To the uninitiated, fish pie has an uninviting name and reputation. But this is fish that is gently poached, then swathed in a white sauce and topped with buttery mashed potatoes and finished to a heat-bronzed finish in the oven. It is a dish good for children, but can be made into unapologetic dinner-party fare by poaching the fish in a little white wine, making the white sauce with light cream rather than milk and infusing all of it with the eggy-lemony kiss of saffron. It’s an hour well worth spending.
Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and quartered lengthwise
- ½ cup white wine
- Large pinch salt
- 1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, fresh thyme, parsley, celery and leek, tied together in cheesecloth)
- 2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan
- 8 ounces skinless cod fillets
- 8 ounces skinless haddock fillets
- 8 ounces skinless salmon fillets
- ½ teaspoon powdered saffron or 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads steeped in 1 tablespoon boiling water
- 1 cup light cream or as needed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Pinch of mace
- 5 ounces cooked, peeled shrimp
- Freshly grated nutmeg
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Nutritional Information
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Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
841 calories; 50 grams fat; 28 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 45 grams protein; 272 milligrams cholesterol; 377 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data. -
4 servings
Preparation
- In a deep covered skillet, combine carrot, wine, salt, bouquet garni and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn off heat and set aside.
- Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, and add potatoes. Cook until soft, and mash (preferably with a potato ricer) with 6 tablespoons butter. Set aside.
- Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put cod and haddock into skillet with carrot, cover, and bring to a simmer. Poach for 3 minutes. Transfer fish to a plate, and add salmon to skillet. Poach for 3 minutes, and transfer salmon to plate with cod and haddock. Discard carrot and reserve bouquet garni. Strain liquid into a measuring cup, add saffron and add enough cream to make 2 cups liquid.
- Place a saucepan over low heat, and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in flour and mace. Stir for a few minutes; remove pan from heat. Slowly stir in cream mixture, beating until smooth. Return pan to heat and add reserved bouquet garni. Stir until mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Butter a 9-inch-square baking pan, and distribute cooked fish evenly, breaking into large chunks as necessary. Scatter shrimp evenly in pan. Discard bouquet garni, and pour sauce over all.
- Spread mashed potato evenly over top, covering edges so sauce will not bubble over. Sprinkle nutmeg lightly over top of pie, and place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until filling is hot and potatoes are flecked with gold, 20 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.
1 hour
Dining and Cooking