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Fish Pie

Fish Pie

Brought to you by: London Restaurant Festival
    6 serving
5.0 4 ratings Review this recipe

Prep time:

Cook time:

Serves: 6

Fish pie is honest, down-to-earth food, packed with flavours.  It makes perfect comfort food if you are sitting in front of the television after a hard day, but works equally well as a dinner party main course.  You can make this dish the day before and keep it in the fridge overnight.  The basic recipe can be varied endlessly but it is always good to include some smoked fish and the mashed potato topping gives lots of scope for jazzing up with more cheese, some herbs or even saffron for a touch of luxury.
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Ingredients

  • 500ml fish stock
  • 1½ kg potatoes, cooked and mashed
  • 2 tbsp dry vermouth
  • 25ml a little milk
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 20g fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 1 fennel bulb, cored and finely diced (optional)
  • 20g grated parmesan cheese
  • 250g fillets of white fish, skinned, any residual bones removed and fillets cut into rough 3cm chunks
  • 175g salmon fillet, skinned, any residual bones removed and fillets cut into rough 3cm chunks
  • 175g smoked fish fillet, skinned, any residual bones removed and fillets cut into rough 3cm chunks
  • 150g small-to-medium peeled raw prawns, (optional)
  • 2 tbsp chopped mixed green herbs, such as parsley, dill and chervil
  • 110g butter, 60g for the filling and 50g for the sauce
  • 50g flour
  • 175ml double cream
  • 1 tsp anchovy essence
  • 2 tsp dijon mustard

Method

Step 1

In a large saucepan, bring the fish stock and vermouth to the boil, add the onion and fennel, and cook gently for 8 minutes.

Step 2

Add the fish and prawns, and poach gently for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid, and leave to cool.

Step 3

To make the sauce: melt the butter in a heavy-based pan over a low heat, then stir in the flour and cook gently for a minute. Gradually add the reserved fish poaching liquid, stirring well until it has all been added and the mixture is smooth. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Add the cream and continue to simmer for 10 minutes or so until the sauce has a thick consistency. Stir in the mustard and anchovy essence. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper if necessary, and leave to cool for about 15 minutes or so.

Step 5

Gently fold into the sauce the cooked fish and prawns with the fennel and onion pieces, and the herbs. Spoon into a large pie dish or several individual ones, filling to 3cm from the top. Leave to set for about 30 minutes, so that the potato will sit on the sauce.

Step 6

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180c/gas 4 and mix the butter into the mashed potato. Season with a little salt and freshly ground white pepper and add a little milk so that it is just soft enough to pipe with a piping bag or simply spread with a spatula on to the pies.

Step 7

Bake for 30 minutes (20 for little pies). Scatter on the breadcrumbs (https://www.ocado.com/products/m-s-white-breadcrumbs-508958011) and cheese, and bake for 10-15 minutes more until golden on top.

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