Fish pie recipes

[condor]

I bought some fish pie mix (cod, smoked haddock and salmon) and intend to use a parsley sauce packet mix to make the sauce for it. I'll use the milk I've poached the fish in. I see some recipes include hard boiled eggs ( why?) and frozen peas. Cheesy mash topping or basic creamed mash I'll decide on later.
This will be for Friday - does anyone have a better way to cook a fish pie?

[lost in espace]

condor said:

I bought some fish pie mix (cod, smoked haddock and salmon) and intend to use a parsley sauce packet mix to make the sauce for it. I'll use the milk I've poached the fish in. I see some recipes include hard boiled eggs ( why?) and frozen peas. Cheesy mash topping or basic creamed mash I'll decide on later.
This will be for Friday - does anyone have a better way to cook a fish pie?

Jamies recipie is nice, adapted for sweet potatoes so its low carb. Half a pint of cream in it, and don't bother with the packet. Eggs are essential!

Jamie's recipe for Fantastic Fish Pie from his book "The Return of the Naked Chef" - serves 6.

The whole fish pie thing is one of the most homely, comforting and moreish dinners I can think of. This is a cracking recipe, which does it for me.

6 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch squares
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 free-range eggs
2 large handfuls fresh spinach, trimmed and washed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, halved and finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pint double cream
2 good handfuls grated mature Cheddar or Parmesan
juice of 1 lemon
1 heaped teaspoon English mustard
1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
455gr/1 lb haddock or fresh cod fillet, skin removed, pin-boned and sliced into strips
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg, optional

Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/gas6.

Put the potatoes into salted boiling water and bring back to a boil for 2 minutes. Carefully add the eggs to the pan and cook for a further 8 minutes until hard boiled, by which time the potatoes should also be cooked. At the same time, steam the spinach in a colander above the pan. This will only take a minute. When the spinach is done, remove from the colander and gently squeeze any excess moisture away. Then drain the potatoes in the colander. Remove the eggs, cool under cold water, then peel and quarter them. Place to one side.

In a separate pan slowly fry the onion and carrot in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, then add the double cream, and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, lemon juice, mustard, and parsley.

Put the spinach, fish and eggs into an appropriately sized earthenware dish and mix together, pouring over the creamy vegetable sauce. The cooked potatoes should be drained and mashed, add a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a touch of nutmeg, if you like. Spread on top of the fish. Don't bother piping it to make it look pretty, it's a homely hearty thing. Place in the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden.

Serve with some nice peas or greens, not forgetting the baked beans and tomato ketchup. Tacky but tasty, and that's what I like.

[Shaw Tarse]

Salmon

[Lynchie999]

condor said:

I bought some fish pie mix (cod, smoked haddock and salmon) and intend to use a parsley sauce packet mix to make the sauce for it. I'll use the milk I've poached the fish in. I see some recipes include hard boiled eggs ( why?) and frozen peas. Cheesy mash topping or basic creamed mash I'll decide on later.
This will be for Friday - does anyone have a better way to cook a fish pie?

Just pour the sauce straight over the raw fish pieces, whack you potato on top and stick in the oven... 20-30mins and it will be done... no need to poach before hand..

[boxst]

The Hairy bikers one is really great. Well, I say that, I hate fish pie but have cooked it for others and they enjoyed it. Or at least told me they enjoyed it.

http://www.hairybikers.com/recipes/the-ultimate-fi...

Steve

[calibrax]

Lynchie999 said:

Just pour the sauce straight over the raw fish pieces, whack you potato on top and stick in the oven... 20-30mins and it will be done... no need to poach before hand..

Yep... you don't want to overcook the fish, it's best if it has a bit of texture to it rather than just mush.

I don't get the hard-boiled egg thing either, no idea who thought that one up, but it seems quite common. And very weird.

[21TonyK]

Shaw Tarse said:

Salmon

Agree, can't stand the stuff. Or at least I couldn't until I tried sockeye salmon. Really meaty texture, none of the fatty flabby slimy texture you get from most salmon I've tried, including wild caught myself.

Give it a go, changed my mind after 30 years of the stuff!

[lost in espace]

21TonyK said:

...salmon

I had a mixture of prawn, salmon and pollock.

[truck71]

I'd always poach smoked haddock in milk with a Bayleaf and peppercorns and add the fish to the pie mix. Softens the flesh and the milk can be used to make a roux that will coat said mix. Delia's recipe is excellent for this. And I agree eggs work v well.

[Shaw Tarse]

21TonyK said:

Agree, can't stand the stuff. Or at least I couldn't until I tried sockeye salmon. Really meaty texture, none of the fatty flabby slimy texture you get from most salmon I've tried, including wild caught myself.

Give it a go, changed my mind after 30 years of the stuff!

I might do at some point.
I like smoked salmon or gravadlax, it's just cooked salmon (it looks nice) I don't like

[soad]

Shaw Tarse said:

Salmon

Use mussels instead.

[truck71]

Shaw Tarse said:

21TonyK said:

Agree, can't stand the stuff. Or at least I couldn't until I tried sockeye salmon. Really meaty texture, none of the fatty flabby slimy texture you get from most salmon I've tried, including wild caught myself.

Give it a go, changed my mind after 30 years of the stuff!

I might do at some point.
I like smoked salmon or gravadlax, it's just cooked salmon (it looks nice) I don't like

Try lightly smoked salmon fillets, Sainsbury have really good ones - might convert you.

[Mr Gearchange]

For me a good fish pie should include a mix of seafood - Cod, Smoked Haddock, Cold water prawns, Scallops, Squid - as much as I love Mussels they have no place in a fish pie.
Ditto for boiled eggs - I cannot abide the texture of hard boiled egg yolk, whereas a soft yolk is one of life's great pleasures.

[soad]

I haven't cooked a fish pie in ages! That's Sunday lunch sorted.

For the sake of future generations, never ever put hard-boiled eggs in! White fish and prawns is the way forward.

[rsv696]

This is a firm favourite in our house - dead easy & tastes great :

http://step-by-step-cook.co.uk/mains/fishpie/

[21TonyK]

Several years back my old head chef insisted on mushrooms in a fish pie.
Really was not convinced by it actually worked.

[soad]

21TonyK said:

Several years back my old head chef insisted on mushrooms in a fish pie.
Really was not convinced by it actually worked.

One of your five a day!

Sounds like old recipe from the 70's.

[condor]

Thanks for your suggestions so far
I'm still thinking of going with my original plan I like easy and tasty No eggs, as no real reason has been mentioned.

[Mobile Chicane]

Lynchie999 said:

Just pour the sauce straight over the raw fish pieces, whack you potato on top and stick in the oven... 20-30mins and it will be done... no need to poach before hand..

The fish needs to be poached else it will leach water into the bottom of the pie.

[Mobile Chicane]

condor said:

Thanks for your suggestions so far
I'm still thinking of going with my original plan I like easy and tasty No eggs, as no real reason has been mentioned.

I think eggs have a place only because they help to bulk up the pie filling, given the cost of fish nowadays.

My one suggestion for a cheaty ingredient would be Waitrose frozen mash. Perfect taste and texture, and at £1 for 750g it's cheaper than making your own, all things considered.