Seafood Lasagne

This British-style seafood lasagne replaces the traditional meat ragu with poached haddock and cod flaked into a from-scratch cheddar bechamel. Prawns, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and sweetcorn round out the filling for a hearty, comforting bake that’s a world away from the usual bolognese version.

The technique is smart and efficient. Poach the fish in milk with a bay leaf, then use that fish-infused milk to build the bechamel sauce. Every drop of flavor from the poaching liquid ends up in the finished dish. The sauce gets enriched with cheddar, parsley, and a pinch of cayenne for warmth.

Two-thirds of the sauce gets mixed into the fish filling, while the remaining third goes on top as a final creamy layer that bakes into a golden crust with extra cheese and parsley sprinkled over.

Chef Tips

• Poach the fish gently. A bare simmer for 3 to 5 minutes is all it needs. Hard boiling toughens the flesh and breaks it into tiny fragments instead of nice flakes.
• Strain the poaching milk through a fine sieve to catch any skin, bones, or bay leaf before making the bechamel.
• Stir the bechamel constantly to avoid lumps. Adding the milk gradually and whisking after each addition is the safest method.
• Include the liquid from the canned sweetcorn as the recipe says. It adds subtle sweetness to the filling and extra moisture for the long bake.

Variations

• Add smoked haddock for half of the plain haddock for a deeper, smokier flavor throughout.
• Use a mix of seafood: scallops, mussels, or crab alongside the fish and prawns.
• Swap cheddar for Gruyere for a more French-style gratin finish.