One mean, green fish pie

Chef: innocent

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 25 mins

If this pie was a person, it would live in a little pebble-dashed cottage overlooking some cliffs, know all the words to ‘Haul Away Joe’ and have a fine collection of navy cable-knit jumpers.

For the pie bit

500ml milk

1 bay leaf

A sprinkling of peppercorns

100g butter

2 leeks, washed, trimmed and finely sliced

2 tablespoons plain flour

400g white fish (line-caught haddock or pollack), cut into chunks

200g undyed smoked fish fillets (haddock, rainbow or freshwater trout)

3 large handfuls of spinach freshly grated nutmeg

For the pea mash

600g floury potatoes, quartered

300g frozen peas

Extra virgin olive oil

A knob of butter

A few sprigs of mint, chopped

To serve

2 lemons

Preheat your oven to 200⁰C/400⁰F/gas mark 6.

Put the milk, bay leaf and peppercorns into a pan over a low heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Then remove from the heat, take out the bay leaf and peppercorns, and set to one side.

Melt half the butter in a large casserole. Add the leeks and cook until soft, then set aside.

Place the potatoes in a large pan of boiling water and bring back to the boil. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the remaining butter to the softened leeks. When it has melted, stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken. Gradually add the milk, continuing to stir the leek mixture and removing any lumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Once all the milk has incorporated, add the fish, spinach and a good grating of nutmeg. Stir well and take off the heat.

The potatoes should have had about 10 minutes by this point, so add the peas and simmer for another few minutes, until the potatoes are cooked. Drain the potatoes and peas in a colander and allow to drip dry, then chuck them back into the pan. Drizzle in some olive oil, add a knob of butter, sprinkle in the mint and season well before giving them a good mash.

Pile the pea mash on top of the fish mixture, even it out with the back of a fork and pop the casserole into the oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve in big scoops, with steamed green beans and lemon wedges.

Serves
4-6

Preparation Time
20 minutes

Cooking Time
25 minutes

Main ingredients
Fish, Vegetables

Recipe Type
Dinner, Entertaining, Family Dinners, Pies

Cuisine
Seafood

Special Info
Gluten free, Nut free, Egg free, Pregnant Mums

Level of Difficulty
Easy

This recipe works well as a gluten free meal - simply substitute the flour with gluten free flour. If it doesn't thicken enough mix a teaspoon of cornflour with a little milk and mix into the sauce.