Fish pie 2

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
24⅔ ounce White fish
1 Shallot
2 tablespoons Dry white wine
2 Eggs
1⅞ cup Milk
1 1/16 ounce Butter
1 1/16 ounce Flour
4 tablespoons Chopped parsley
24⅔ ounce Mashing potatoes
⅝ cup Hot milk
2⅛ ounce Butter
Salt & pepper
1¾ ounce Shrimps/prawns or
Other shellfish AND/OR
1¾ ounce Mushrooms

Directions

Wash the fish, which can be a mixture, or one single type, of cod, hake, haddock, smoked haddock etc etc. and dry - more or less. Chop the shallot and put half of it into a buttered micro-wave dish. Put fish on top, and sprinkle with remaining shallot, a little salt and pepper and the dry white wine. Cover loosely with cling film, pierced in two or three places and microwave on full power for about 5 mins, or until the fish is just cooked.

Meanwhile, peel, quarter and boil the potatoes, hard boil the eggs, and make a white sauce with the first lot of butter and milk, and the flour. (I use a little bit of maggi cube to make it into a bechamel ~ more or less. If using mushrooms, wipe them, and cook lightly in a little extra butter. If using shrimps or prawns, cook them if needed, then shell them.

As soon as the fish is cool enough to handle, flake it into a bowl, taking care to remove any bones. Add the coarsely chopped hard boiled eggs, and such of the optional ingredients as you are using.

Add the liquid exuded by the fish during poaching to the white sauce, and cook down gently until the original volume is reached again. An alternative way of dealing with this liquid, is to cook it down to a near syrup, then add it to the white sauce - it has the same effect, but needs a little more care. Taste carefully for seasoning, and then add chopped parsley. Gently fold fish flavoured parsley sauce into flaked fish and put the mixture into a pie dish of suitable capacity.

When the potatoes are done, drain them and mash. We use a potato ricer, which works very well. Add the second quantity of butter and the hot milk, stir briefly, season to taste and mix gently, taking care not to develop the gluten. Spread the mashed potato over the fish mixture, and if you like, make a bit of a pattern with a fork or knife.

*May be cooked ahead to here

If not required immediately, allow to cool uncovered, then cover and refrigerate until wanted. Don't keep for more then a day or so, especially if using shrimps/prawns. When required, remove from fridge and cook in pre-heated moderate oven 375øF 190øC until the mixture is bubbling and the top is browned - 25-40 mins depending on whether it was still warm when put into oven or had been refrigerated.

Submitted By IAN HOARE On 12-24-94

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