Zander and Leek Gratin with Provençal Crust

A classic fish and leek bake with zander fish fillets, creamy leek and topped with a crunchy Provencal style crust, which can be used to top chicken, lamb and vegetables too. Traditionally, this crust is made with breadcrumbs and cheese, but using ground pork rind is another great alternative if you are on a low-carb or keto way of eating, plus it adds texture and flavour. It's perfect for a make-ahead meal. Just assemble the entire gratin in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to pop it in the oven.

	Provençal Crust
3 tbsp Butter 500 g Leeks, thinly sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 100 ml Heavy cream 250 g Zander fillets	100-120 g Salted pork rind, ground into crumbs (or use regular breadcrumbs) 3-4 Garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped 60 g Flat parsley 1 tsp Finely chopped rosemary 3 Anchovies 60 g Butter, softened 1 Lemon, finely grated zest 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated

Pulse the pork rinds in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
Place garlic, parsley, rosemary, anchovies, butter and lemon zest in a food processor and whizz to chop finely. Add breadcrumbs and parmesan and pulse to just combine.
Heat the butter in a skillet, add chopped leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, until softened and no longer bright green, about 10 minutes. Stir in heavy cream.
Place zander fillets in a casserole, then spoon over the leek mixture. Scatter the Provençal crust on top. The gratin can be prepared in advance to this stage and chilled for several hours until needed.
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Place the fish on a upper rack and bake for 25-30 mins until the top is golden brown. Garnish with additional fresh parsley, if desired, and serve hot.

25 comments:

Tom 12/1/24 13:20: ...Angie, you plate a lovely meal!
David M. Gascoigne, 12/1/24 13:23: I had never heard of Zander. Leeks is another matter, however - a glorious vegetable.
My name is Erika. 12/1/24 14:57: Something else I hadn't heard of. Zander fish. This looks good and reminds me we haven't had fish for too long in my house. Happy start to your weekend Angie.
Lola Martínez 12/1/24 15:19: Ideal ese pescado con esa costra tan rica. Soy gran aficionada a los pescados al horno y me ha gustado mucho como has cocinado este.
Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine 12/1/24 17:14: This is new for me it looks great and worth a try for sure!
David 12/1/24 17:51: Hi Angie... First of all, I had to look up zander filets. We only have them in one reservoir here in the USA, but they are part of the perch family...similar in taste to the ever popular walleye commonly found here. I learned something...but I don't like leeks. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
Brian's Home Blog 12/1/24 18:40: That looks so good, even if I couldn't eat it, I can dream about it.
Eva Taylor 12/1/24 19:02: I have never heard of a Provençal crust, so I am definitely intrigued. I shall check the ingredient list to see if I can make it tonight on the Salmon I have defrosting in the refrigerator.
Eva https://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com/
DEZMOND 12/1/24 20:01: I have never heard of zander before, must investigate what it is called in my language.
roentare 12/1/24 22:15: The kind of heart warming food to have
Cooking Julia 12/1/24 23:35: This is beautifully cooked, bravo!
Citu 13/1/24 03:17: Gracias por la receta. Se ve muy rico. Te mando un beso.
Neil 13/1/24 07:26: Lovely looking dish. I'm a huge fish fan. This would go down well in our house. Thanks Angie!
Rose world 13/1/24 10:00: One lovely gratin dish. Yummy.
DUTA 13/1/24 10:22: ThIs dish looks great on the plate, and I believe it's delicious. I don't however, eat pork and butter , so I'll prepare my fish in some other way.
Emma Loabez 13/1/24 10:26: I hope you had a happy holiday, and that this new year brings you all your dreams.
The preparation of fish is excellent, you have to consume more, so proposals like this are very good.
Happy weekend.😘
eileeninmd 13/1/24 11:07: Hello,
It does look pretty on the plate, thank for sharing.
Have a great weekend.
Balvinder 13/1/24 23:11: This dish looks lovely!
Margaret D 14/1/24 03:25: Looks lovely and haven't heard of Zander.
ashok 14/1/24 11:19: Lovely dish
Jeff the Chef 14/1/24 17:31: That crust sounds really intense!
sherry 16/1/24 11:29: i wondered what zander was? A fish i guess :=) This sounds great Angie. I do like a leek even tho Mr P. does not. Silly fella...
sherry 16/1/24 11:30: ah I see. zander is some kind of perch!
Judee 16/1/24 13:59: I've never seen this type of dish with salted port and anchovies. Looks very interesting. I'll have to look up Zander.
Raymund 16/1/24 21:28: This recipe feels both sophisticated and comforting, making it ideal for any occasion. I can already picture myself digging into a steaming plate of this, the golden crust glistening under the light, the aroma of herbs and fish filling the air. Definitely adding this to my repertoire! Thanks for sharing such a classic with a modern twist. Now, to find some zander...