Cheese Topped Fish Pie Recipes

THE HAIRY BIKERS' FISH PIE WITH CHEESE MASH

Steps:

• To make the filling, pour the milk into a large lidded pan and add the sliced onion and bay leaves. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Place the fish fillets in the pan and bring to a very gentle simmer, cover and cook for two minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand and infuse for 20 minutes. Drain the fish through a colander into a bowl, then pour the milk into a jug.
• Meanwhile, make the mash for the topping. Half fill a large saucepan with cold water. Add the potatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
• Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Mash with the butter, milk and three-quarters of the grated cheese. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• To finish the filling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for a few seconds, then gradually add the infused milk, stirring constantly, and simmer over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thick. Stir in the peas and season with salt and black pepper.
• Spread one third of the sauce into the base of a 1.5 litre/2¾ pint ovenproof dish. Scatter half the fish fillets over the sauce, breaking them into chunky pieces as you go and discarding the onion and bay leaves.
• Arrange half the prawns on top of the fish and pour over another third of the sauce. Repeat this with the remaining fish and prawns and finish with the final third of sauce on top.
• Spoon the mash over the fish mixture, spreading to the edges with a palette knife. Fork the surface and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place the dish on a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden-brown and the filling is bubbling.

LUXURY FISH PIE WITH CHEESY POTATO RöSTI TOPPING

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7/425°F/220°C.
• You will need a baking dish about 5 cm deep of 2 litre capacity, well buttered.
• Start off by boiling the potatoes, with skin on, in a saucepan with enough salted water.
• Once boiled though, strain off the water and cover them with a clean tea towel to absorb the steam.
• Meanwhile, heat the stock in a medium saucepan, add the bay leaf and season it well.
• Then cut the fish in half, if they are large pieces, add it to the saucepan and poach the fish gently for 5 minutes (it should be slightly undercooked).
• Using a draining spoon, remove the fish to a plate and strain the liquid through a sieve into a bowl.
• In the same pan you cooked the fish in, melt in the butter, whisk in the flour and cook for 2 minutes.
• Then gradually add the strained fish stock little at a time, whisking all the time.
• When you have a smooth sauce, turn the heat to its lowest setting and let the sauce gently cook for 5 minutes.
• Then whisk in the double cream, followed by the gherkins and chopped parsley.
• Give it all a good seasoning and remove it from the heat.
• Now to make the rösti, peel the potatoes and, using the coarse side of a grater, grate them into long shreds into a bowl.
• Then add the melted butter and lightly toss everything together using 2 forks so that the potatoes get a good coat of butter.
• Now remove the skin from the white fish and divide it into chunks, quite large if possible, and combine the fish with the sauce.
• Next, add the raw scallops and prawns to the fish mixture then spoon it into the prepared baking dish.
• Sprinkle the rösti on top, spreading it out as evenly as possible but not pressing it down too firmly.
• Finish it off by scattering the grated cheese all over the surface.
• Bake on a high shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
• If you would like to make the fish pie in advance, then you will have to let the sauce cool down completely before adding the fish, scallops and prawns. After you have spread the topping, cover the dish loosely with clingfilm and refrigerate it until you're ready to bake. But you will have to give it an extra 10 minutes of cooking time.

BRITISH FISH PIE WITH MASHED POTATO TOPPING

Steps:

• Place cubed potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.
• Transfer potato cubes to the bowl of a stand mixer. Blend gently, adding cubed butter and milk. Add in eggs and mix only until mashed potatoes reach your desired consistency, or finish by hand if needed;overmixing will yield gluey potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• While potatoes are boiling, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and thyme and saute until onions are soft and browned, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with vermouth and cook until alcohol has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in stock and milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Sauce should be fairly thick, but if it's too thick you can thin it out with a little bit of additional stock. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Turn off heat and stir in the half-and-half and parsley.
• Scatter salmon, cod pieces, and shrimp onto the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Drizzle lemon juice over the top of the seafood.
• Pour prepared sauce over seafood and stir gently to combine. Spread prepared potatoes over the top and fluff with a fork, then sprinkle Cheddar cheese over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake until potatoes are evenly browned all over, seafood is cooked through, and pie is bubbly and piping hot, about 20 more minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

TRADITIONAL BRITISH FISH PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Combine milk, bay leaf, and nutmeg in a large pan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Add cod and poach until flaky, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer cod onto a plate; reserve poaching liquid. Use a fork to flake fish into bite-sized pieces.
• Mash potatoes in a large bowl. Mix in 3 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons poaching liquid until potatoes are fairly stiff and not too runny.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat and stir in leek. Cook and stir until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter over medium heat in a large, deep skillet until it just stops bubbling. Add flour and stir roux continuously for 1 minute. Slowly pour in remaining poaching liquid, stirring continuously, to make base of sauce. Add 1/2 the sharp Cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Fold in flaked cod, leek, and peas. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place fish mixture in an oven-proof dish; press boiled eggs gently into the filling across the surface. Cover with a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with remaining Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.