Pollock with parsley sauce & crisp bacon

• plain flour↗1 tbsp tbsp
• 2 x 200g/8oz thick pollock

  fillets, skin on

• sunflower oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• rindless rashers good streaky bacon↗4
• whole milk↗200ml ml
• ½ medium onion

  quartered

• bay leaf↗1
• butter↗1 tbsp tbsp
• plain flour↗1 tbsp tbsp
• nutmeg↗

  for grating

• small bunch curly parsley↗

  chopped

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   To make the sauce, pour the milk into a medium pan and add the onion and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer on the hob and cook for 5 mins. Turn off the heat, then leave to stand for 30 mins. When cool, remove the onion and bay leaf.

2. 2

   To prepare the fish, toss the flour, a pinch of salt and a couple of twists of black pepper in a large bowl. Add the fish, skin-side down, to coat the skin lightly in the flour. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the fish, skin-side down, and the bacon. Cook the fish for 5-6 mins or until the skin is crisp and it is almost completely opaque – there should be a couple of fingers’ width of uncooked fish running down the centre. Cook the bacon until it is really crisp, turning once, then remove and drain on kitchen paper.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, finish making the parsley sauce. Melt the butter in a small pan and stir in the flour. Cook for 30 secs. Slowly add the milk to the pan, stirring. Simmer gently for 5 mins, stirring continuously. Season with a good grating of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Keep warm over a low heat, stirring occasionally.

4. 4

   Flip the pollock over, reduce the heat slightly and cook on the other side for a further min or so until just cooked. Increase the heat under the sauce until it begins to bubble. Stir in the parsley and add a little extra milk if the sauce seems too thick. Season a little more if you like.

5. 5

   Place the fish on 2 warmed plates. Spoon over the sauce and place the bacon on top. Serve.