Family Friendly Fabulous Fish Pie Food

FAMILY MEALS: EASY FISH PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas mark 6.
• Put 1kg potatoes, peeled and halved, in a saucepan and pour over enough water to cover them. Bring to the boil and then simmer until tender.
• When cooked, drain thoroughly and mash with a splash of milk and a knob of butter. Season with ground black pepper.
• Put 25g butter, 25g plain flour and 4 finely sliced spring onions in another pan and heat gently until the butter has melted, stirring regularly. Cook for 1-2 mins.
• Gradually whisk in 400ml milk using a balloon whisk if you have one. Bring to the boil, stirring to avoid any lumps and sticking at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 3-4 mins until thickened.
• Take off the heat and stir in 320g-400g mixed fish, 1 tsp Dijon or English mustard, a small bunch of finely snipped chives, handful of sweetcorn and handful of petits pois. Spoon into an ovenproof dish or 6-8 ramekins.
• Spoon the potato on top and sprinkle with a handful of grated cheddar cheese.
• Pop in the oven for 20-25 mins or until golden and bubbling at the edges. Alternatively, cover and freeze the pie or mini pies for another time.

EASY FISH PIE

Steps:

• Put your fish in a large, wide pan with a lid together with celery, carrot, onion (cut in half and each half studded with 2 cloves), bay leaves and peppercorns. Pour over the milk and place the pan on a gentle heat and bring it to a gentle boil (feel free to cover the pan to speed up the process but keep an eye on it). Uncover the pan and let the fish simmer gently in milk for approx. 5 min (longer if you are using frozen fillets). Take the fish off the heat and let it stand in the hot milk for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking.
• As your fish is cooking prepare the potatoes by peeling them, cutting into chunks and boiling them in a pan of salted water until tender and ready to be mashed 15-20 min.
• Take your poached fish out of the hot milk with slotted spoon and onto a dish you'll be using for a pie. Flake it gently into small pieces and set aside. Strain the milk you used to cook your fish in onto a jug discarding all the veg and aromatics.
• In the same pan you poached fish in melt 50g unsalted butter, add the flour and let it cook in butter for a few seconds until it looks like a paste. Slowly add strained milk mixing gently with a whisk after each addition until you use up all the milk and the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper and few gratings of fresh nutmeg (to taste). Pour over the flaked fish. *Depending on the dish you are using you might have some sauce leftover which can be added to your mashed potato topping for extra creaminess.*
• Add frozen peas or sweetcorn or mixture of both to the fish and the sauce and mix well. Sprinkle some fresh parsley or dill and place your boiled egg halves on top (if adding).
• Drain potatoes and mash with 50g unsalted butter and a good splash of milk or some leftover white sauce (if any) for extra creaminess adjusting seasoning if needed. Top the pie with the mash making sure you spread it evenly, sealing neatly around the edges to prevent the filling bubbling over during baking. Sprinkle with some grated cheddar and bake in preheated oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for approx 30 minutes (until golden and bubbly). Enjoy with some extra peas or other veg of your choice on the side!