Haddock and Cauliflower Cheese Bake

This is a good low carb, but very filling main course. It’s really just pimped up cauliflower cheese, which is one of my favourite side dishes. When I saw this recipe with the addition of fish, I knew it would go down well in my house. I added the prawns and courgettes because they needed to be used up, but they made a great addition.

It’s not the most glamorous of dishes, but it’s a good winter warmer without the stodge. I think we could all do with a little less stodge after Christmas, no?!

Adapted from a recipe in Olive magazine.

Serves 4

½ a small cauliflower, broken into florets
whole milk, for poaching
butter, for greasing
200g spinach, wilted
1 courgette, cut into batons and blanched
4 pieces skinless haddock fillet
25g butter
25g plain flour
300ml whole milk
100g cheddar, grated, plus a handful to top
1 egg yolk
handful of frozen pre-cooked prawns

Heat the oven to 200ºC. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually stir in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes then stir in the cheese until melted. Cool a little, season, then stir in the egg yolk.
Put the cauliflower in a pan and just cover with half milk and half water. Bring to the boil then simmer for two minutes. Drain well.
Butter a heatproof dish and add the spinach, courgette and prawns. Add the cauliflower and pour the sauce on top. Put the haddock fillets on top and finish with a little more sauce and more cheddar. Bake for 12-15 minutes until bubbling.