When I was in high school, our family traveled to San Francisco. My mother’s uncle, who lived there, took us to a restaurant on Fisherman’s Wharf and insisted on ordering for us—Creamed Turbot au Gratin. Now we were Midwesterners, unfamiliar with any fish other than perch or what we could find frozen in the supermarket, so we were very skeptical. Once I tasted the turbot, I thought it was one of the most delicious things I’d ever eaten. This Creamed Fish au Gratin is my attempt to recreate that dish.

Being a widower and now living alone, I very much appreciate dishes that can be reheated, saving me from having to cook for myself every night. Fish dishes are notoriously poor reheaters. However, a fish dish that is gratinéed can be nicely reheated as long as any leftovers are refrigerated before being gratinéed.

Turbot is, indeed, the best choice, for this Creamed Fish au Gratin, but it has become so scarce even in New York City markets and so expensive when it is found, that I substituted cod. Halibut is another, if more expensive, option.

For the Court Bouillon

This dish (actually all dishes  requiring a sauce) is only as good as the stock you use. Therefore a well-flavored court bouillon is essential and not hard to make. Without it, you will have a very bland dish.

In a large kettle, bring  clam juice, milk, white wine, onion, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer the bouillon for 10-15 minutes.

Add the fish fillets. 

Cook the fillets just until they begin to flake easily.

Remove the fillets to a plate with a slotted implement.  Flake the fish, being certain to remove any bones or skin, and set aside.

Strain the solids out of the bouillon and discard them.

For the Velouté Sauce

Heat the court bouillon liquid in saucepan. Melt  butter in a large heavy pot, and whisk in flour, cooking for several minutes without allowing it to brown. This is called a roux.

Bring the court bouillon to a boil, and add it to the flour-butter mixture, whisking constantly until it is smooth and thick.

In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and the cream together.

Gradually beat a cup of the thickened sauce into the egg yolks and cream to gently warm it.

Then beat that cream mixture back into the velouté sauce, continuing to cook very gently.

Season the sauce with fresh-grated nutmeg, lemon juice,  sea salt and white pepper to taste. If you feel the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little bit of extra cream. Keep the sauce hot. Just before assembling the dish, fold in 1⁄2 cup Parmigiano into the hot sauce. If you are not using the entire amount  for one dinner, this would be the point at which you would refrigerate any leftovers. Also it can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated. Just reheat to the simmer before assembling the dish.

Assembling the Dish

Boil  small potatoes in their jackets in a large pot of water until just cooked through. Remove the potatoes from the water, cool slightly, then peel off the jackets.

Place an oven rack in the upper part of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400°.

Butter a large baking dish, and spread a layer of the velouté sauce over the bottom. Place the peeled potatoes around the edges of the dish.

Spread the flaked fish in the middle of the dish. Cover the dish, including the potatoes, with the remainder of the velouté sauce. Sprinkle the remaining cup of Parmigiano over the entire dish.

Place the casserole in the oven until bubbling. If it does not create a nice golden browned top in the oven after 6-10 minutes, place the casserole under a broiler for a minute or two to brown.

Creamed Fish au Gratin should serve 6 people.

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