Haddock Recipes

When buying a whole haddock for baking or grilling, always look for a fresh one. Check to ensure its eyes are bright and clear, and that the fish has a mild, clean scent of the sea. Most Irish fishmongers and supermarkets will gut whole fish for you and scrub the skin to remove the tougher scales, but you can also do this easily at home.

When you get a whole haddock fish home, prepare it for cooking by:

Cleaning - Rinse the entire fish thoroughly under cold running water and pat it dry with some kitchen paper.

Slashing - Score the skin of the haddock on either side to help other flavours penetrate the flesh. A couple of shallow cuts on each side are perfect.

Seasoning - Season the inside of the cavity and the outer skin with a pinch of salt and a generous pinch of ground black pepper.

Oiling - Rub a little olive oil by hand over the outside of the fish and into the cavity so it stays wonderfully moist when cooking.

Adding herbs - Stuff herbs, such as parsley or dill, into the fish. You can also pop a clove of garlic inside if you want, but this is completely optional.

The haddock will now be ready for baking. Although not all baked recipes will call for each of these steps, they are worth it for the improved texture and flavour they produce.

Smoked haddock is an excellent choice for anyone following a pescatarian meal plan. That said, this tasty recipe will be just as welcome among meat eaters, especially for a traditional Friday evening meal. If you would like to prepare smoked haddock fillets for a meal for two, then follow the recipe outlined below. Simply increase the quantities to serve three or four people with further smoked haddock fillets. For larger numbers of diners, you may need to poach the haddock fillets in batches, depending on the size of the pan you have available.

1. Take the smoked haddock fillets out of the fridge and allow them to come up to room temperature. A portion size of about 150 grams per person works beautifully, while younger kids will be happy with half of that.
2. Gently heat 300 ml of whole milk in a shallow pan, such as a skillet. Add a bay leaf or two, plus some ground pepper, to season the milk.
3. Using a fish slice or a spatula, lift each smoked haddock fillet into the pan, skin-side down, allowing it to rest on the surface of the milk, partially submerged.
4. Bring the heat up until the milk begins to simmer, then turn it down straight away. You do not want to boil the liquid furiously or reduce it until the pan dries out.
5. Continue to poach the fillets for between five and six minutes, or slightly longer for thicker pieces of fish.
6. Carefully remove the now-cooked fillets and plate them up. Don’t serve them in the poaching milk, but keep this liquid to make the sauce.
7. If you want to make a fish sauce from the leftover milk, first make a roux by melting butter and plain flour together in a non-stick saucepan.
8. Little by little, pour the poaching milk into the roux, heating and stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add freshly chopped parsley to the thickened milk sauce and pour it over the smoked haddock fillets.