Traditional Fish Pie

Traditional Fish Pie

The wonderful combination of fish makes this pie delicious… you can make this fish pie the day before as it tastes even better the next day!

Serves 6

Prep time:  30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 ½ hours

Ingredients

For the potato topping

1.25 kg/2lb 10 oz potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 large knob of butter

4 tbsp double cream

3 egg yolks

Freshly ground salt & pepper

The filling

250g/9oz un-dyed smoked haddock, with skin on

900ml/1 ½ pint milk

1 fresh rosemary sprig

1 onion, peeled & sliced

250g/9oz salmon fillet

250g/9oz cod fillet

250g/9oz cooked king prawns, peeled

3 tbsp capers, drained & rinsed

3 hard boiled eggs, shelled & quartered

For the sauce

125g/4 ½ oz butter, diced

100g/3 ½ oz plain flour

550ml/19 fl oz whipping cream

4 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

3 tbsp lemon juice

Freshly ground salt & pepper

Method

1.   Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

2.  For the potato topping, place the potatoes into a large pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very soft.  Drain and set aside to dry.  Mash the potatoes and beat in the butter, cream and egg yolks and season, set aside.

3.  For the filling, place the haddock into a pan filled with 600ml/1pint of the milk, rosemary and onion.  Bring the milk to a simmer and poach the haddock for 3-5 minutes.  Remove from the milk with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.  Repeat this process by poaching the salmon and then the cod in the same milk.  When the fish is cool, remove the skin and flake the flesh into large chunks.  Sieve the poaching milk into a jug and add the rest of the milk, set aside.

4.  For the sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes to make a roux.  Pour in the milk from the jug and beat until you have a very thick sauce.  Beat in the cream and then remove from the heat.  Stir in the parsley, lemon juice and season to taste.

5.  Place the fish and prawns into a 2 litre/3 ½ pint baking dish.  Pour any remaining fish juices into the sauce and mix well.  Gently fold in the capers and chopped eggs and pour the sauce over the fish.  Cover with the mash and place in the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes or until the mash is golden brown.  Enjoy!