Fish Pie

How to make the perfect fish pie in a smooth & creamy cheese sauce, topped with creamy mashed potato. Easy step by step instructions from start to finish.

Ingredients

Method

400g / 14oz Mixed Fish of your choice
1 Small Onion (cut in half)
900g / 2lb Mashing Potatoes + ½tsp salt
30g / 1oz Butter for the mash
30g / 1oz Butter
30g /1oz Plain flour
400ml / 400g Milk
50ml Double/Heavy Cream
100g / 3½oz Grated Cheddar Cheese
30g / 1oz Grated Cheese for Topping
15g / ½oz Chopped Parsley
Juice of one Lemon (optional)
Seasoning, Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg

Wash and peel the potatoes and cut them into 3cm / 1½in pieces.
Add enough water to just over them in a medium size pan, add 4g / ½tsp of salt, bring them to a steady low boil, get the lid on the pan and set your timer for 20 minutes.
Once the time is up on the potatoes, drain them, season with salt and white pepper to taste, add the butter and mash them until nice and creamy.
In a medium size saucepan on a low heat add the milk and bring it to a simmer.
Add the fish and the onion to the milk, and bring it back to a simmer, cover the pan let it cook slowly for 3 minutes. If you are using prawns, they go into the main dish raw.
Once the fish is done, use a slotted spoon and transfer the fish to the dish you using to make the fish pie in (link to the enamel pie tin that I use below) .

Remove the onion, and strain the milk through a fine sieve, set it aside for now.
Using a couple of forks, gently flake the fish, and evenly distribute it throughout the dish.
You can now add the raw prawns to the fish dish too.
Back to the stove, melt the butter in a saucepan, and add the flour.
Using a silicone spatula, stir the butter ad flour together until it goes slightly darker in colour, this should take approximately 90 seconds.
Now add the strained milk to the pan a little at a time, and whisk continuously until all the milk has been added and has thickened to a smooth silky sauce.
Season with salt, white pepper, and freshly ground nutmeg.
Add the grated cheddar chest and mix until it melts.
Finally, you can add the chopped parsley to the pan.
At this point, preheat your oven to 180°C / 355°F / Gas mark 4.
Spoon 2 or 3 ladles of the sauce into the dish with the fish in and carefully mix it all together, try not to break up the fisk flakes.
Spoon more sauce on top, and level it off.
Now you can carefully add the mashed potato a little at a time.
Level off the potato with a fork, and leave the mash with a rough finish.
Add more grated cheese to the top of the mash.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Serve straight from the oven, with whatever sides you like.
Enjoy.