Recipes :: Favourite fish pie by Annabel Karmel

Favourite fish pie by Annabel Karmel

Ingredients

Potato topping
800g (1 3/4 lb) potatoes
30g (1 oz) butter
7 tbsp milk
4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
1 large British Lion egg, lightly beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the sauce
45g (1 1/2 oz) butter
1 large shallot, diced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
45g (1 1/2 oz) flour
500ml fish stock
6 tbsp double cream
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill or chives, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
Salmon and cod filling
250g (9 oz) salmon, skin removed and cut into 2 cm (3/4 in) chunks
250g (9 oz) cod, skin removed and cut into 2 cm (3/4 in) chunks
2 large British Lion eggs, boiled for 7 to 8 minutes, cooled and chopped
100g frozen peas (defrosted)

Preparation time: 20 mins, cooking time: 45 mins, serves: 4.

This is a really tasty recipe for an old-fashioned favourite. You could make one large fish pie for the family and mini individual fish pies for children. It looks good prepared in a round pyrex ovenproof dish so that you can see the layers.

Making food look attractive is important, and so it seems much more appealing to make individual fish pies for children rather than have a dollop of food on the plate.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Boil the potatoes in salted water. Drain and mash with the butter, milk and parmesan and season to taste.
To make the sauce, melt the butter and sauté the shallot for 5–6 minutes until soft. Add the white wine vinegar and boil for 2–3 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the flour to make a roux. Gradually, stir in the fish stock and then cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously. Bring to the boil then cook stirring until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and the chopped dill or chives. Season well as the fish is unseasoned.
Mix the salmon and cod with the sauce, stir in the chopped boiled egg and put into an 18 cm (7 in) diameter round pyrex dish . Cover with the frozen peas and top with the potatoes. Brush the potatoes with a little beaten egg white and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.
Alternatively you can divide the fish and egg between four or six mini ramekins (depending on the size), pour over the sauce top with a layer of peas and then cover with the mashed potato. It’s nice to make individual fish pies for children.