May 17 2024
This simple fish pie is speedy to make and packs some real flavour. We love using smoked haddock for its deep oaky notes, lots of sweet leeks and plenty of lovely fresh eggs – an essential ingredient in our book!
Tip – Reserve the leek tops and the parsley stalks for making vegetable stock. You can pop them in a bag in the freezer, until you’re ready to make a batch.
Preparation time
1 hr 15 mins, plus cooling time
Serves
3 – 4
Ingredients
- 500-800g side of natural smoked haddock
- 2 leeks, split, washed and thinly sliced
- 4 Respectful eggs
- 100g butter
- 75g flour
- 300ml milk
- 150ml double cream
- Salt and pepper
- Small bunch of parsley
- 50g course fresh breadcrumbs
- 25g grated cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan.
- Bring a small pan of water to the boil. Add your eggs and cook for 7-8 minutes. When they ready remove the eggs, allow to cool then shell and halve them.
- Place the smoked fish in a suitably sized pan. You may well have to cut the fillet in half. Add the milk and a few parsley stalks. Bring to the simmer and cook for a minute or two or until the haddock is just cooked. Allow the fish to cool. Reserve the milk.
- In a seperate pan melt the butter. Add the leeks and a little salt and pepper, and allow them to soften in the butter, stirring as you go, for 3-4 minutes.
- Now work the flour into the leeks and butter and mix well. Cook this leeky roux gently for 1-2 minutes. Strain the hot smoky milk onto the leeky roux and stir until smooth. Add the cream and cook, stirring regularly, for another 3-4 minutes.
- Separate the smoked fish from the skin. Leave it in fairly big chunks if you can. Look out for any bones. Fold the smoked fish into the sauce. Season the mixture to taste with salt, pepper and add the chopped parsley. If the mix is to thick let it go with a splash or 2 of milk. Spoon the filling into a suitable pie dish and nestle the eggs down into the mix.
- Combine the fresh breadcrumbs with the grated cheddar cheese and scatter this mix over the top of the pie filling. Trickle all over with the olive oil and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 mins or until golden and crispy on top. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
