Servings:

1 large fish pie - serves 6 - 8

Level of difficulty:

Intermediate

Ingredients

Topping
1 kilo King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes
50g Butter
4 tables spoons of cream or milk
Fish Mixture
500g of white fish (usually a mixture of cod and halibut, haddock and cod - whatever you can get hold of that looks nice and fresh.)
225g of raw prawns peeled.
1 large leek or 2 small ones cleaned, halved length ways and finely sliced.
Handful of frozen peas
2 cloves of garlic crushed
Salt and pepper
100g of butter
600ml of semi-skimmed milk
2 bayleaves
1 onion (peeled)
1 carrot (peeled)
3 tables spoons of flour (150g)

Method

Firstly make the mash potato topping - peel and chop the potatoes into medium sized pieces and then boil them in salted water until tender (15 - 20 minutes).
Mash well and add the butter and cream or milk and stir until you get a smooth consistency (you don't want lumpy mash). Season with salt and white pepper.

Poach the fish in the milk adding the bay leaves, the carrot and onion for about 10 minutes - do not allow the milk to boil but just come upto a simmering point. We just want to cook the fish gently and not overcook it. Drain and set the fish aside and keep the milk mixure to one side, discarding the bay leaves, carrot and onion.

Put 50g of butter into a large pan and when gently foaming, add the garlic and leeks. Cook down and then add the peas and allow them to heat through. Add the curry powder at this point, cook for a couple of minutes and set to one side with the fish.

Now in a large pan heat the remaining butter until melted, add the flour and cook it out for about five minutes. Gradually add the milk mixture and whisk on a medium heat until thickened. Now add the fish and leek mixtures and stir gently to break up the fish. Add the prawns at this stage and season to taste.

Now place the fish mixure into a large casserole dish, top with the mash potato and bake in an oven at 200 degrees for about 30- 40 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve with a green vegetable.