fish – Like mullet and sardines (do that recipe for sardines!).
FOR THE POTATO GRATIN AND CREAMY SAUCE
And right here’s what you want for the rest of the dish:
- Potatoes – Floury (starchy) and all-rounder potatoes paintings are nice to obtain a cute potato gratin flavor.
– Australia: the reasonably-priced dirt-brushed potatoes offered everywhere (referred to as Sebago) is perfect
– US: Russet
– united kingdom: Maris Piper - Leek – Flavour base for the gratin. feel unfastened to alternatives with a widespread onion!
- Garlic – Flavour base.
- Chardonnay or other dry white wine – This gives the sauce depth of flavor. without, it tastes extra one-dimensional and like it’s lacking “something”. Chardonnay is my favorite however any dry white wine that’s not too sweet or too woody will work fine. Nonalcoholic substitute – extra vegetable stock.
- Vegetable inventory/broth – For semi-braising the potatoes in a flavored broth, tastier than the usage of just water!
- Butter – For pan sautéing the potatoes before completing them off within the oven.
- Panko, parmesan, and olive oil – The crunchy topping!
How to make Creamy Fish on Potato Gratin
This is a one-pan meal that starts offevolved off at the range and is finished inside the oven. it would be on hand if the complete dish ought to just be carried out within the oven, but we tried and the flavor was now not as suitable. while using the range-to-oven technique makes it company-worth right?
- Crunchy topping – mix the panko and olive oil, then stir via the parmesan.
- Sauté the leeks and garlic, then cook the sliced potatoes for six mins or until they’re partly cooked. in the course of this step, the potatoes take in the flavor of the leek and garlic that’s what makes the gratin so good!
- Braise the potatoes first off in wine for 1 minute (simmer unexpectedly to almost completely reduce to prepare dinner out the alcohol) then the vegetable inventory for 1 half minutes until decreased via half of.
- pinnacle with fish pieces (which we first sprinkle with salt and pepper). Then pour over the cream, aiming for as a good deal coverage as possible.
- Topping – Sprinkle the entire floor with the crunchy topping.
- Bake for a half-hour – I PROMISE THE FISH DOES not OVERCOOK!! you would suppose it does, however, it doesn’t. All that creamy goodness below the breadcrumb topping continues the whole thing moist and succulent!
- Broil/grill for four mins – Then to complete it off, I love to present it a quick 4-minute blast below the oven grill/broiler to offer the topping lovely shade.
rest five minutes – place at the counter and let it rest for five mins earlier than serving. Don’t skip this step! That is while the juices in the fish get reabsorbed into the fibers so while you chop into the fish, it stays inside the fish flesh (and finally ends up on your mouth) rather than going for walks out onto the plate.
What to serve with Creamy Fish on Potato Gratin
All you need to finish off this meal is a clean, crisp salad to serve at the facet. simply toss leafy vegetables in French dressing, or if you’re cooking for the agency, try the French Bistro Salad. On topic with the French-ish vibes going on in this dish!
I additionally wouldn’t say no to some crusty bread for mopping the plate easily. And for dessert – all and sundry for a pile of freshly baked Madeleines? rapid becoming a pass-to for dinner parties due to the fact the batter is made earlier (you may even freeze it!) and saved in piping luggage or jugs. Then it takes 2 mins to pipe into the pan and 10 minutes to bake. How true is that!!!