The fish is cooked in cream sauce over a potato gratin and topped with a golden crispy coating; it’s a one-pan dinner. A casserole, gratin, and pie all rolled into one. An easy-to-prepare but impressively elegant oven-baked fish dish that is perfect for hosting guests.
There are strong hints of French rural cooking in this recipe. This, looking back, shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, considering that our very own Chef JB just tossed up the recipe one day. After finishing it, we thought it was “website-worthy” and decided to make it again, except this time with different ingredients. It may have taken ten or twelve iterations before we were satisfied and could stop worrying about “what ifs”?
The dish consists of a rich potato gratin dotted with leeks or onions, topped with baked fish, then topped with a crispy golden breadcrumb crust. As the fish cooks in the creamy sauce and the gratin soaks up the delicious liquids, the breadcrumb topping covers the dish, keeping everything moist and delicious.
It’s a comforting meal that’s sure to please!
Cheesecake with a creamy fish filling and potato gratin
Use white fish fillets that are about 2 cm (0.8 in) thick for this dish, since they are more delicate. If the fillets are too thin, they will cook too quickly. (COMMENTS: Some readers have tried it with salmon and said it was delicious!).
The ubiquitous barramundi, a fish native to Australia, is our go-to ingredient. Here are a few other fish options that have comparable cooking qualities:
Readers have tried and enjoyed these fish: barramundi, John Dory, snapper, basa, jewfish, blue eye cod (trevalla), tilapia, cod, halibut, pollock, hake, and salmon (check out the recipe comments!).
You get broad cuts from the main body and tiny cuts towards the tail because of the form of the fish. Attempt cuts that are 2 cm (0.8 in) thick for the thicker options. Above, you can see that we used the tail of a barramundi, a thicker fish.
With or without skin? The baking time will be unaffected by any option, so feel free to choose. Although it will not have a crispy skin. If you find this repulsive, you may easily avoid it by eating just the meat.
On my advice, stay away from:
Swordfish, bonito, kingfish, marlin, and mackerel are examples of fish that tend to dry out when cooked. Overcooking them in the oven might cause them to turn dry on the inside unless you’re very cautious. Raw or rare preparations of this fish, such ceviche, poke bowls, tartare, and tuna steak, are, in my opinion, the best.
Fish that is oily and has a “fishy” flavor, such as sardines (which you should make using this method!).
When it comes to the creamy sauce and grated potato
And for the remaining ingredients, here they are:
Cheesecake with a creamy fish filling and potato gratin
For the greatest potato gratin flavor, use floury (starchy) or all-purpose potatoes.
Perfect for: – the United States: russet – the United Kingdom: maris piper – Australia: the ubiquitous, inexpensive dirt-brushed potatoes known as Sebago
Base flavor for the gratin made with leek. You may easily use a regular onion in its place!
Flavor foundation with garlic.
Use a dry white wine, such as Chardonnay, to enhance the sauce’s flavor. Without it, it lacks depth and seems like something is missing. Although I like Chardonnay, any dry white wine that is neither very sweet nor overly woodsy would do. More vegetable stock as a non-alcoholic alternative.
To make the potatoes taste better than when cooked in plain water, try adding vegetable stock or broth for semi-braising.
To brown the potatoes in a skillet before baking them, butter is a good choice.
Season with panko, parmesan, and olive oil for a tempting crunch!
Methods for Preparing Potato Gratin with Creamy Fish
The cooking process for this one-pan dish begins on the stovetop and concludes in the oven. It would be convenient if the whole meal could be baked in the oven, but we gave it a shot and it didn’t turn out well. Alternatively, it becomes business-worthy when cooked in a stovetop oven!
Directions for Making Creamy Fish with Potato Gratin
To make the crunchy topping, combine the panko, olive oil, and parmesan.
Toss in the chopped potatoes and sauté for about 6 minutes, or until they’re almost done, followed by the garlic and leeks. What makes this gratin so delicious is the flavor that the potatoes receive from the garlic and leeks at this stage.
To cook off the alcohol, blanch the potatoes in wine for a minute. Then, add the vegetable stock and boil for 1 1/2 minutes, or until the stock has reduced by half.
After seasoning the fish with salt and pepper, place it on top. The next step is to generously apply the cream, making sure to cover the whole surface.
Topping – Evenly distribute the crunchy topping over the surface.
The fish will not overcook if baked for 30 minutes. Although it seems to do so, such is not the case. Everything stays wet and succulent because to the breadcrumb coating and all that creamy sweetness below.
To end, I like to pop it under the broiler or oven grill for four minutes to bring out the topping’s beautiful color.
Put it on the counter and let it 5 minutes to rest before you serve it. This step must be completed. In this process, the fish’s natural fluids are absorbed into its fibers, preventing them from dripping down the plate when you cut into it. Instead, they remain inside the flesh and make their way to your mouth.
Pairing Suggestions for Potato Gratin with Creamy Fish
A side of fresh, crisp salad is all that’s needed to round out this dinner. Toss some greens with French dressing for a quick and easy salad, or whip up a batch of French Bistro Salad for a crowd. In keeping with the dish’s somewhat French concept!
A side of crusty bread to sop up the sauce is something I would gladly accept, too. And who’s up for some freshly baked Madeleines as dessert? The batter may be prepared ahead of time (or frozen!) and kept in piping bags or jugs, making it a quick and easy solution for dinner parties. Next, you only need 2 minutes to pipe the mixture into the pan, and then bake it for 10 minutes.
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