Smoked Haddock and Parsley Sauce for Pasta Recipe

This hearty sauce made with smoked haddock makes any hollow pasta shape into a healthy lunch or supper. Shell-shaped pasta is ideal to hold the sauce, but corkscrew and tube shapes work just as well. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

8 ounces pasta shells

1/2 ounce toasted sliced almonds, to serve

For the smoked haddock and parsley sauce:

1 pound smoked haddock fillet

1 small leek or onion, thickly sliced

1 1/4 cups milk

bouquet garni (bay leaf, thyme and parsley stems)

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt and ground black pepper

Method: 

1. Remove all the skin and any bones from the haddock and discard. Put into a pan with the leek or onion, milk and bouquet garni. bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily.
2. Strain, reserving the milk for making the sauce, and discard the bouquet garni. 
3. put the butter or margarine, flour and reserved milk into a pan. Bring to a boil and whisk untul smooth. Season and add the fish and leek or onion. 
4. Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente.
5. Drain thoroughly and stir into the sauce with the chopped parsley. Serve immediately, with toasted slice almonds.

Source: France, Christine. 2007. The Complete Guide to Make Sauces. Hermes House: London.