Cheaters Weeknight Fish Pie Recipes

FISH PIE

Steps:

• In a deep covered skillet, combine carrot, wine, salt, bouquet garni and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and set aside.
• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and add potatoes. Cook until soft, and mash (preferably with a potato ricer) with 6 tablespoons butter and the salt. Cover and set aside.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put cod and haddock into skillet with carrot, cover, and bring to a simmer. Poach for 3 minutes. Transfer fish to a plate, and add salmon to skillet. Poach for 3 minutes, and transfer salmon to plate with cod and haddock. Discard carrot and reserve bouquet garni. Strain liquid into a measuring cup, add saffron and add enough cream to make 2 cups liquid.
• Place a saucepan over low heat, and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour and mace. Stir for a few minutes; remove pan from heat. Slowly stir in cream mixture, beating until smooth. Return pan to heat and add reserved bouquet garni. Stir until mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan, and distribute cooked fish evenly, breaking into large chunks as necessary. Scatter shrimp evenly in pan. Discard bouquet garni, and pour sauce over all.
• Spread mashed potato evenly over top, covering edges so sauce will not bubble over. Sprinkle nutmeg lightly over top of pie, and place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until filling is hot and potatoes are flecked with gold, 20 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.

CHEATER POT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly butter a 9 inch deep dish pie pan with melted butter; reserve some of the melted butter.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, combine mixed vegetables and chicken; cook until vegetables are tender. Fold in soup; mix well. Pour in milk and mix until smooth; mixture should not be runny. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat and spread mixture into bottom of pie pan. Separate biscuits into layers and place gently on top of mixture. Drizzle remaining butter on top of biscuit layers.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES PIE

Steps:

• Butter a shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dish or casserole. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then stir in leeks and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until soft, stirring frequently, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and anchovies and cook 1 minute, until the anchovies dissolve. Add wine and bring to a boil, then let simmer until the wine evaporates almost completely. Remove from heat and scrape into a heatproof bowl.
• In the same skillet, melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until pale golden, 1 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken stock and clam juice, and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Simmer for 1 to 3 minutes until very thick (it will thin out as it bakes), then remove from heat.
• Pat the fish cubes, shrimp and scallops dry. Stir them into the sauce along with the sautéed leeks, peas, tarragon, parsley, capers and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Spoon mixture into prepared dish.
• Chill uncovered, for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.
• Before baking, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together egg with 1 teaspoon water. On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry dough. Roll it 1/8-inch thick. Use a fish cutter or paring knife to cut out a fish from the center of dough. (Alternatively, you can cut circles from the dough and overlap them on top of the pie to look like fish scales).
• Place pastry on top of pie and trim edges, but don't seal them (sealing impinges on the puffing). Brush egg wash all over pastry.
• Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. If you like, spoon the sour cream into a shallow dish, top it with the trout roe and serve it on the side for guests to add to the pie. Or spoon the caviar into the fish cutout on top of the pie and serve sour cream on the side.

CHEATER'S WEEKNIGHT FISH PIE

Steps:

• Microwave potatoes on high until completely cooked (5-7 minutes). Set aside to cool.
• Skin salmon if necessary. Cut into 1/2 inch dice.
• Break smoked herring into bite-sized pieces, reserving any liquid.
• Quarter eggs.
• Arrange fish and eggs into 2 well-oiled/greased oven-proof ramekins (generous single serve size).
• Drizzle any remaining packing liquid from herring over the fish and eggs.
• Cover with alfredo sauce. Tap ramekin on bench several times to allow sauce to completely coat the fish. Alternatively, mix gently with a spoon or fork so as to not break up egg too much.
• Roughly crush the microwaved potatoes with a masher or heavy drinking glass so as to leave chunks. Skin can be removed if preferred, but I leave it on for convenience and appearance.
• Mix 2/3 of the cheese with the potato (crushed as above, or leftover mashed potato).
• Cover the fish mixture with the combined potato and cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. (Ramekins may be refrigerated at this point for later cooking- cook within 24 hours).
• Bake at 350-375 F until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted and brown on top. I use a toaster oven; if using a full-sized oven, or cook for a longer time.
• Serve with green salad.
• Variations: add capers, green olives, or herbs (dill and parsley) to sauce.