Creamy Cod Cheek & Leek Bake
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Total: 45 mins
A favourite cut among chefs, cod cheeks’ are meaty and great at absorbing flavour. Here they get some quality time in a creamy veg-packed white sauce, topped with crispy breadcrumbs and served with purple sprouting broccoli.
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542 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 4 leeks
  • 2 carrot
  • 2 garlic clove
  • 200g kale
  • 2 lemon
  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • 700ml full cream milk
  • 580g cod cheeks
  • 100g breadcrumbs
  • 400g purple sprouting broccoli
From your kitchen
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
You'll need
  • Large pan
  • Measuring jug
  • Ovenproof dish
  • Medium pan
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Warm your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Trim the roots and top 3cm off the leeks, and give them a good rinse under a cold tap. Shake the leeks dry, then thinly slice them. Scrub the carrot and finely chop it (no need to peel). Peel and finely chop the garlic.

  • 2.

    Pour 1 tbsp oil into a large pan and warm to a medium heat. Add the leeks, carrot and garlic. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, till softened.

  • 3.

    While the veg fry, strip the kale leaves away from their thick stalks. Finely shred the leaves. Finely grate the zest from the lemon.

  • 4.

    Measure 350ml milk in a jug. Once the veg are soft, add 2 tbsp flour to the pan and stir well. Fry for a further 1 min, then pour in a little of the milk. Stir the milk into the veg and flour, till thick and incorporated. Slowly pour in the rest of the milk, stirring continuously, till you are left with a thick sauce. Bring to a simmer.

  • 5.

    When the leek and milk sauce is simmering, stir in the kale and lemon zest. Taste the sauce and add more sat and pepper if needed. Remove the pan from the heat.

  • 6.

    Fold the cod cheeks through the sauce. Spoon the contents of the pan into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 20 mins, till golden and bubbling.

  • 7.

    Meanwhile, fill a medium pan with water and sprinkle in a little salt. Bring to the boil. Trim any dry ends off the purple sprouting broccoli. Slice any thicker stalks in half, so that all of the broccoli is roughly the same size. Just before the fish is ready, add the broccoli to the boiling water. Simmer for 3-4 mins, till the stalks are just tender. Drain the broccoli well.

  • 8.

    Divide the cod cheek bake and cooked broccoli between 2 warm plates. Serve with wedges of the lemon on the side for squeezing.

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