Earlier in the week I watched a bit of Rick Stein’s Secret France. He was journeying around France seeking out restaurants and recipes that the locals eat. It was fascinating to hear how many times he mentioned two things, fish and Brittany. His whole journey went nowhere near Brittany, which is known as the breadbasket of Europe. So much fresh produce comes from here including; fruit, vegetables and milk and cheeses and of course fish. Bizarrely as he headed further east on his journey, ever further from a coast he talked endlessly about fish dishes.
I was inspired by his cooking and decided that I would get fish from the market and make something today loosely based on what he made. Anyone who knows me, knows I rarely follow a recipe to the letter. Sometimes it is difficult to source all of the ingredients, sometimes the ingredients are so expensive some cheaper alternatives are needed.
My dish has been loosely based on his seafood gratin. Normally if I do something like this I would use frozen fish because it is so much cheaper. On this occasion I have used fresh fish but no cream or milk. I had a bottle of rosé wine open in the fridge so I have used that instead of the white wine. And given the cost of the fish, I have added hard boiled eggs in order that it will last us two days. Otherwise it would be very expensive. Oh and I have added half a bulb of fennel that I fried with the leeks. For years I thought I didn’t like fennel. I’ve discovered that I love it! And of course it goes beautifully with fish.
This week in the UK is mental health awareness week. Our diet is unbelievably important to mindfulness, wellbeing and flourishing. Sometimes we really don’t feel up to cooking, it’s a pfaff, it can make a mess and it certainly takes time. If I make a meal that takes longer I always try to ensure that there is at least enough for two days, no need to cook tomorrow and even better if I can also put a portion in the freezer. Living as we do, in the middle of nowhere we have two under-counter freezers because we can’t keep running back and forth to shops, so there is usually enough space to slip something else in if I make something special. Unfortunately there isn’t enough to freeze anything on this occasion, that’s for another day.
Until tomorrow…
Tales from the Sheshed France 
Fish – brain food they used to call it when I was a kid. I love fennel too! Samphire is also lovely with gratin dishes.
I have always put eggs in fish ‘pie’ type dishes. Gives them a lovely creaminess.
When I watch Rick Stein I only ever hear him salivating over wine. As a new convert to wine drinking since retirement I can only envy the choice available to you! I’m no connoisseur and the bargain basement bottles here are £5 (mostly tax). Interestingly enough I love rose wines and am working my way through Lidl’s recommendations at the moment – the French smash it!
We end up eating the same meals two days on the trot generally – I just make too much – I’m still cooking family size meals 🙄. Chicken roast leftovers are always best because I can convert to great curries (having watched Took)! Fish ‘pies’ always by extra eggs/mild cheese sauce/extra mash.
Enough of this nonsense – you will think can’t cook/won’t cook Sue can 😂.
Love as always 🤗
LikeLike
Your comments make me smile which is lovely. The local supermarket is currently doing a very drinkable rosé at €2.35 a bottle. I haven’t done the conversion to£ but it’s quite cheap! Last time I was over, I was somewhat horrified by the price of quite mediocre wine. I love fish it’s expensive here as well as the UK. Fresh sardines are cheap and at certain times of the year so are mackerel, the rest is as I said. However from time to time we have to eat something really delicious!
LikeLike