HAKE SPINACH AND CHEDDAR BAKE
Hake cubes in cheddar cheese sauce baked on baby spinach and served on basmati. Family loves it! I want to try this with smoked haddock next time.
- 450 g box of hake prime medallions, defrosted in the fridge overnight (very important else your sauce will be watery)
- 1 litre milk, made into a thick white sauce with butter and cake flour
- 2 cups mature Cheddar cheese
- 200 g baby spinach leaves (no need to wilt before the time)
- smoked paprika
- ovenproof dish, 2 litre capacity sprayed with non-stick spray
Preheat oven to 180°C. (I used my LG Solardom oven)
Make the white sauce and stir 1 cup of cheese through. Put the spinach leaves on the bottom of the dish. Cut the hake medallions into 3 pieces each and scatter the cubes on top of the spinach.
Spoon the thick cheese sauce over covering everything.
Sprinkle the other cup of cheese over and bake for 30 minutes or until the hake is done.
Note:
If the fish was not defrosted completely your sauce will be very watery and diluted.
Another reason why the sauce has to be really thick as it does become more liquid during baking.
Sprinkle with the smoked paprika as it comes out of the oven.
Serve on basmati rice with a salad on the side.
Recipe: Elsabie Templeton
