- 25g/1oz butter
- 1 onion, sliced
- 115g/4oz leek, chopped
- 115g/4oz celery, chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1kg/2lb 2oz white fish bones, washed and chopped
- 1 handful parsley stalks
- 10 whole white peppercorns
- 2 lemon slices
- 25g/1oz butter
- 115g/4oz shallots, sliced
- 115g/4oz button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 300ml/10fl oz white wine
- 1 litre/1¾ pints fish stock (made above)
- 800ml/1 pint 8fl oz double cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1.3 litres/2¼ pints milk
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cloves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 4 x 175g/6oz natural smoked haddock, pin boned and skin on
- 4 free-range eggs, for poaching
- 50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar
- 50ml/2fl oz olive oil
- 500g/1lb 2oz spinach
- 115g/4oz chives, finely chopped
- 3 ripe tomatoes, skinned, seeds removed and cut into diamonds
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the fish stock, in a large pan, add the butter and gently fry the onions, leek and celery with the thyme and bay leaf, without browning.
- Then add 2 litres/3½ pints water, the fish bones, parsley stalks and peppercorns. Bring the stock up to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the fish stock, skimming occasionally. Simmer the stock for 20 minutes only – otherwise it will go cloudy.
- Take the stock off the heat, pour into a large container, add the lemon slices and cover the container with cling film. Leave to cool with all the bones and vegetables in.
- Once cooled, place in the fridge and leave overnight if possible.
- Next day, take the stock out and strain through a sieve. It is now ready to use.
- For the white wine sauce, heat a frying pan until medium hot, add the butter, shallots, mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf and cook for a few minutes, without browning.
- Add the white wine and reduce until the liquid has almost completely evaporated then add the fish stock and cook until reduced in volume again until almost evaporated.
- Add the double cream, bring to a simmer and cook on a gentle simmer very carefully for 20 minutes.
- Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan.
- For the haddock Monte Carlo, pour the milk into a large pan add the onion studded with the bay leaf and cloves, the peppercorns and 200ml/7fl oz water. Bring to a simmer.
- Carefully place the haddock fillets, skin side up, into the liquid and simmer for five minutes.
- Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer and add the white wine vinegar. Crack the eggs into the water and cook for three minutes.
- Remove the eggs from the pan, and keep warm in clean hot water on stove ready for use.
- Heat a frying pan until hot, add the olive oil and spinach and cook gently, until just wilted, then remove from the pan.
- Place the spinach into a colander and press to drain off any excess liquid.
- To serve, warm four plates. Remove the haddock fillets from the poaching liquid and gently peel back the skin.
- Place a small amount of spinach in the centre of each plate and place a haddock fillet on top.Sit a small amount of spinach on top of the haddock, this will act as a nest for the poached egg and prevent it from slipping.
- Liberally spoon sauce over the fish and scatter over the chives and tomatoes. Serve with boiled parsley potatoes and a simple green salad.