Fish pie
I first made this dish over 40 years ago in home economics cooking classes and it's still a year-round favourite, especially when its minus 17:C outside! You can also use salmon/mix of fish if you wish and I serve it with peas & corn - for me this is comfort food at its finest! It's not a pie made from pastry or covered in pastry though - in fact, no pastry in sight. Fish pie is more a modern version pie, topped instead with e.g. mashed potato /mashed vegetables of your choice (I use sweet potato & cauliflower). The filling is made from poached fish which is mixed with onions, carrots, prawns and plenty of fresh dill. I never used fresh dill much in my cooking (or eating for that matter!) until I moved to Finland - but it's now a regular in my fridge & garden & I adore it's colour, flavor & numerous health benefits. The poaching liquid is usually milk (I use oat or soy milk which works just as well, but make sure it's natural flavour) and this liquid is then made into the sauce which gives the dish its deeply satisfying flavor. If you're looking for a bit of luxury in your sauce then add 100mls of cream (I use an oat or soy-based cream) - enjoy!
Ingredients
- Place fish in a pot, cover with milk/oatmilk & add 1 roughly chopped onion.
- Slowly heat through & simmer until fish is cooked - be careful not to boil the mixture as the liquid can bubble over & burn quite quickly.
- Strain & reserve the liquid (I puree the soft, mushy onion & mix it into the sauce) & leave the fish to cool before breaking up into pieces with your hands - removing any bones
- Chop remaining onion & panfry with the grated carrot in olive oil until soft. Add about 100mls of the poaching liquid & wholegrain mustard & mix well
- Place fish, prawns & dill in a bowl and mix well & then add the onion/carrot/mustard mixture to this - mix well.
- Season to taste.
- For the sauce: this follows a simple white sauce/roux recipe i.e. melt the butter, add the thickener of your choice & whisk to make a paste then slowly add the poaching liquid until the sauce is thick & smooth.
- Add the sauce to the fish mixture & mix well.
- Transfer to the baking dish / cover with mashed vegetables of your choice.
- Add a knob of butter on top of the mash & sprinkle with grated pecorino cheese
- Cook at 200:C for 30-45 minutes or until heated through and the topping is golden brown - enjoy!
Directions
- Step 1 500 grams of firm fish (e.g. pike, salmon)
- Step 2 200 grams prawns / shrimps ( I use a frozen bag)
- Step 3 2 onions
- Step 4 1 carrot – grated
- Step 5 Bunch of fresh dill – chopped finely
- Step 6 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- Step 7 500 mls milk /oatmilk/ soymilk
- Step 8 1 TB butter
- Step 9 1TB olive oil
- Step 10 2 tsp arrowroot / chickpea flour / plain flour to thicken sauce
- Step 11 Mashed vegetables of your choice e.g. potatoes, mix of sweet potato & cauliflower
- Step 12 Pecorino cheese for topping