Ballycotton Fish Pie

MANY different types of really fresh fish may be used for a fish pie, so feel free to adapt this recipe a little to suit your needs. Periwinkles would be a good and cheap addition and a little smoked haddock is tasty also.

Serves 6-8

2½ lbs (1.25kg) fillets of cod, haddock, ling, hake, salmon or pollock or a mixture, skinned Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 pint (600ml) full cream milk and a very little cream (optional) 1-2 slices onion 3 or 4 slices of carrot 1 small bay leaf A sprig of thyme 3 peppercorns 18 cooked mussels (optional) Roux made with 1 oz (30g) butter and 1 oz (30g) flour 4 hard boiled eggs ½ oz (15g) butter 4oz (120g) onion, chopped 6ozs (170g) sliced mushrooms, preferably flat 2 tbsp chopped parsley 2 lbs (900g) fluffy mashed potato or Champ