My Fish Pie

 

Fish Pie I hear you say with a question mark at the end.  Yes Fish Pie.  I love fish pie, Scott doesn't like much in the way of fish.  He will eat it dipped in batter and deep fried but that is about it. 

 

So I took advantage of the house being Scott free (hehehe play on words) and while he was away overnight I was free to make fish pie, it will be a while before I can make it again!

 

Everyone has their own way of making this and well I like to make mine a kind of up market type of fish pie,  while I use some cheap ingredients, I also use some not so cheap ones.

 

Filling

200gm white fish (I used basa)

20 raw prawns (defrosted frozen is fine)

12 scallops (roe optional)

200 ml milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons plain flour

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Potato Topping

4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

50 gm butter

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

Place the milk and white fish into a pan and heat over medium flame.  You will need to turn the fish after 5 minutes to cook through.

 

Remove the fish from the milk and set aside.

Decant the milk to a jug for later use.

 

In the same pan melt the butter for the filling.

 

Stir through the flour and allow to cook out for no more than 5 minutes.

 

Add the milk back to the flour mixture and whisk to ensure no lumps.  Add a little more cold milk if the sauce is too thick.  Add salt, pepper and parsley.

 

Make sure your prawns and scallops are patted dry.

 

Add the prawns and scallops to the sauce and allow to heat through for no more than 5 minutes.  Remember this will cook through in the oven you don't want your seafood to be rubbery.

 

Flake your fish into chunks and stir through the sauce.

 

Pour your filling into your pie dish.

 

Mean while have your potatoes cooking in boiling salted water.  When done push through a ricer if you have one or mash with a potato masher.  The ricer is great for getting very light and fluffy mash to use for this or gnocchi.

 

I use the ricer while the potato is hot and this is what it looks like after.  With a fork mix through 40 gm of the butter and remember to season with salt and pepper.

 

Now at this stage you can dollop the potato on the top with a spoon or you can pipe it on top.

 

I was practising the piping bit.  Now at this stage you could chuck it in the fridge for later and wow you look like you have been slaving away when your guests drop over, if so cook for 40 minutes at 180C when your ready.  Or if your cooking straight away dollop the last 10 gm of butter around the top and bake for 20 minutes at 180C. Remember to put your pie dish on a baking tray as this will bubble over.

 

See the nice little top bits got all crispy like.  Yum!

 

Serves 4 with crusty bread and a nice salad.  Oh don't forget the wine.