Fisherman’s Pie
This is an English family favorite and there are many versions. It can be made with cod, haddock, salmon or any other white fish. It will be easy if you use fillets but whole fish can also be used in chunks. Bones and skin can be discarded after the fish is cooked. Other vegetables like peas can be added to the fish. The roux for white sauce is also traditionally made with oil/butter and refined flour (maida) but I use cornflour and no oil at all. This tastes as good as the rich cheese sauce but has a much lower calorie content.
Ingredients
- 1 kg white fish fillet or 2 KG whole fish (to get approx 1 KG of firm flesh without skin and bones)
- 200 g onion
- 500 ml milk
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 600 g potatoes
- 100 g butter
- 100 g grated cheese
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 sprig fresh cilantro or any other fresh herb
Servings: people
Instructions
- Boil fish in a little salted water. Strain, remove bones and skin if required and break into chunks.
- Boil 400 ml milk . Mix 50 ml of cold milk with 2 tablespoons of cornflour.
- Add the corn flour paste to the boiling milk and cook for a minute until thick.
- Grate the cheese. Add to the white sauce and heat for a minute or until cheese melts.
- Add the dried and fresh herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix the chunks of cooked fish with the seasoned cheese sauce and transfer to a shallow ovenproof dish.
- Boil the potatoes until soft. Peel and mash.
- Add remaining milk, salt, pepper and 50 grams of butter to the mash.
- Spread over the fish in cheese sauce either all over or pipe over the fish on the edges.
- Dot with remaining butter and bake for 20 minutes until hot and light brown on top.