Ingredients

• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 onion
• sliced
• 115g/4oz leek
• chopped
• 115g/4oz celery
• chopped
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1kg/2lb 2oz white fish bones
• washed and chopped
• 1 handful parsley stalks
• 10 whole white peppercorns
• 2 lemon slices
• 25g/1oz butter
• 115g/4oz shallots
• sliced
• 115g/4oz button mushrooms
• sliced
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 300ml/10fl oz white wine
• 1 litre/1¾ pints fish stock (made above)
• 800ml/1 pint 8fl oz double cream
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1.3 litres/2¼ pints milk
• 1 onion
• halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves
• 10 black peppercorns
• 4 x 175g/6oz natural smoked haddock
• pin boned and skin on
• 4 free-range eggs
• for poaching
• 50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar
• 50ml/2fl oz olive oil
• 500g/1lb 2oz spinach
• 115g/4oz chives
• finely chopped
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• skinned
• seeds removed and cut into diamonds
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the fish stock
• in a large pan
• add the butter and gently fry the onions
• leek and celery with the thyme and bay leaf
• without browning.
• Then add 2 litres/3½ pints water
• the fish bones
• parsley stalks and peppercorns. Bring the stock up to a boil
• turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the fish stock
• skimming occasionally. Simmer the stock for 20 minutes only - otherwise it will go cloudy.
• Take the stock off the heat
• pour into a large container
• add the lemon slices and cover the container with cling film. Leave to cool with all the bones and vegetables in.
• Once cooled
• place in the fridge and leave overnight if possible.
• Next day
• take the stock out and strain through a sieve. It is now ready to use.
• For the white wine sauce
• heat a frying pan until medium hot
• add the butter
• shallots
• mushrooms
• thyme and bay leaf and cook for a few minutes
• without browning.
• Add the white wine and reduce until the liquid has almost completely evaporated then add the fish stock and cook until reduced in volume again until almost evaporated.
• Add the double cream
• bring to a simmer and cook on a gentle simmer very carefully for 20 minutes.
• Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan.
• For the haddock Monte Carlo
• pour the milk into a large pan add the onion studded with the bay leaf and cloves
• the peppercorns and 200ml/7fl oz water. Bring to a simmer.
• Carefully place the haddock fillets
• skin side up
• into the liquid and simmer for five minutes.
• Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer and add the white wine vinegar. Crack the eggs into the water and cook for three minutes.
• Remove the eggs from the pan
• and keep warm in clean hot water on stove ready for use.
• Heat a frying pan until hot
• add the olive oil and spinach and cook gently
• until just wilted
• then remove from the pan.
• Place the spinach into a colander and press to drain off any excess liquid.
• To serve
• warm four plates. Remove the haddock fillets from the poaching liquid and gently peel back the skin.
• Place a small amount of spinach in the centre of each plate and place a haddock fillet on top.Sit a small amount of spinach on top of the haddock
• this will act as a nest for the poached egg and prevent it from slipping.
• Liberally spoon sauce over the fish and scatter over the chives and tomatoes. Serve with boiled parsley potatoes and a simple green salad.