Monday 5 February 2018

Fish pie.

Many of you have indicated that you would like my recipe for fish pie, so here it is.   Quantities are not given because of course it all depends upon how many you are making the pie for.

What fish to use?   I use good quality cod - maybe loin - as the main ingredient.   To this I add a much smaller quantity of smoked haddock and cut both into bite sized pieces. I  add king prawns (uncooked) but don't add them at the beginning or they will be overcooked. Add at least a pint of full cream milk to the fish, put it into the pie dish,  put in the oven and cook for no more than twenty minutes.   Strain off the milk into a saucepan, add the prawns to the fish and then heat the milk to boiling and thicken with cornflour (add salt and pepper at this stage).
Pour over the fish and prawns in the pie dish and leave to cool a little. 

Meanwhile I chop up two or three leeks into small pieces, steam them for a few minutes and make a layer on top of the fish in the pie dish.  Then add a layer of sliced hard boiled eggs and finally a layer of chopped parsley.   You can do this the day before and cover and leave in the fridge.

Steam the potatoes and put through a ricer and then add butter, single cream and salt and pepper to make a smooth, fluffy topping. This  I spread over the fish, forking up the top to make a rough, uneven surface.   I dot this with butter and then put into the oven for about forty minutes until it is bubbling out of the sides of the pie and the top is crispy and brown.   Enjoy.

22 comments:

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

Wait till I try and do this. The fire brigade will be round within 30 minutes

angryparsnip said...

Sounds really nice.
So there is a top to the pie but no bottom ?

cheers, parsnip

Bettina Groh said...

Sounds yummy.... I wish we could buy good fresh fish ( Missouri).

Anonymous said...

That sounds gorgeous and such a well described recipe. Thank you.
I was amused to read that, like my mother, you use cornflour.
I have always used it for thickening too having learn cookery at
my mother's knee. Sue

Living Alone in Your 60's said...

I put my leeks in the milk to flavour the sauce. It's hubby's favourite meal.

English Rider said...

Thanks for the reminder of a great dish I haven't made in many years. Your version sounds delicious.

Hilary said...

Sounds like Shepherd's pie, with fish.

John Going Gently said...

Thank you pat
We ADORE fish pie xxx

Bea said...

Sounds divine. Thank you for sharing.

Virginia said...

That sounds delicious. Thank you. I'll try it this week - or next if the weather keeps on as hot as it is - we're running through the cold-meat-and-salad menus! I particularly like your recipe because it leaves it up to the cook to decide how much is needed of each ingredient. I have one what sounds similar where you line the baking such with the mashed potatoes and add the fish etc on the top. Yours is less likely to stick to the dish!

thelma said...

Fish pie is a favourite and your recipe needs to be tried.

Librarian said...

I was about to say what Hilary said :-)
Would love to try that but I'm afraid I am a very lazy cook, and a meal has to be ready in max. half an hour when I discover that I am hungry.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Sounds delicious.

Heather said...

That sounds like the Queen of fish pies Pat. My mouth is watering at the thought of it. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us.

Minigranny said...

Mmm it sounds delicious! Haven't made fish pie for a long while but will give yours a try.

Gerry Snape said...

Oh Pat...this is a must do recipe...many thanks for sharing it...keep warm in this cold climate...love G

Elizabeth said...

Delicious! Thank you.
I would omit the prawns since I'm allergic to them - but I'm sure it would
be fabulous anyway.
We are expecting snow.....

liparifam said...

Wow, this is something we never see here in the US! So kind of the Shepard's Pie concept, but with fish... Sounds yummy!

Shawn said...

We don't have fish pie in the States. In fact we're not terribly keen on pies, except for what we call chicken pot pie. On the east coast, we have fish chowder, which is a soothing, creamy broth with white fish, maybe shrimp or scallops, and potatoes. Mmmm. Ditto clam chowder - the same but only clams and potatoes and maybe corn (maize).

The Weaver of Grass said...

Shawn - I have had clam chowder many times down that east coast of the US - variable in what it tastes like - the very best I ever had was on a houseboat restaurant in the harbour at Boston - it was absolutely delicious.

Hilary - absolutely right.

Glad some of you are thinking of trying it - do get back to me with the verdict.

Frances said...

Many thanks! xo

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

Thank you! We eat a lot of fish, so a different way to present it sounds wonderful. A fish version of "shepherd's pie."