Haddock Au Gratin

With Lenny Linquata

The secret to making a cheese sauce (in this case made with extra sharp cheddar) is to make a rue, which is equal parts flour and butter. The rue will act as a thickening agent when added to the warm milk and cheese mixture. While making the cheese sauce poach the haddock in two tablespoons water and sprinkled with some pepper at 425 degrees (F) for about 8 minutes. When done, lightly cover the haddock with some breadcrumbs and return to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes to brown. When done, cover the haddock with two ounces of sauce or as much cheese sauce as suits your taste, and serve with potato, vegetable and in this case an apple cranberry relish.

Ingredients

1 fillet fresh haddock, 6 to 8 ounces
2 tablespoons water
Pepper to taste
Breadcrumbs (see recipe below)

For cheese sauce:
½ cup butter
½ cup flour
1 quart milk
1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

For Haddock:
1. Place haddock onto baking pan with two tablespoons of water and pepper, bake in pre-heated oven (425 degrees) for about 8 minutes, enough to par boil it.
2. Remove from oven, coat with about ¼ cup cheese sauce, cover lightly with breadcrumbs and return to oven about 4 minutes, until breadcrumbs have browned on top.
3. Remove from oven and serve with your side dishes of choice. The Gloucester House suggests mashed potatoes, broccoli and cranberry apple relish.

For Cheese Sauce:
1. Mix together the butter and flour, stirring over medium heat in a saucepan until it becomes bubbly and melds together.
2. Preheat milk and add to flour mixture, stirring until you make a sauce.
3. Add cheese slowly and stir as it melts into the sauce. It will thicken as you stir over the heat.

The Gloucester House Breadcrumbs (Family Recipe)

Yield:
Makes 4 ½ cups

Ingredients:
3 cups bread crumbs
1 cup of Ritz crackers, crushed
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
¼ cup fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Mix together and store in refrigerator if not used at once.

Recipes Courtesy of The Gloucester House Restaurant, 2010.

Lenny obtained an AS degree from the Culinary Institute in America in Hyde Park, New York in 1972 and graduated from University of Massachusetts Amherst with a BS cum laude in Hotel and Restaurant Management in 1976. Lenny wears many hats around the restaurant from cooking behind the line, to creating new seafood dishes, to ensuring functions run smoothly. He has a passion for politics and local history and is an award-winning raconteur. Today, Lenny's wife, Dottie, is the office manager and his brother, Michael Jr., is the assistant manager of the Gloucester House. The restaurant, located on Gloucester's working waterfront, opened its doors for business in April of 1958 when Lenny's father, Michael Linquata, started the restaurant with two partners. In 1966 Michael took full control over the restaurant. Since then he has remained President of the company.