Haddock in a Creamy Sauce with Balsamic Grilled Veggies

As a Catholic you are supposed to abstain from meat on Fridays during Lent.  So this being the first Friday in Lent, I was looking for a new recipe to try out.  My husband had picked up some haddock and large portobello mushrooms so that was my inspiration for tonight's dinner.  He suggested I grill the mushrooms - which I was also thinking of - and I wanted to try something new with the haddock.  Both things turned out really great.  My husband scarfed down his food so fast I wish I had made more so we'd have leftovers.  Even my LO liked it all (except the red pepers - which I sort of expected), but surprised me by eating the mushrooms.  Of course, we had to put ketchup on the side to dip the fish in near the end.

So here is what I came up with!  Both of my recipes are inspired from some recipes found on the Canadian Living website.

Haddock with a Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
1 to 1-1/4 cup chicken stock
1 onion, minced
3-4 (about 500g) haddock fillets (we had frozen ones that I took out to thaw when I started my prep, and were not fully thawed when I started cooking them)
2 tsp dried dill
Pepper
1/2 (250g) pkg cream cheese, cubed

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, bring the chicken stock, 1/4 cup water, onion  and dill to a boil; let simmer for a few minutes.
2. Lower heat and arrange haddock fillets over the onion mixture.  Season with pepper.  Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until fish flakes easily.  During this time, baste the tops of the fillets with cooking liquid 1-2 times.
3. Transfer the fish to a plate with a slotted spoon (it will break apart very easily). Keep it warm.
4. Increase heat and boil the liquid for another couple of minutes.  Stir in cheese, whisking constantly until smooth and it starts to thicken, about 3-5 minutes.  Season with more dill if necessary.
5. Spoon over fish and serve wam.

Balsamic Grilled Veggies

Ingredients:
3-4 portobello mushrooms
1-2 red peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried thyme
pinch of salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (or Asiago)

Directions:
1. Cut off the thick stems, leaving about 1/2" attached to the cap.  Cut the peppers into quarters or sixths (depending on the size) so you have large pieces.
2. Place mushrooms smooth side up in a large shallow baking dish.  Place peppers around it.
3.  In a small bowl combine all the other ingredients except the cheese.  Pour over the veggies, turning and brushing to coat evenly.  Let it stand for at least 15 minutes.
4. Reserve the marinade.  Place the mushrooms and peppers, smooth side down on a greased grill over medium-high heat.  I used my Griddler, so I closed the lid and grilled them from both sides (it will cook faster).  Grill over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, opening occasionally to brush veggies with the reserved marinade.  If you are using a regular grill (or BBQ), close the lid and grill for about 5 minutes then turn over for another 5 minutes or so.
5.  Cook until the veggies are tender, and the mushrooms yield to the touch when pressed.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and let the cheese melt.
7. Serve warm.