Fish Pie

Paul Lynch
Main

This is a simple pie made from easy to find ingredients, with a potato topping.

  • 650g fish: it can be 100% undyed smoked haddock, or a mix of fish including smoked haddock or cod. No oily fish, please; only firm white fish
  • 100g prawns (or other varied fish/shellfish)
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, shelled (boil for 7 mins, heating the eggs from cold)
  • 450g potatoes, made into mash with 60g butter
  • 30g plain flour
  • 30g butter
  • 425ml/3/4 pt milk
  • 1 bunch parsley
  • 60g cheese (cheddar rather than parmesan, etc), grated
  • seasoning (pepercorns, bay leaf)

First poach the fish for about 7 minutes in the seasoned milk. You won’t want to add any salt, but as always taste. Strain and save the milk. Skin and bone the fish very carefully.

Into a pyrex dish or medium casserole, mix the fish, prawns, halved boiled eggs.

Make up a bechamel sauce using the butter and flour; melt the butter, stir in the flour, and cook over a low/medium heat for 1-2 minutes, trying to avoid it browning. Gradually mix in the warm milk, blending well to avoid lumps. Simmer this gently for a few minutes to cook out the flour. Finely chop the parsley, including some of the stalks, and stir it in. Pour over the dish.

Top with the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle over the grated cheese. Bake for 25-40 minutes to brown the top.