Smoked pollack with poached egg
Quick and easy to cook, and absolutely delicious to eat. Make sure you use very fresh eggs. As well as tasting better, they form smooth, round shapes in the poaching water.
Prep 2mins Cook 10mins Servs 4
Method
Cut the fish fillets in half and put them in a pan. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns, then pour on enough milk just to cover the fish. Put the lid on and bring to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat. This should be enough to cook the fish through. If it isn't quite cooked - i.e. if it doesn't break easily into flakes - turn it over, cover again and leave in the hot milk (off the heat) for a couple of minutes. Remove the fish from the milk and keep warm.
Meanwhile, put the spinach in a large pan with a little salt and pepper and a glug of olive oil. Set the pan over a medium-high heat and sweat the spinach briefly in its own juices until completely collapsed. Drain off any excess liquid.
Bring a small pan of water to the boil for poaching the eggs. Add the cider vinegar. Stir the water with a spoon to create a whirlpool. Crack the eggs into the whirlpool (or break them on to saucers first, then tip them in), turn the heat down to minimum and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the whites are set. Remove the eggs carefully with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Put the fish fillets on warm plates and pile the hot, wilted spinach alongside. Top with a poached egg. Take to the table and let your guest - fractious wife or otherwise - break the egg so the golden yolk spills out.
Ingredients
- 2 fillets (about 400g) smoked pollack (or smoked haddock)
- 2 bay leaves
- A few black peppercorns
- Up to 500ml whole milk
- 400g fresh spinach, washed and coarse stalks removed
- Olive oil
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 large, very fresh organic eggs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Fish Cookery
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