Fish Pie is easy to make!
This fish pie recipe is a basic one that anyone can make. Go slowly with the sauce and don’t stop stirring! Feel free to make your own changes. Peas, boiled eggs or scallops all go well.
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.
