The Ultimate Fish Pie Recipes

THE ULTIMATE FISH PIES

Steps:

• Make the mash for the topping first. Place the potatoes in a large pan of cold, salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Drain, then mince with a potato ricer or mash finely. Mix in the milk, followed by the egg yolks and butter, then season and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Place 500ml milk into a saucepan and bring to a very gentle simmer. Add the hake and slowly poach for 4 minutes. Remove the fish, thickly flake, and reserve the milk.
• Make the herb sauce by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over a moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Add 250ml of the reserved poaching milk (discard the rest) and whisk well. Stir in the stock, nutmeg and season to taste with salt and coarsely ground black pepper.
• Cook over a low heat until thickened, then remove from the heat, mix in the herbs and fold in the hake, prawns and smoked salmon.
• Divide the mixture between 4 x 400ml pie dishes then dollop the mash on top. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and piping hot.

THE ULTIMATE FISH PIE

Steps:

• For the potato topping, place the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Drain the potatoes well and mash them with a potato masher or ricer along with salt, white pepper and butter, to taste. Stir in the gruyere and set aside the potatoes, keeping them warm. For the poaching broth, place the fish stock, vermouth, onion, fennel, carrot, celery, bay leaf and saffron in a large pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes. For the fish, place the white fish, smoked haddock, salmon and prawns into the broth and poach for three minutes. Using a slotted spoon, gently remove the fish from the pan and set aside. Pour the broth through a sieve into a clean pan, discarding the vegetables and herbs. Bring the broth back to the boil and simmer until reduced by half. For the parsley sauce, heat the butter and flour together in a pan over a low heat, stirring to make a paste. Add the reduced broth a ladleful at a time and keep whisking until smooth. Add the milk and the parsley, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. To finish the sauce, add the double cream to the pan and season, to taste, with salt and white pepper. To assemble the pie, butter a casserole dish generously and flake the set-aside fish, discarding any skin and bones. Lay the fish in the casserole dish and pour about half of the parsley sauce on top (reserve the remainder of the sauce to use as a pouring sauce on the finished pie). Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the spinach to the pan. Blanch for a minute until the spinach has wilted. Drain well. Slice the hard-boiled eggs and lay on top of the fish, followed by the blanched spinach. Cover with the mashed potatoes. In a small bowl, mix together the ciabatta crumbs and the parmesan. Sprinkle the cheese breadcrumbs on top of the pie. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden-brown. Reheat the parsley sauce and serve the pie hot with the remaining parsley sauce poured over.

ULTIMATE FISH PIE

Steps:

• Preparation:
• 1 Knead flour: In a bowl combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder. Gradually add water and knead to form a soft, smooth dough. The key to a soft dough is not folding over the flour too often (once all the water has been added, just press gently with the knuckles to smoothen, turn over, repeat). Cover with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest until ready for filling the dough.
• 2 Clean and rinse fish with cold water and the juice of a lemon; removing scales and other undesirables. If you are using whole fish, cut each fish into two pieces (optional) or make diagonal cuts on the sides. Drain.
• 3 Season fish with green seasoning(pre made) and salt. Marinate for a minimum of 1 hr or overnight covered in the refrigerator.
• 4 Fry Fish: When ready to cook, remove the seasoned fish from the refrigerator and bring to room temp. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium low heat. Dredge fish in flour and dust off excess. Place fish in hot oil and cook until golden brown on both sides. Filets take 3-4 mins per side on medium low heat.
• 5 Prep ingredients: While fish is frying, mince garlic, bandhania (if using), onion and hot pepper (if using) using a food processor or mortar and pestle or chop with a knife.
• 6 Assemble filling: Add the minced ingredients, salt and black pepper to the bowl with the fried fish. Mash with a fork, breaking up all chunks. (Time saving tip: Place fish in the food processor and pulse to combine and create small bits(not a paste).
• 7 Assemble Pies- Using your hand, squeeze off pieces of flour between thumb and forefinger to make 12 little balls. (I make three large loyahs(balls) and then divide each into 4). This way you don't have to reshape after separating the dough. Lightly flour surface. Using your fingers, flatten each ball into a 5-6 inch disc. Place a handful of fish mixture (about 3 heaping tablespoons) onto the center and bring the sides up over the filling to meet at the center. Pinch the edges together to seal all the way around, then twist all around to seal. Place dough upright and press gently to flatten while pulling apart at the ends to lengthen. Place flat on the counter and then press gently with the palm of your hand to flatten. Place the completed filled dough on a oiled surface and cover with towel until ready to fry. Quickly repeat steps with the remaining balls of dough.
• 8 To fry: Once all the dough are filled, heat about 3 cups of oil (use more if your pot is wider) in a wide dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Add a small pinch of dough. The oil is ready when it floats and darkens. Gently place filled dough into the hot oil, two or three at a time if the pot is large enough. Using a spoon, continuously pour hot oil over the dough. When the bottom is golden brown, flip and cook the other side until golden brown also. Drain on the side of the pot and place in a single layer, on a paper towel lined tray. Repeat the frying with the remaining filled dough. Serve hot with hot sauce, mango or tamarind chutney.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: FISH PIE

Steps:

• Mix 3 tbsp of the milk into the cornflour and set aside. Pour the rest of the milk into a saucepan. Shell the prawns, reserve the meat, then drop the shells and heads (wash them first if necessary) into the milk along with the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, garlic and a grind of pepper. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 mins.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a large pan of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins until tender. Drain. Steam the sliced leek for 3 mins, then remove from the heat and set aside.
• Strain the infused milk through a sieve into a large shallow sauté pan. Lay all the fish fillets (not the prawns) in the milk. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 3 mins. Remove from the heat and leave, covered, for 5 mins. Use a slotted spoon to transfer all the fish to a dish and leave to cool slightly. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Stir the slackened cornflour, then stir it into the hot milk in the sauté pan. Return the pan to the heat and stir until thickened. Briefly stir in the soft cheese, remove from the heat, then add the parsley and season with black pepper. Stir in any liquid that has drained from the fish. Break the fish into big pieces as you lay them in a 2-litre ovenproof dish so that the different varieties are evenly distributed. Scatter over the prawns and leek, then season with pepper. Pour the sauce over and give a few gentle stirs to evenly distribute the sauce and combine everything without breaking up the fish.
• Using a large fork, crush the potatoes by breaking them up (not mashing them) into chunky pieces. Mix in the oil, chives and a grind of black pepper. Spoon the potato crush over the fish. Sit the dish on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins, or until the sauce is bubbling and the potatoes golden. Alternatively, make the dish completely, refrigerate it for several hrs or overnight, then bake at the same temperature as above for 45 mins.

EASY FISH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Cut a small slit in each potato and place onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
• While the potatoes are baking, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion. Cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Mix in Cheddar cheese, cream, mustard, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is warm and Cheddar has melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Place white fish and shrimp in a 3 1/2-quart oven-proof baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over the fish; stir until well combined.
• Scoop the flesh out of the baked potatoes and place in a large bowl; discard the skins. Add 4 tablespoons butter and season with salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until butter has melted and potatoes are smooth. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top of the fish.
• Bake until sauce is bubbling and potato topping is golden brown, about 55 minutes.