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 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 large knob of butter
4 tbsp double cream
3 egg yolks
Freshly ground salt & pepper
The filling
250g un-dyed smoked haddock, with skin on
900ml pint milk
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 onion, peeled & sliced
250g salmon fillet
250g cod fillet
250g cooked king prawns, peeled
3 tbsp capers, drained & rinsed
3 hard boiled eggs, shelled & quartered
For the sauce
125g butter, diced
100g plain flour
550ml 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 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 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!