Fish Pie is easy to make!
serves: 6 hungry fishos
time to prepare: 30 mins
Ingredients
75g butter
2/3 cup flour
2 cups of milk
pinch of nutmeg
2 bay leaves
salt & white pepper
a handful of grated cheddar cheese
6 good sized potatoes
750g flaked smoked fish (any firm-fleshed fish will do)
24 pre-cooked, shelled prawns
a handful of parsley (roughly chopped)
1 large onion (roughly diced)
Method
- Peel your potatoes and chop into quarters.
- Put into cold salted water and bring to the boil. Set the timer for 20 mins if you’re worried about over-cooking them.
- While the potatoes are cooking, start your sauce.
- Roughly dice the onion and add to a pan with a knob of melted butter.
- Cook the onions on a medium heat until they are soft. Do not brown them. Set the onions to one side.
- Melt 75g of butter in a large pan on a low heat and gradually add flour until you have a “paste texture”, stirring all the time. This is called a “Roux” (pronounced “Roo”).
- You can start to add the after it reaches a light gold colour or darker if you want more flavour. Avoid lumps by not adding the milk too quickly and stirring vigorously with a whisk. Add enough milk to get a thick sauce. If you need to, add more milk.
- Add a pinch of ground nutmeg and 2 bay leaves.
- Add salt and white pepper to taste.
- Add a handful of grated cheese.
- When you are happy with your sauce, add the onion, flaked fish and prawns.
- Add parsley, saving a little for a garnish.
- Take your filling off the heat and quickly mash your potatos with milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste.
- In a deep oven-proof dish add your hot filling, top with the mashed potato, a sprinkle of grated cheese and place into an oven on grill.
- Leave long enough for the cheese to brown and and the potato to go crunchy.
Serve with fresh vegetables and a glass of your favourite tipple.