Exceedingly good double fish pie

Ingredients

  • 350g (12oz) un-dyed skinned smoked haddock fillet
  • 350g (12oz) skinned haddock fillet
  • 2 leeks, sliced
  • 50g (2oz) butter
  • 50g (2oz) flour
  • 600ml (1 pint) hot milk
  • salt and pepper
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
  • 3 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped

TOPPING

  • 1kg (2 1/4lb) potatoes, peeled, cut into even sized pieces
  • about 150ml (1/4 pint) milk
  • 2 heaped tablespoons grainy mustard
  • 75g (3oz) mature cheddar cheese, grated

Exceedingly good double fish pie

iNTRODUCTION

Fish pie is one of my great standbys and can be made completely ahead.  So what makes this one extra special – it is layers of smoked and fresh haddock, blended with a dill sauce, topped with heaps of mustard cheesy mash.  I can be out all day knowing that I have a delicious supper ready for family or friends.

INSTRUCTIONS

Serves 6-8

  1. Butter a 2 litre (3 ¼ pint) shallow pie dish, about 6cm (2 ½”) deep.

  2. Cut the fish into 1cm (1/2”) pieces, discard any skin and bones.  Boil the leeks in salted water for about 5 minutes and drain well.

  3. Next make the sauce.  Melt the butter in a good sized pan, add flour and cook for a few moments not allowing it to colour.  Whisk in half the hot milk and allow to thicken.  Whisk in the remaining hot milk and whisk until smooth.  Add the fish and a little salt and pepper.  Cook over a low heat for 2 minutes, stirring , add lemon juice, dill and chopped egg and turn into buttered dish.  Spoon over the leeks and set aside to become completely cold and firm.

  4. Meanwhile boil the potatoes in salted water till tender, drain and push the potatoes to one side in the pan.  Add the milk and let it become hot, mash the potatoes with the milk using a potato masher then whisk in the mustard – you may need a little more milk.  Check seasoning.

  5. Spread the mash over the cooled fish, scatter with the cheese.  Stand the dish in a large roasting tin (just in case it boils over).

  6. Can be made up to 48 hours ahead.  Freezes well without the eggs.

  7. Bake in preheated oven 200C/180 Fan/Gas 6 for about 30 minutes until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.

IN THE AGA - bake on the top set of runners in the roasting oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.

VARIATIONS
Spinach – Add 500g of lightly cooked spinach instead of the leeks.
Prawn and Haddock – Use all un-smoked haddock and add 200g of cold water prawns instead of hard boiled egg.