Fish Pie With Saffron Mash Recipes

FISH PIE WITH SAFFRON MASH

Steps:

• Tip the shallots and vinegar into a saucepan and place on the heat so the vinegar evaporates quickly. Splash in the white wine and reduce until practically dry. Add cream, bring to the boil, then simmer gently until reduced by two-thirds and very thick. Leave to cool. Cut the fish into bite-size chunks and set aside with the prawns.
• Tip spinach into a large colander and pour over boiling water from a kettle until all the spinach is wilted (you may need to do this more than once). Cool under the cold tap, then squeeze the spinach tightly to get rid of any excess liquid.
• To make the topping, mash the saffron, garlic and chilli together using a pestle and mortar. Tip into a saucepan with the milk, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat to infuse. Bring the potatoes to the boil and simmer for 15 mins until soft. Drain, then mash well with the infused milk, olive oil, lemon juice and zest.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. To assemble the pie, mix the fish and prawns into the cold cream until completely coated. Tip the fish into the bottom of a large gratin dish and scatter over clumps of crabmeat. Unravel the spinach and lay it over the fish, then top with the mash. Cook the pie for about 30 mins until golden and starting to brown and bubble around the edges. Serve with green veg if you like.

TRADITIONAL BRITISH FISH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Combine milk, bay leaf, and nutmeg in a large pan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Add cod and poach until flaky, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cod onto a plate; reserve poaching liquid. Use a fork to flake fish into bite-sized pieces.
• Mash potatoes in a large bowl. Mix in 3 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons poaching liquid until potatoes are fairly stiff and not too runny.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat and stir in leek. Cook and stir until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter over medium heat in a large, deep skillet until it just stops bubbling. Add flour and stir roux continuously for 1 minute. Slowly pour in remaining poaching liquid, stirring continuously, to make base of sauce. Add 1/2 the sharp Cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Fold in flaked cod, leek, and peas. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place fish mixture in an oven-proof dish; press boiled eggs gently into the filling across the surface. Cover with a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

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.