Fish Pie in a Light & Creamy Cheese Sauce
British-style fish pie with mixed fish and prawns in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, topped with mashed potatoes and baked until bubbling and golden.
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- •null null Potatoesgood variety for mashing; washed, peeled, and cut
- •1/2 tsp Saltfor boiling potatoes; plus extra to season mash and sauce
- •null null White pepperto season mash and sauce
- •null null Buttersome for mash; some for roux
- •null null Milkfor poaching fish and making sauce
- •400 g Fish filletsskinless mixed fish such as cod, salmon, smoked haddock
- •null null Tiger prawnsadded raw to baking dish (not poached)
- •1 small Onionhalved; used to flavor poaching milk (shallot mentioned as alternative)
- •null null Flourfor roux
- •null null Creamadded to sauce
- •null null Nutmegfreshly grated
- •null null Lemon juice(optional)optional seasoning for sauce
- •100 g Cheddar cheesemature/strong; for sauce, plus extra to sprinkle on top
- •1 handful Parsleychopped flat-leaf or curly
- 1
Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes. Put into a medium pan, cover with water, and add 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes until tender.
20 min
- 2
Drain the potatoes thoroughly. Season with salt and white pepper, add butter (not too much), and mash until smooth and creamy. Cover and set aside.
5 min
- 3
Gently heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat until simmering (preheating the milk first helps prevent catching). Add the fish fillets (not the prawns). Add a small onion/shallot halved to flavor the milk. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
4 min
- 4
Lift the fish into a baking dish with a slotted spoon. Remove the onion. Strain the poaching milk through a fine sieve and reserve for the sauce.
3 min
- 5
Flake the fish gently with forks and distribute evenly in the dish. Add the raw prawns to the dish.
3 min
- 6
Make the cheese sauce: melt butter in a pan, add flour, and stir over low heat until slightly darker (about 90 seconds). Gradually whisk in the reserved flavored milk until smooth and thickening. Add cream, then season with salt, white pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg (optional: a little lemon juice).
10 min
- 7
Stir in 100 g mature cheddar until melted and silky. Mix in a handful of chopped parsley.
2 min
- 8
Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F / gas mark 4).
0 - 9
Assemble: ladle some sauce over the fish and gently mix to coat without breaking up the flakes. Add more sauce on top and level. (Optional: reserve extra sauce for serving.)
4 min
- 10
Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top, spreading gently with a fork and leaving a rough surface for crisp peaks. Sprinkle extra mature cheddar over the mash if desired.
5 min
- 11
Bake on a tray (to catch any bubbling) for 30 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned. Serve hot.
30 min
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Pizza
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