As heard on the Brendan O'Connor Show on RTÉ Radio 1.
Ingredients
You can make ahead up to step four in the method and assemble the fish pie in jackets 20 minutes before you serve them. If you leave out the white wine then reduce the simmering time of the sauce to ten minutes. I like to serve them with buttered spinach.
Serves 4
- 4 baking potatoes, scrubbed
- 50g butter
- 50g cheddar, finely grated
- 300ml milk
- Bay leaf
- 250g, fish pie mix (mix of salmon, white fish and smoked fish)
- 200g peeled prawns
- 75g butter
- 75g flour
- 100ml white wine (optional)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Bake for 1 hour or until tender.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool enough so you can handle them. Scoop out the potato flesh into a bowl, leaving a 1cm potato shell.
- Mash the potato flesh with 50g butter and, mix in the grated cheese. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and set aside.
- Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add the milk, bay leaf and a couple of black peppercorns. Bring the milk to the boil, add the fish and prawns, reduce the heat to low and poach for 4-5 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon transfer the fish to a plate, and discard the bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Place a saucepan over a low heat and melt the butter, whisk in the flour to make a thick paste – cook for three minutes. Then slowly whisk in the poaching milk, and whisk until you reach a smooth consistency.
- Next whisk in the white wine. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lastly stir in the mustard and chives, followed by the fish and prawns. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Spoon the fish and sauce into the potato shells and top with the mashed potato and cheese. Place them on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until piping hot and the cheese is golden.
