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Fish Pie #8

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Nosh Winter

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb White fish; (haddock is good)
  • 2 1/4 pt Milk
  • 1 Onion; chopped
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • A few peppercorns
  • 1 Pinches grated nutmeg
  • 2 Cloves
  • 8 oz Fresh white breadcrumbs
  • 12 Plum; (or tasty vine) tomatoes, skinned
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 oz Mature Cheddar; grated
  • 2 oz Unsalted butter; chilled and diced
  • Finely chopped parsley to serve

Directions:

Fish pie:
 
Lightly poach the fish in the milk with the onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, nutmeg and cloves. Cook gently over a low heat, until the fish is tender and starts to flake. Remove it from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave the flavoured milk to infuse and rest for 20 minutes, then strain. You will need the milk to make the cheese sauce.
 
Grease a large pie dish with some butter, an oval gratin dish or lasagne dish are best. Sprinkle with a thick layer of the breadcrumbs, reserving the rest. Cut the tomatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange a layer over the base of the dish. Season with salt and pepper.
 
Remove the skin and any bones from the poached fish and flake it lightly. Sprinkle half of the flaked fish over the tomatoes in the dish. Cover with half of the cheese sauce, and then repeat the layering, finishing with a layer of cheese sauce, breadcrumbs, and finally, dot with little knobs of butter.
 
Bake the fish pie in a preheated oven at 170C/325F/gas 3 for about 25 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
 
Cheese sauce:
 
Use the strained hot milk from poaching the fish to make this sauce. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook gently over low heat for a couple of minutes, then gradually beat in the hot milk with a wooden spoon. Bring to the boil, stirring and beating until thickened. Then reduce the heat and simmer (on very low heat) for at least 10 minutes to let the sauce 'develop'. Don't forget to stir the sauce frequently with a wooden spoon to prevent it sticking to the pan. Add the grated Cheddar and a dollop of Dijon mustard.
 
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