Classic Fish Pie

There are absolutely trizillions of recipes out there in the cosmos for fish pies, And here's another one! The thing about the fish pie is you can make it basic, say, by just using bits of left over fish, or, you can really ooompf it up a bit, and use scallops, lobster, crab, monkfish etc etc, If you're really going to town, you can gently sweat down some leeks, kale, garlic and thyme and place this on the bottom, before topping eith the fish mix, But one thing i can be sure of, and that's there won't be much left once you have made it!!!

Shopping list

For the fish

• 600ml full fat milk

• 1 onion peeled and cut into 6 pieces (keeping the root intact)

• 2 bay leaves

• 500g of white fish, such as cod, haddock or pollock, cut into chunks

• 500g of smoked haddock, preferably the undyed stuff, cut into chunks

• 500g of salmon, cut into chunks

• 6 free-range eggs (optional)

• 75g butter

• 75g plain flour

• A good splash of white wine

• 100ml of double cream

• small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

For the mashed potatoes

• 1.5kg of potatoes, Maris Piper are perfect, peeled and sliced into pieces

• 75g of butter

Method

1. Pour the milk into a large saucepan and add the onion and bay leaves. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer, and allow to stand for a few minutes to infuse. Now add in the fish and bring to a very gentle simmer, DO NOT BOIL, or the fish will break up, Cover with a lid, take off the heat and cook for two minutes, set aside to stand and infuse for five minutes until the fish is almost cooked. Drain the fish through a colander into a bowl, then pour the milk into a jug.

2. Cook the potatoes in simmering water for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, drain in a colander then return to the pan and mash with the diced butter, Season to taste

3. Preheat the oven to 195c

4. Fill a saucepan half full with water and bring to the boil. Gently add the eggs to the water and cook for 7 minutes. Drain in a colander under running water for 10 minutes then set aside.

5. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, and then gradually add the infused milk a little at a time, Now add the wine and cream, stirring over a medium heat for five minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick. Season to taste

6. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the chopped parsley, peel the eggs and cut in half.

7. Add the fish pieces back into the sauce, carefully spoon the mix into the an ovenproof dish, Place the egg halves on top and lightly press into the fish mix

8. You can now either pipe or spoon the potato over the fish mixture, starting at the edges before making your way into the middle, brush with melted butter, place the dish on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the fish pie is bubbling.

Your fish pie is now ready to serve, either on it's own, or with some peas or greens would be perfect