Fish à la Crème

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups (approximately 225 g) cold flaked fish (cod, haddock, halibut, or cusk)
• 1 cup (240 ml) White Sauce I (see note)
• 1 bit of bay leaf (1 small leaf)
• 1 sprig of parsley
• 1 ¼ slice onion
• 1 Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 ½ cup (40 g) buttered cracker crumbs

Instructions

1. 1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly butter a small ovenproof platter approximately 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter or equivalent individual scallop shells.
2. 2. Scald the milk intended for White Sauce I (technique: scalding — heating milk just until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan, approximately 180°F / 82°C, before it reaches a full boil). Add the bay leaf, parsley sprig, and onion slice to the milk during scalding to infuse flavor. Strain out the aromatics, then proceed to make White Sauce I using the infused milk according to its formula.
3. 3. Spread one-half of the flaked fish (approximately ¾ cup / 112 g) in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared platter. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour one-half of the White Sauce (approximately ½ cup / 120 ml) evenly over the fish.
4. 4. Repeat the layers: spread the remaining fish over the sauce, season again with salt and pepper, and pour the remaining White Sauce over the top.
5. 5. Cover the surface evenly with the buttered cracker crumbs (approximately ½ cup / 40 g).
6. 6. Bake in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven for 12–18 minutes, until the crumb topping is deep golden brown and the sauce is visibly bubbling at the edges. The dish is ready when the crumbs are uniformly browned and the interior registers at least 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.