Cod and Vegetable Bake with creamy Mashed Potatoes

For five people (quantities for ten are given below)

butter for greasing
5 cod fillets (about 100g each)
about 25g butter
2 large onions, finely chopped
150g mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
500g large firm tomatoes, cored and thickly sliced
salt and pepper
65g Cheddar cheese, grated
110g fresh white breadcrumbs *
625g potatoes
30g butter for the potatoes

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5.
2. Grease a deep baking tray. Arrange the cod portions on the base of the tray.
3. Heat 25g butter in a frying pan over low heat, add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until slightly soft. Remove them from the frying pan, add and cook the sliced mushrooms in the same way, adding more butter if necessary.
4. Cook the peppers in a pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Please don’t under or over-boil them.
5. Spread the onions over the fish fillets then top each one with some of the chopped peppers and then top with some of the mushrooms.
6. Next cover the fish fillets with slices of tomato and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Combine the cheese and breadcrumbs in a bowl and sprinkle this over the tomatoes like a crumble topping.
8. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes. Check that the fish is hot and fully cooked by pressing the top of the fish that’s in the centre of the tray. If it’s barely firm it’s ready. (If it’s too firm, or hard, the fish will be dry and overcooked.)
9. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until tender. Drain, cover and leave for 5 minutes. Add the butter and salt and pepper to taste then beat or mash until the potatoes are soft and creamy and free from any lumps. Serve dollops of mashed potato alongside the fish.

* If you can’t find fresh white breadcrumbs to buy, you can make them. For this dish, take about 200g of white bread, remove the crusts and bake the bread in a 150C/300C/gas 2 oven for about 10 minutes or until the bread is dry. Whiz it in a food processor to crumbs. Use them right away or store them in an airtight container.

Each serving provides:
Kcal: 461
Protein: 32g
Fat: 16.8g (of which saturated fat: 8.8g)
Carbohydrate: 44.9g (of which sugars: 10.6g)
Fibre: 4.7g

Nutrition Points:

a) This recipe is high in vitamin C.
b) This recipe is rich in vitamin B12.

Serving Suggestions:

a) Alternatively serve this dish with boiled new potatoes, with rusty wholemeal bread or - for extra nutrients – with brown rice.
b) Steamed vegetables, such as French beans, would also go well with this dish.
c) For vegetarians who also eat fish, remember that vegetarian cheese could be used in this recipe.
d) For a low-lactose diet, use a soya cheese substitute for the Cheddar.

For ten people

butter for greasing
10 cod fillets (about 100g each)
about 50g butter
4 large onions, finely chopped
300g mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1kg large firm tomatoes, cored and thickly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
130g Cheddar cheese, grated
220g fresh white breadcrumbs* (see below)
1.3kg potatoes
60g butter for the potatoes

* If you can’t find fresh white breadcrumbs to buy, you can make them. For this dish, take about 300g of white bread, remove the crusts and bake the bread in a 150C/300C/gas 2 oven for about 10 minutes or until the bread is dry. Whiz it in a food processor to crumbs. Use them right away or store them in an airtight container.

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