The dish can be served with crusty bread and pan-fried tenderstem broccoli
Chef Marcus Wareing on a visit to Maghull High School earlier this year(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Merseyside-born Michelin star chef Marcus Wareing has shared a recipe for what he describes as a ‘deliciously easy’ fish supper. The Masterchef: The Professionals judge, who is from Southport, learned his trade on a catering course at Southport College.
He went on to work with esteemed chefs such as Albert Roux and Gordon Ramsay before opening his own restaurants, two of which gained a Michelin star each. Now 54, Wareing is a frequent face on television screens.
His recipe for baked haddock with lentils and mascarpone, which can be found on the BBC Food website, takes under half an hour to prepare and 30 minutes to an hour to cook. It serves four people.
Wareing said: “A deliciously easy fish supper that can be popped into the oven and left to cook while you get on with other things. Serve with crusty bread and pan-fried tenderstem broccoli if you like.”
To begin making this dish, place four boneless haddock fillets (weighing around 150g each, with the skin removed) in a large wide bowl and cover with four tablespoons of rock salt. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes, then rinse the salt off under cold running water.
Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan.
Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large casserole dish. Add two thinly sliced onions, season well with salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes until softened.
Add one crushed clove of garlic and cook for a further three minutes.
Stir a teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika into the dish, followed by two tablespoons of tomato purée. Cook for a minute and then mix in 250ml of tomato juice and 600ml of good-quality chicken or vegetable stock.
Season again with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Add 250g of Puy lentils, mix well, cover with a lid, or foil, and place in the oven for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Remove the casserole from the oven. Place the salted haddock fillets into the mixture, pressing them down with a spoon so they are almost submerged.
Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the fillets. Pop the lid back on and return the casserole to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for five minutes, covered, until the fish has cooked through.
Place 100g of mascarpone in a bowl with two tablespoons of full-fat milk, half a lemon’s zest and a pinch each of salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Dollop on top of the fish and lentils.
Pop the casserole back in the oven for two minutes. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.
For more meals you can cook at home, visit our ‘recipes’ page by clicking here.