Next Level Fish Pie Food

NEXT LEVEL FISH PIE

Steps:

• Heat 25g of the butter in a shallow pan and sizzle the shallot for 2 mins. Add the prawn heads, shells and smoked haddock skin and trimmings, turn up the heat and cook for 5 mins until they start to brown. Throw in the bay and star anise, then splash in the pernod if using and then the wine. Boil everything down until practically evaporated, then pour over 1 litre of milk and sprinkle in the vegetable bouillon. Simmer everything for 15 mins, turn off the heat, crush the shells with a potato masher and strain into a jug.
• Clean out the pan and melt 60g of butter, stir in the flour so you have a sandy paste and cook for 2 mins on a low heat. Gradually stir in the flavoured milk, then the crème fraîche, and simmer gently to make a very thick sauce. Season to taste. Turn off the heat and gently fold through all the fish and prawns, capers and lemon juice. Scrape into a large buttered baking dish.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Bring the potatoes to the boil in a large pan of water, add the eggs and simmer for 8 mins. Scoop out the eggs, put in a bowl of cold water to cool, then peel, halve and push into the sauce. Drain the potatoes and mash with the remaining milk and butter. Spread or pipe the mash over the pie. Sprinkle with gruyère and/or crush over crisps. Put the pie on a baking tray and cook for 35 mins until golden and just bubbling over. Leave to sit for at least 10 mins before eating with buttered spinach, peas or watercress.

FANTASTIC FISH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas 8.
• Put the potatoes into salted boiling water and bring back to the boil for 2 minutes.
• Carefully add the eggs to the pan and cook for a further 8 minutes until hard boiled, by which time the potatoes should also be cooked.
• At the same time steam the spinach in a colander above the pan. This will only take a minute. When the spinach is done, remove from the colander and gently squeeze any excess moisture away.
• Then drain the potatoes in the colander.
• Remove the eggs, cool under cold water, then peel and quarter them. Place to one side.
• In a separate pan slowly fry the onion and carrot in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, than add the double cream and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, lemon juice, mustard and parsley.
• Put the spinach, fish and eggs into an appropriately sized earthenware dish and mix together, pouring over the creamy vegetable sauce.
• The cooked potatoes should be drained and mashed - add a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and a touch of nutmeg if you like. Spread on top of the fish. Don't bother piping it to make it look pretty - it's a homely hearty thing.
• Place in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are golden.