Fish Pie

A fish pie recipe that has great flavour and feels like a big bowl of comfort. Perfect for a slow Sunday lunch.

Product: Mimo's Spice Bags

Serves: 4-6
Effort: Moderate – hands-on prep
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook: 35 mins
Gluten-free option

Ingredients

• 800g white firm fish – see hints & tips
• 300g raw prawn meat – see hints & tips
• 1L milk + 50ml for the mashed potato
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 mimo spice bag
• 6 peppercorns
• 100g butter, halved
• 50g flour
• 200ml sour cream
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 tbsp capers
• 15g fresh dill
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1.5kg potato
• 1 cup grated cheese

Instructions

1. Place the fish fillets in a large, wide saucepan and pour over the milk. Add the onion wedges, spice bag, and peppercorns, tucking them in around the fish. Bring to a very gentle simmer, then cover with a lid and remove from the heat immediately. Leave to stand and infuse for 10 mins or until the fish is just cooked.
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fish from the milk and place it in a bowl. Flake the fish into large pieces and place it in the fridge until needed.
3. Leave the milk in the pan to keep infusing with the onion and spice bag for a further 15 mins.
4. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large saucepan of cold water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 mins or until the potatoes are soft but not falling apart.
5. Drain well, return to the pan, and mash with half the butter and 50ml of milk until smooth. Season to taste and set aside.
6. Pour the infused milk through a colander over a large jug to reserve the milk.
7. Melt the remaining butter in an oven-proof skillet big enough for the fish pie, then stir in the flour. Cook for a few seconds, then gradually add the infused milk, stirring over medium heat for 3 mins until the sauce is smooth and thick.
8. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and white pepper. Stir to make a thick creamy sauce. Add the capers and dill. Season to taste.
9. Pre heat the oven to 200c/ 180c fan.
10. Remove the fish and prawns from the fridge and add to the white sauce. Stir through and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
11. Turn off the heat and top with the mashed potato, then sprinkle with the grated cheese.
12. Place the pan on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 35 minutes until bubbling and the cheese is golden.
13. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Hints & Tips

• To make it suitable for a gluten-free diet, use cornflour or plain gluten-free flour for the white sauce.
• Any firm white fish can be used, such as basa fillets, barramundi, or ling fillets.
• Using raw prawn meat helps prevent them from overcooking in the pie. Use fresh or frozen. If using frozen prawns, defrost and drain them first before adding to the sauce.
• Swap the prawn for skinless salmon fillets or even smoked haddock if you can find it in the supermarket.
• Add 100g each of frozen peas and sweetcorn to the sauce before topping with the mash.
• Dill can be swapped for parsley.
• Serve this with some simple veggies, like peas, carrots, corn, green beans, or broccoli. This is also a dish worth mopping up with some bread and butter.
• Make ahead: Prepare it all up to the stage where you would put it into the oven. Then it will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you come to cook it, it will take about 10-15 minutes longer to cook than if you were using a sauce/potatoes that are already warm.
• Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 days. Suitable for freezing.