Bordeaux-Style Fish Gratin (Poisson à la Bordelaise)
Known in French as Poisson à la Bordelaise, this fish gratin is a French family staple. Fish fillets are topped with a mix of parsley, shallots cooked in white wine, lemon and breadcrumbs, and then baked in the oven until crunchy and golden – while the fish remains utterly tender underneath. This quick and simple recipe can be made with any white fish of your liking. For the backstory, most French people recall the dish being served to them as a kid in their school cantine. The Poisson à la…
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 4 white fish filets (about 800g total)
- 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter
- 4 shallots or 1 large onion, peeled and diced finely
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and diced finely
- 1/3 cup (80ml) white wine
- 50g (panko) breadcrumbs
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (about 10-12 sprigs)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- 1
Step 1 - Pre-heat your oven to 350F(180C) with a rack in the middle. Spread 1 tbsp (15ml) of Extra Virgin Olive Oil at the bottom of a baking dish; set aside.
- 2
Step 2 - In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced shallots (or onion) and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes until the shallot/onion is glistening. Add the white wine, and cook until the liquid has completely evaporated. Set aside.
- 3
Step 3 - In a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, lemon juice, ½ tsp salt, pepper and cooked onion and garlic. Mix until you get a crumbly texture, slightly moist.
- 4
Step 4 - Lay the fish filets in the baking dish and sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Cover evenly with the breadcrumb topping and slightly press down with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
- 5
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the fish is done and the topping is golden. Optional: finish off with 1 to 2 minutes under the broiler for extra crunch.