Sarasota's Scalloped Fish Casserole
"Several years ago, I had this great dish from a small "Seafood Shack," a little Hole in the Wall restaurant up in CT. I got some of the ingredients from the waiter, but this is my version. Now they served it in individual casserole dishes, as I do, but this can easily be made in a larger 13x9 casserole dish. It is pretty basic but so comforting. Cod or halibut or haddock, potatoes, and cheese in a creamy sauce with a crunchy topping. One note ... don't use bread crumbs / use cracker crumbs, use milk / not cream, use leeks and gruyere or swiss / not cheddar. Great dish. Now it does cook a while, but doesn't take long to put together. I like to make this and then go ahead and make a vegetable side dish. I like to serve this with some broccoli raab. Nothing else needed."
- Ready In:
- 1hr 5mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 1 1⁄4 lbs cod, haddock (just cut in 4-6 pieces) or 1 1/4 lbs even halibut (just cut in 4-6 pieces)
- 1 lb russet potato, peeled and rough chopped 1-inch bite size pieces
- 1⁄2 lb leek, just the white parts
- 1 medium onion, cut in half and rough chopped
- 3⁄4 cup gruyere or 3/4 cup swiss cheese
- 2 tablespoons sherry wine
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- salt
- pepper
-
Topping
- 3⁄4 cup cracker crumb (I use Ritz, NO bread crumbs)
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
directions
- Fish -- In a small pot topped with a steamer or colander, add enough water to the bottom so you can steam the fish, but you don't want too much water so when it boils it comes through the steamer or colander. Cook on a low boil. Add the fish and cook the fish for 4-6 minutes until opaque. Remove to cool in a small bowl. Then lightly break up, don't flake, just break up. Just keep in the bowl for right now.
- Potatoes and Leeks -- Add the potatoes and Leeks to the same steamer or colander and cook 6-8 minutes until tender. Don't over cook, just slightly tender. Remove and add to the bowl with the fish. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water to use in the sauce.
- Sauce -- Using that same pot, the bottom half only, melt the butter and then stir in the flour and cook for just a minute on medium heat until you have a nice roux or thickening agent. You don't want it to brown. Then add in the milk, reserved water, salt and pepper and cook on medium until the sauce thickens. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Then finish by adding the sherry wine and cheese. Cook on low until the cheese is melted.
- Topping -- Just mix the cracker crumbs, melted butter and parsley.
- Casserole -- In a 13x9" pan, spray with Pam or a non stick stick spray and add the fish and potatoes. Then pour the sauce over the casserole and finish with the cracker crumb topping.
- Bake -- Loosely cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes. After 15 minutes remove the foil and continue cooking. Cooking until brown and bubbly.
- Serve -- A nice side of broccoli raab and you don't need anything else. A perfect cold night dinner.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
SarasotaCook
Sarasota, Florida
<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
