FISH PIE RICK STEIN RECIPES

Steps:

• Stud a couple of the onion slices with the cloves. Put the onion slices in a large pan with the bay leaf, 450ml (¾ pint) of the milk, the cream, cod and smoked fish. Bring just to the boil and simmer for 8 minutes. Lift the fish out onto a plate and strain the cooking liquor into a jug.When the fish is cool enough to handle, break it into large flakes, discarding the skin and any bones. Sprinkle it over the base of a shallow 1.75 litre (3 pint) ovenproof dish.

  Hard-boil the eggs for 8 minutes, then drain and leave to cool. Peel them, cut into chunky slices and arrange on top of the fish.

  Melt half the butter in a pan, add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the reserved cooking liquor. Return it to the heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring all the time.Leave it to simmer gently for 10 minutes to cook out the flour. Remove from the heat once more, stir in the parsley and season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish and leave to cool. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

  Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Boil the potatoes for 15–20 minutes. Drain, mash and add the rest of the butter and the egg yolk. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Beat in enough of the remaining milk to form a soft spreadable mash.

  Spoon the potato over the filling and mark the surface with a fork. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until piping hot and golden brown.

Steps:

• Put the onion slices, cloves and bay leaf in a large pan with the milk, cream, pollock and smoked haddock. Bring just to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift the fish out onto a plate and strain the cooking liquor into a jug.
• Boil the eggs for 8 minutes, then drain and leave to cool.
• When the fish is cool enough to handle, break it into large flakes, discarding the skin and bones. Put the fish into a shallow 3.5 litre/6 pint ovenproof dish.
• Peel the hard-boiled eggs, cut them into chunky slices and arrange on top of the fish.
• Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the reserved cooking liquor. Return the pan to the heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring all the time. Leave to simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and prawns and season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish and leave to cool. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
• To make the topping, boil the potatoes for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and place in a wide mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with an electric hand mixer until no lumps remain, then add the butter and egg yolks, season with salt and freshly ground white pepper and beat in enough of the milk to form a soft, spreadable mash.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Spoon the mashed potato over the fish mixture and mark the surface with a fork. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until piping hot and golden brown.