A haddock loin poached for eight minutes, a lemon butter sauce whisked up in two: the Sunday dish in Reykjavík. Poaching is the gentlest method, the one that keeps the fine flesh of haddock intact and pearly. The sauce is made while the fish cooks.
- Serves 4
- Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 skinless Icelandic haddock loins (150 to 180 g each)
- 800 g waxy potatoes
- 1 litre water + 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of thyme, 1 tsp coarse salt (for poaching)
- 100 g cold butter, diced
- 1 lemon (juice and zest)
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 50 ml dry white wine
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- Salt, freshly ground pepper
Method
- Steam or boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes, until tender.
- In a large saucepan, bring the water to a simmer with the bay leaf, thyme and coarse salt. Slide in the loins and poach for 8 minutes at a gentle simmer, never boiling.
- Meanwhile, reduce the shallot and white wine in a small saucepan until a spoonful of liquid remains.
- Off the heat, whisk in the cold butter one cube at a time until the sauce is smooth and glossy. Add the lemon juice and zest, season with salt and pepper.
- Drain the loins on kitchen paper, plate with the potatoes, coat with the sauce and scatter with chives. Serve at once.
The right product
For poaching, take thick, skinless loins: Our skinless haddock loins, delivered chilled in 24 to 48 hours.