One of the best cookbooks out there, The Forgotten Skills of Cooking (Kyle Books, 2009) by Irishwoman and farm woman Darina Allen, turned me on to fish pie.
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Savory Pie Recipes
Fish is such an important component of our diets, loaded with healthy omega-3, that I’m always looking for fun and filling ways to cook it. This can be made in one large (3-quart) casserole dish, or eight individual-sized ones.
Fish Pie Recipe
Filling:
2 pounds cod, haddock or salmon fillets (or a combination), skinned
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup fresh, sliced mushrooms
2 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves, or 1 tablespoon dried
1 cup frozen peas
Topping:
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup whole milk
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
Roux:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
Cut fish into chunks and season with salt and pepper.
Sauté onion in butter over low heat until soft. Transfer onions to plate using slotted spoon. Add a little more butter to same pan and sauté mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, and place on plate with onions.
Place potatoes in large pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender. Pull off skins as soon as they’re cool enough to handle.
Mash potatoes and add milk, egg yolks, butter, salt and pepper. Purée with stick blender for a really smooth texture. Set aside.
Place fish in single layer in large sauté pan (cook in batches if necessary). Add milk and bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently until fish is just cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove fish to plate and remove bones or skin and bay leaf; reserve cooking liquid in pan.
Prepare roux by melting butter over low heat; add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside.
Heat oven to 350°F.
Bring reserved cooking liquid to a boil. Whisk in just enough roux to thicken. Add tarragon leaves, mushrooms and onion, fish, and frozen peas. Stir to combine, and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
Spoon into large (3-quart) baking dish, and pipe or spread cooked potatoes on top. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes; finish by broiling for 1 to 2 minutes to brown top. Fish Pie Recipe yields 8 servings.
