- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stick
- 1 garlic clove
- A handful of flat leaf parsley
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 bay leaf
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- ½ x 40g Parmesan
- 375g fish pie mix
- 50g sweet salad mix
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 100ml water
- 1.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Trim and peel the carrot, then finely dice it. Trim the dry ends from the celery and finely slice it.
- 2.
Put a frying pan on a medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil and the chopped veg. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over a medium–low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 mins till the veg have softened.
- 3.
While the veg sweat, peel and crush or grate the garlic. Finely chop the parsley stalks (keep the leaves for later).
- 4.
Stir the garlic, parsley stalks and 1 tsp ground coriander into the veg. Cook and stir for 1 min till the pan smells aromatic.
- 5.
Add the bay leaf and tip in the tin of tomatoes. Quarter fill the tomato tin with water (about 100ml) and add that to the pan. Pop on a lid and simmer for 15 mins, stirring a few times, till slightly thickened.
- 6.
Preheat your grill to high. Finely grate half the block of parmesan cheese. Roughly chop the parsley leaves.
- 7.
Taste the tomato sauce and add a pinch more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Divide the fish pie mix between a pair of 500ml heatproof dishes (or a 1 ltr dish). Pour the tomato sauce over the top, then scatter over the grated parmesan.
- 8.
Slide the dish, or dishes, under the hot grill for 5-8 mins till golden and bubbling. The chunks of fish should be cooked through – they'll be opaque and flake easily when pressed with a fork. Let the gratins cool for a few mins before serving with the salad leaves, garnished with the chopped parsley.
- Tip
Cheesey does it
You can use all the Parmesan to top your gratins, although this will affect the nutritional information. It will keep, wrapped, in your fridge for a few days. Grate it over pasta dishes or soups or try heaping little piles of grated Parmesan up on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for a few mins in a medium oven till melted. They will cool to form Parmesan crisps, that make a delicious snack or crunchy addition to a salad.