British Fish Pie

Comfort on a Budget

The filling calls for using a combination of fish, so feel free to go with whatever you have on hand, or ask your fishmonger for a selection of fish scraps (usually, they will charge you less than the market price).

Tips for Making Fish Pie

It’s best to use fresh, seasonal fish whenever possible, but frozen is fine as long as you defrost it first. Using fish that isn’t properly defrosted can lead to a watery fish pie. Choose non-oily, fleshy fish such as salmon, cod, smoked haddock, and coley (aka pollock), which is similar to cod.

Ingredients

• 01 cup fish stock
• 01 cup milk
• 12 ounces fish, skin and bones removed, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 01 bay leaf
• 02 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 01 medium leek, white part only, washed thoroughly and finely sliced
• 02 ounces all purpose flour (a little less than 1/2 cup)
• 01 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• Salt, to taste
• Dash ground black pepper, or to taste
• 5 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (warm and creamy)
• A handful of grated cheddar cheese, optional

Step 01: Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 355 F/180 C.

Step 02: Pour the fish stock and milk into a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer then add the fish pieces and bay leaf and poach for 5 minutes.

Step 03: Remove the fish pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the liquid in the pot.

Step 04: Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced leek and cook for 6 minutes until the leek is soft.

Step 05: While still hot, add the flour and stir well with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes.

Step 06: Pour the fish poaching liquid into the pan and stir again. Raise the temperature and cook for 3 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened.

Step 07: Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaf, and add the poached fish and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 08: Spoon the fish mixture into an ovenproof dish. Cover with a thick layer of mashed potatoes and fluff them up with a fork. For a more professional look, you can pipe the mashed potatoes using a piping bag with a large nozzle.

Step 09: Sprinkle with the grated cheese if using.

Step 10: Put the dish on a baking sheet and cook in the center of the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling underneath the potatoes.

Serve Immediately: British Fish Pie is best enjoyed straight from the oven. Serve it immediately to savor the crispy texture and maximize the flavors