Seafood Mornay
(serves 5-6)
Ingredients

200 gm green prawn cutlets (de-veined)
200 gm scallop flesh
100 gm squid tube, cut into rings or quartered
300-400 gm firm fleshed white fish (cod, kingfish, snapper)
1 litre water
1 litre milk
100 gm grated cheese (cheddar, fresh Parmesan, Gruyere, Swiss)
1 onion, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 glass Riesling or Semillon
pinch se salt & white pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
1/3 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
1 sprig dill
Method

In a pot bring 1 litre of water to a simmer. Season with a glass of
white wine, sea salt & half a lemon. Gently poach all the seafood in
turn. Remove and cool in cold water. Drain. (remember cook until just
done.) Add milk to seafood stock and thicken as per bechamel recipe.

In a heavy-based frying pan, saute, without colouring, the onions garlic
and celery in olive oil.

Add cooked drained seafood and then add enough Mornay sauce to cover
generously. Mix gently through, add seasoning if necessary and half of
the grated cheese. Mix in the spring onions.

Pour into a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake in
the oven until the top is golden brown €“ approximately 30 minutes.
Garnish with fresh dill and serve.

Note: If sauce is too thick add a splash of milk or white wine. A good
slurp of cream will add another creamy texture (you probably have
gathered by now that this is not a recipe approved by the Heart Foundation).
Accompaniment

Oven baked rice pilaf is a great partner for all Mornays.
Seafood Crepes

These are easy to make one you have prepared your seafood Mornay mix.

Make crepes as per basic crepe mix. Gently reheat some seafood mornay
mix, spoon some mix on half of the crepe, fold top of crepe over and
place in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Spoon a little more sauce over
the top. Repeat until you have the required number of crepes, sprinkle
with cheese and gratinate in oven or under the grill.
Wines

A good quality fruit-driven wine with some acid is needed to handle the
rich creaminess of the sauce and to compliment the subtle seafood flavours.

I suggest a riesling, semillon or a young unwooded chardonnay.
Mornay Sauce

There are several ways to make a Mornay sauce.

Make bechamel as per the following recipe.

Make the fish stock, poach seafood in stock, add milk and then thicken
the stock into a sauce (this method of preparation takes longer but
produces a sauce of exquisite flavours).

Poach seafood in some water seasoned with sea salt, half a lemon and a
glass of white wine. Then add enough milk to give 2 litres of liquid.
Fish Stock
(makes 5 litres)
Ingredients

75 gm butter
250 gm onion, finely sliced
1 small bayleaf
8 peppercorns
4 parsley sprigs
juice of 1 lemon
2 kg fish bones (whiting, dhufish, snapper, etc)
5 litres cold water
½ btle dry white wine (riesling/sauvignon blanc)
2 celery sticks
Method

Melt butter in saucepan, add onions, celery, bay leaf, peppercorns,
parsley and lemon juice.

Add washed bones, cover with lid and lightly stew for 5 minutes, until
without colour. Add water and wine and bring to the boil, skim and then
turn to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and cool. Freeze any unused stock.
Bechamel (white) Sauce
Ingredients

2 litres milk or a combination of milk and stock
50 gm onion
1 clove
1 small bayleaf
Method

Bring milk, onion, clove and bayleaf to the boil and allow to infuse for
5 minutes. Strain and gradually mix milk into the white roux (see
accompanying recipe) using a wooden spatula, avoiding all lumps.

Simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden or metal
spatula to prevent sticking. Pass through a fine strainer and cover with
butter to prevent the formation of a skin.
White Roux
(Enough for 2 litres of white sauce)
Ingredients

100 grams butter
100 grams plain flour
Method

Melt butter gently in heavy saucepan. Add flour, mix in well over a low
heat. Cook gently without colouring for approximately 5 minutes,
stirring regularly with a wooden spoon. Allow to cool.