Fish pie with saffron

Recipe by: Darina Allen

I love to cook up a big batch to make several pies, which can be covered and popped in the fridge or frozen and reheated another day. Omit the saffron if you don’t have any. A chopped hard-boiled egg and 110g (4oz) cooked peas add extra deliciousness and

Fish pie with saffron

SERVES

6

PEOPLE

PREP TIME

30

MINUTES

COOKING TIME

30

MINUTES

Ingredients

  • 1.1kg (2 ½ lb) cod, hake, haddock or grey mullet fillets, or a mixture

  • 15g (½ oz) butter, for greasing

  • 600ml (1 pint) whole milk

  • a generous pinch of saffron stamens

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • approx. 20g (¾ oz) Roux (made by blending 10g (⅓ oz) softened butter with 10g ⅓ oz) plain flour - melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally)

  • ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard

  • 150–175g (5-6oz) grated Gruyère or Cheddar cheese OR 75g (3oz) grated Parmesan cheese

  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

  • 110g (4oz) shelled cooked mussels

  • 110g (4oz) peeled cooked shrimps

  • ½ tin of chopped anchovies, approx. 4 fillets (optional)

  • 900g mashed potato

  • melted butter, for brushing

  • flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • a little extra saffron if you have it to spare

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

  2. Soak the saffron in a tablespoon of hot water.

  3. Skin the fish and cut into 6-8 portions. Season well with salt and pepper. Lay the pieces of fish in a lightly buttered 26cm (10 ½ inch) sauté pan and cover with rich milk and saffron. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 4–5 minutes until the fish has changed from translucent to opaque. Remove the fish to a plate with a slotted spoon.

  4. Bring the milk back to the boil and whisk in enough of the roux to thicken the sauce to a light coating consistency. Stir in the mustard, grated cheese and chopped parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the cooked fish together with the mussels, shrimps and chopped anchovies, and stir gently to coat with the sauce.

  5. Pipe a layer of fluffy mashed potato over the top.

  6. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes until the pie is bubbling and the potato topping is crisp and golden. Drizzle a little saffron here and there over the top for an extra treat but it will still be gorgeous without it. I sometimes save a few whole shrimps or mussels in the shell for garnish too.

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