CHEDDAR CRUSTED HADDOCK WITH A CREME FRAICHE SAUCE

I am trying to cook more fish this year as it is so good for you and much healthier than most meats. I am never that excited about eating fish - its not exactly a four cheese and pepperoni pizza, is it? - however I generally really enjoy it when I eat it.

This is from a Waitrose recipe card and it took around 20 minutes. I actually didnt follow the recipe exactly as I did not read the card properly but it worked out well in the end.

Ingredients for 2 people:

2 haddock fillets (about 150g each)
2 rounded tablespoons of half fat creme fraiche
15g pack of fresh chives, snipped (I couldnt buy chives and so used dill)
20g butter
150ml whole milk (I just used semi skimmed as that is what I had)
Black pepper
1 tablespoon
3 rounded tablespoons grated cheddar cheese

To serve:
Peas

Preheat the grill to its highest setting with the shelf about 15cm from the heat and line a baking tray with buttered foil.

In a frying pan, place the fish skin side down and add a little freshly milled black pepper but no salt. Then pour in the milk - it wont cover the fish completely but that doesnt matter. Bring the heat up so it simmers gently (uncovered) for around 6-8 minutes - I did 8 minutes.

Meanwhile mix the breadcrumbs and cheese and season with black pepper. I never have preprepared breadcrumbs so I just blitz some bread in the blender and make my own.

When the fish is ready, transfer to the lined baking tray using a fish slice and then sprinkle with the cheese and breadcrumb mixture. Pop under the grill for 5-6 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling. I also started boiling the water and got ready to cook the peas at this point.

This is where I went wrong in the recipe - after removing the fish from the frying pan, I automatically put the pan in the sink and covered with washing up liquid. In fact, I was meant to use this left over milk as the basis of the sauce. Whoops! So if you want to do it the proper way, whisk the creme fraiche into the frying pan of milk over a medium heat. I just heated the creme fraiche with some black pepper in a saucepan.

Add the butter and some chives (or dill in my case), keep a few left over to sprinkle with at the end. Taste and season if necessary.

When everything is ready, serve the fish with the peas and a big dollop of sauce. Finally sprinkle with a few leftover herbs.

Even though I messed up the sauce, my version worked really well and added some moisture to the fish as even though I loved the cheese topping, it was a little dry. Arabella had a touch of mayonnaise however I am sure a spoonful of tartar sauce would also work well. We served this with peas however new potatoes and spinach would also work very well - Arabella suggested french fries although that would change the health factor!!

I would definitely cook this again as its a nice way to serve fish, next time I just need to read the recipe properly!!

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CADBURYS CREME EGG BROWNIES

Arabella decided that she wanted to do some baking this afternoon. I then thought it was the perfect opportunity to make the Cadburys creme egg brownies I have been thinking about since finding the recipe on the Internet a couple of months ago. Although in typical fashion I ended up doing all the cooking and all the eating - she chose barbies and haribo - and now I feel like a heffalump!!

This wasnt my most successful recipe as I didnt use the right size dish and I had to cook the brownies for lot longer than suggested and they didnt look as "pretty" as I was hoping. However if you like chocolate, you certainly wont be disappointed!!

Ingredients for around 12 brownies:

185g unsalted butter

185g best dark chocolate

85g plain flour

40g cocoa powder

3 large eggs

275g golden caster sugar

6 Cadbury creme eggs, cut in half (easier said than done)!

Preheat the oven to 170 C and grease a 20cm square baking tray (as I mentioned my tray wasnt big enough). I also added a layer of baking parchment as it is easier to remove the brownie at the end.

Melt the dark chocolate and butter together either in the microwave or in a bowl over boiling water (what I did).

Break the 3 large eggs into a bowl (Arabellas job!) and add the 275g of sugar.

With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy like a milkshake. This should take about 5 minutes and the egg and sugar mixture should have a paler colour and have doubled its original volume. I was very excited to use my new hand mixer for the first time!

Once the chocolate and butter is melted and cooled, fold it into the eggy mousse.

Next sieve the cocoa and flour over the chocolate and eggy mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly.

Then gently fold into the mixture.

Then pour into the baking tin.

According to the recipe you cook for just 15 minutes before you add the creme eggs however I found this was no way long enough. Instead I would suggest cooking for 25 minutes.

Then take out the oven and press in the halved creme eggs (due to my smaller dish I could only fit in 4.5). These were pretty messy to cut!!

Then according to the recipe you are meant to cook for just another 5 minutes however I cooked for another 15 minutes. I would suggest checking after 10 minutes and seeing how its doing.

Finally set aside to cool and then cut into squares and enjoy!

No marks for presentation but 100% chocolately!! Wow! I added a little bit of vanilla ice cream and it was totally delicious - obviously I overdid it so am feeling like a fat little piglet but it was worth it. I will admit I prefer my Break-Your-Diet-Brownies but these are a great alternative and perfect for Easter. I dont know how I am going to resist them tomorrow as I am having a 500 calories day….I might have to lock them in the safe!!

PS It is even better the next day after being in the fridge….I think I am going to overindulge today!!!

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