· Recipes
BySam
A velvety creamy sauce packed with lemon and herbs enrobes the mixed seafood in this Luxurious fish pie with cheesy mash. This is the perfect recipe to make when you want to impress and for a special occasion.
To make this luxury fish pie use a combination of at least two types of fish and vary this according to what is seasonally and sustainably available. Add shellfish to make it more luxe but it is equally as nice with only fish. If you omit the prawns, just add more salmon/trout.
I like a combination of smoked fish and white fish and if I’m trying to be extra fancy, salmon or salmon trout (more affordable sustainable and readily available).
A British fish pie is one of my ultimate dishes and Jamie Oliver’s fantastic fish pie is a firm family favourite around here. His recipe calls for hard-boiled eggs which is a British classic and you can of course add it to this fish pie recipe if you prefer. A large handful of baby spinach leaves or peas could work too.
This fish pie recipe was created to pair with the Ladybird Chardonnay 2022.
Here is a little more about this delicious organic wine from Stellenbosch which is made exclusively for Woolworths.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
2022 was a much cooler and later vintage than average, the slow ripening conditions resulted in an exceptional vintage for our estate with concentrated fruit development and palate weight. All our grapes are farmed organically and are estate grown.
WINEMAKING / MATURATION
The grapes were handpicked in the early morning the whole bunches were pressed with no additions to the juice. 30 % of the wine is fermented in new oak barrels, while the remaining 70% is in concrete eggs. The wine undergoes natural fermentation and stays on the lees for 8 months after fermentation is completed. No sulphur is added. We chose to use less oak in this vintage to express freshness and pure Chardonnay fruit. The wine is filtered before bottling.
TASTING NOTES
Lovely, light straw colour with a slight green tint. A complex nose with hints of fresh hay, citrus, pineapple, white nectarine, butterscotch and caramelised toffee. A juicy fresh palette with loads of fruit, well supported with lingering lime-like acidity. A fresh, light, charming and hugely enjoyable wine. A perfect wine to enjoy on its own, but will complement many summer lunchtime dishes such as salads, gourmet sandwiches, sushi, quiche, and grilled calamari.
How to make a Luxurious fish pie with cheesy mash
- Start off by boiling your potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water until knife tender. Drain and allow the steam to further evaourate and dry any excess moisture out the potatoes a little more.
- Prepare your seafood by cleaning and cutting it into appropriate sizes. The prawns will not need to be cut unless they are very big.
- Poach the smoked fish in warm milk with bay leaves and fish stock. Add this to the rest of the fish in the pie dish.
- Make the creamy sauce by first softening the onion and celery in the butter until translucent. Then add the flour to make a roux. Slowly add the hot milk until it is fully absorbed.
- Add the lemon zest, juice, cream (or double cream), vermouth (or wine), and fresh herbs. Once incorporated add the cheese and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper to taste.
What to top a classic British fish pie with
Mashed potato is the classic topping for a British fish pie but you could get creative with any of these toppings too:
- Scalloped potato which will form a layered topping. Brush a splash of cream between the layers to separate them.
- Make a parsley crumb or other herb and bread crumb mixture for a lighter fish pie topping.
- A potato rosti topping with grated potato could be a delicious and crispy topping. Toss the shredded potato with cream and butter.
- Puff pastry is another less traditional topping idea that works very well.
You might also like these delicious seafood recipes:
- Roasted salmon with miso and orange glaze
- Baked whole trout with herbs and lemon
- Mussels with white wine garlic and cream
- Trout en Papillote with fennel
Recipe – serves 4 – 6 and serve with peas, green beans, or a salad on the side.
The best luxurious fish pie with cheesy mash
A delicious recipe for an indulgent and best luxurious fish pie with cheesy mash.
Print Recipe
Prep Time:20 minutes mins
Cook Time:35 minutes mins
Ingredients
For the fish pie filling:
- 500 gms smoked haddock cut into large bite-size pieces
- 200 gms salmon fillets or trout skin & pin bones removed and cut into large bite-size pieces
- 200 gms prawns cleaned, deveined and head & tail removed (optional)
- 300 ml milk
- 1 sachet of fish sauce concentrate fish stock optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 40 gms butter
- 1 onion or 2 shallots finely diced
- 1 thin celery stalk finely diced
- 40 gsm flour
- Zest and juice of half a lemon 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbs dry vermouth or white wine optional
- 250 ml 1 cup cream (divided)
- 1 1/2 Tbs finely chopped parsley flat leaf
- 1 Tbs finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 45 gms / ½ cup grated mature Cheddar/Gruyere/Dalewood Fromage Huguenot
- 15 gms Parmesan cheese finely grated
For the mashed potato topping:
- 900 gms floury potatoes peeled and cut into evenly sized large chunks
- ¼ cup of the 250ml cream used in the filling recipe
- 20 gms butter plus more to brush on the top
- 20 gms / ¼ cup grated mature Cheddar/Gruyere/Dalewood Fromage Huguenot
- 15 gms grated parmesan
- Salt and white pepper
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
Boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until knife tender. Drain and set aside to dry properly.
While the potatoes are cooking, bring the milk, bay leaf and stock to a simmer and add the haddock piece. Cook for about 1 minute over a very gentle simmer then turn off the heat.
Scoop the partially cooked haddock out with a slotted spoon and place it in a pie dish with the other seafood. Remove the bay leaf from the milk which you will reserve.
Heat a medium to a large non-stick frying pan and add the butter, once bubbling, add the chopped onion and celery. Sauté over gentle heat for about 5 minutes until translucent.
Add the flour to form and paste and gradually add the reserved milk in parts to form a white sauce (bechamel).
Add the lemon zest & juice and dry vermouth and stir to combine. Add 190 ml of the cream reserving the 60ml/1/4 cup for the mashed potato topping.
Add the two kinds of grated cheese to the sauce along with the mustard, chopped herbs and salt and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to taste and ensure the flour has cooked through.
Pour the creamy fish pie sauce over the fish mixture and gently mix to coat. Spread this out over the base of the oven dish.
Once the potatoes have drained and dried, put them back in the pot you cooked them in and pass them through a potato ricer if you have or mash them with a potato masher. Add all the other ingredients and stir to combine.
Dollop the mashed potato onto the fish pie filling and gently spread it to ever the surface. Brush the top of the pie with additional melted butter. if you wanted to be fancy, you could put the mashed potato into a piping bag and pipe pretty swirls.
Bake on a baking sheet for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Allow the pie to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Make sure you put a baking tray under the fish pie whilst baking as the sauce could bubble and leak out.
Servings: 4 -6
Author: Sam Linsell
*This post is proudly sponsored by Ladybird Vineyards
