Old-Fashioned Fish Pie with Cheesy Mash

Serves	4 to 6
Prep time	30 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	1 hour
Allergy	Fish, Milk
Meal type	Lunch, Main Dish
Misc	Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot
Occasion	Casual Party
Region	British
By author	Karen S Burns-Booth

A fabulous old-fashioned style fish pie, perfect for a family meal or for more formal occasions; the fish pie is made with coley (saithe) as opposed to haddock or cod, which is a more sustainable fish and cheaper on the pocket. Prawns and salmon add a touch of luxury, but other white fish can be substituted instead, such as whiting or hake.

Ingredients

300ml full fat milk
125g mature Cheddar cheese
50g butter
900g potatoes, peeled and cut into small even-sized pieces
50g plain flour
50g butter
salt and black pepper
200g cooked North Atlantic prawns, peeled
350g fresh salmon fillets/steaks, cut into chunks
350g fresh coley (saithe) fillets
2 bay leaves
1 onion, peeled and cut into thick slices

Optional

Freshly chopped chives (Add the the white sauce)
Freshly chopped curly parsley (Add to the white sauce)

Note

Directions

Step 1	Filling: Place the coley (saithe) and salmon in a saucepan with the milk, bay leaves and onion slices. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer, cook for 2 to 3 minutes and then place a lid on the saucepan, take it off the heat and allow to infuse for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the fish from the milk with a slotted spoon and place the fish into a bowl, adding the prawns and mixing gently, as not to break the fish up. Removed the bay leaves and onion slices from the milk and pour the milk into a jug.
Step 2	Mashed potato topping: Boil the potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes until very soft. Drain the potatoes and then add the butter and mash with a potato masher until smooth and fluffy. Season to taste and add three quarters of the grated cheese and mix well. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Step 3	Sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour, keep stirring until the mixture resembles sand, then start to add the infused milk gradually, whisking all the time until the all the milk is used up and you have a thick, smooth sauce. Check seasoning and adjust. Add the chopped chives and parsley, and stir well.
Step 4	Pie: Spoon a little of the white sauce on the base of a deep enamel pie dish or another suitable oven-proof dish. Arrange the fish and prawns over the top of the sauce and then add the rest of the sauce. Smooth the top of the sauce and then carefully add the cheesy mashed potatoes, ensuring that the potatoes go right up to the edges of the pie dish. Take a teaspoon and press the back of the bowl into the mashed potatoes to give the effect of fish scales and then sprinkle the rest of the grate cheese over the top.
Step 5	Place the pie into the pre-heated oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filing is bubbling. Serve hot with fresh garden peas, or other seasonal vegetables such as courgettes, carrots and green beans.