Food Hop 1 - Fish Lasagna

Most evenings when I get back from a hectic day of "I like...cat" I like to come home, have a cup of tea and cook a nice dinner, and out of everything I make this is probably my other half's favourite thing....EVER!

For some reason the name seems to throw most people off, but don't be freaked out by the fish/pasta combo its filling, tasty and more or less healthy (well I think anyway)

I first used a recipe from Sainsbury's which like most scraps of paper I've owned in life I've long since lost. But through a bit of trial and error I've made a new and improved version (well I think so, but as not many people read this blog I think I can make the odd grand claim... can't I??)

ingredients.
500g fish, I originally used smoked haddock but in Japan (where you can't get any) I've used...
2 salmon fillets
2 or 3 white fish fillets.
about 200 g shrimp - I change this to how hungry we are, from 10 big shrimp (starving) to 4 (hmm peckish)
lasagna sheets - (which ever kind you find best to use, I like to use already cooked pasta)
about a cup of processed cheese - (or you can use which ever cheese you like)
white wine
35g plain flour
30g butter
600 -700ml milk ( use about 600ml but add more to make sure everything is covered well)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons dried parsley
3 tablespoons dried oregano

First heat oven up to about 190 degrees C, and lightly grease a large baking dish.
De shell and remove the icky parts from the shrimp (my least favourite job, although I think I would be a little odd if it was my favourite). prepare the other ingredients.
Put the shrimp and fish, skin down, in a large pan and cover with the milk adding more if necessary, add a small splash of wine, the bay leaf, salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon of parsley and oregano. Heat up until the milk begins to simmer strongly then turn down slightly and leave to cook simmering for about 10 minutes or until the fish flakes under a fork.
use a spatula to lift the fish and shrimp out of the mixture (which you retain, except the bay leaf which you can throw away. ) remove the skin and bones from the fish, then lightly mix in a bowl with the shrimp.
In a new heavy bottomed sauce pan melt the butter over a medium heat and fry the garlic for 1 minute, add the flour and keep mixing for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in the retained milk from the fish stirring constantly and ensuring all the flour has been absorbed, add a small amount of the cheese, salt and pepper to taste and keep stirring until the mixture becomes thick and bubbly, Warning!!!! be carefull to stir occasionally so that it doesn't burn the bottom of your pan!
Mix just over two thirds of the sauce into the fish and shrimp (reserving a third for the top) and stir to mix well, then layer the mixture and the lasagna noodles into the prepared oven dish (fish mix, sheets fish mix sheets, hey I think I've heard that song before). Top with the remaining third of the sauce and finally top with the cheese.
Bake in the oven for at least 30-35 minutes until heated through.
Serve with a mixed salad and crusty bread.

The nice thing is that you can add plenty of things to make it your own version, mixed veg, different cheeses, toppings etc etc. Oh and this makes about 4 servings but I'm greedy so usually end up eating half and then regretting it later ...YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
(please feel free to add your own suggestions, although none about me being a greedy pig please....)

School principle fashion watch - Charcoal grey suit, light grey shirt and pale grey tie...today's look; casual mob boss.