Simple Flavour-filled Fish Pie

Another winter warmer of a dish and one that will leave all the family asking for more – so maybe make two!

This is easy and so good in every way – my two teenage children are not huge fish eaters but they wolfed every morsel of this.

It is based on a Jamie Oliver recipe but I have tinkered with it to suit my store cupboard and taste!

And you can play about with it further if so desired – for example, if you are keen to miss out carbs – replace the potatoes with cooked, mashed celeriac – or butternut squash or sweet potatoes- or a mix of both – or a mix of swede and carrot boiled and mashed – with a little butter or cream if you fancy. You get the idea!

You can use any fish you want really and make it as luxurious or simple as you feel so inclined! I love this combo of smoked haddock,, salmon and prawns – but unsmoked haddock would be fine, or cod, or whiting or coley or etc etc etc!!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 shallots peeled and finely chopped

6 baby plum tomatoes sliced

2 cloves of garlic

1 kg potatoes peeled and quartered

150 g good-quality Cheddar cheese

1 lemon

Tsp of dried chili flakes

Small handful of rocket (rugola)chopped

300 g salmon fillets skin off

300 g smoked haddock fillets skin off

125 g raw peeled prawns

Olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

50 gm of butter

100 ml single cream

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C and bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Once the water is boiling, add the potatoes and cook until soft (you can stick your knife into them to check. About 12 minutes or so.

Add 25 gm of butter to a hot frying pan and gently fry the shallots and garlic until soft, then add the sliced tomatoes for a further minute. Remove from the heat.

Get a deep baking tray or earthenware dish and stand a box grater in it. Grate 100 gm of the Cheddar cheese on the coarse side of the grater. Use the fine side of the grater to grate the zest from the lemon. Now add the onion mixture and the rocket to the dish.

Cut the salmon and smoked haddock into bite-size chunks and add to the tray with the prawns. Squeeze over the juice from the zested lemon, drizzle with olive oil and add a good pinch of salt and pepper plus the dried chili flakes. Mix everything together well but gently!

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them in a colander and return them to the pan. Add the cream and a good grind of sea salt and black pepper and mash until nice and smooth. I love mashing!

Next spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top of the fish mixture. Grate over the remaining cheese and add the remaining butter in small blobs around the surface.

Place in the preheated oven for around 30 to 40 minutes, until cooked through and crispy and golden on top.

I served it with a green salad. Tis all you need!