I know fish pie is divisive, but whenever I think of my dad in the kitchen, this is the dish that comes to mind.
Jasmin says…
I was fortunate to enjoy home‑cooked meals most nights during my childhood. Both my parents and my Nanna Anna were talented cooks. Thriftiness was a common theme in our household – we made do with whatever we had on hand, yet somehow created the most delicious, one-of-a-kind meals that were nearly impossible to replicate. That was my childhood: falling in love with dishes but accepting the fact that the next time it would be made, it would taste ever‑so‑slightly different.
As you can imagine, this came with its pros and cons. The upside? I rarely ate the same dish twice. The downside? I rarely got to enjoy the meals I fell in love with more than once. Except for Dad’s fish pie. It was one of the few recipes that remained consistent, a staple that made the cut.
I know fish pie is divisive, but whenever I think of my dad in the kitchen, this is the dish that comes to mind. It’s everything he loves in a meal and more, which is why I had to include it in my book – a homage to my dad and all he taught me in the kitchen. Growing up on a tight budget wasn’t always easy, but those years shaped what I create today.
I love you, Dad. Thank you for passing down your kitchen thriftiness, so I can share it with the world.
EVERYDAY EATS: SIMPLE SKILLS, RECIPES AND ADVICE TO UP YOUR COOKING GAME BY JASMIN WESTON AKA @JASMINSEATS IS OUT NOW.
Creamy Fish Pie
Ingredients
Serves 4-5
Topping
1kg floury potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
125ml full-cream milk
30g unsalted butter
Fish
750g boneless and skinless fish, cut into 2.5cm dice (I recommend using a few different types of fish for variety: salmon, barramundi, snapper, cod, ling, perch or even prawns)
750ml full-cream milk
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Zest of ½ lemon
Sauce
50g unsalted butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
50g plain flour
80g frozen peas
75g frozen corn kernels
To Serve
Fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Lemon wedges
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced.
To start the topping, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 10-15 minutes until fork-tender.
While the potatoes are boiling, cook the fish. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, oregano, parsley and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer before adding the fish. Poach for 3 minutes.
Remove the fish from the liquid and transfer it to a baking dish. Don’t worry if the fish isn’t cooked all the way through as it will finish cooking in the oven.
Pour the remaining liquid into a jug and set aside. Don’t chuck this out as we will use this infused milk for our white sauce.
In the same pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter for the white sauce. Add the onion and carrot and sauté for 2–3 minutes until slightly softened.
Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the flour and whisk constantly until you have a roux and everything is coated.
Add the reserved infused milk into the roux, bit by bit, whisking constantly until all of it is used and the white sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Add the frozen peas and corn to the sauce and stir them through until thawed and bright.
Taste the sauce to ensure it’s seasoned enough. Once you’re happy, turn off the heat and carefully pour the white sauce into the baking dish all over the fish. Use a spoon to give everything a mix to ensure the veggies and fish are well combined.
By now the potatoes should be super soft. Drain and mash them or put them through a potato ricer. Add the milk, butter and salt to taste.
Add the mash on top of the fish pie filling and spread it as evenly as possible. Use a fork to make a pretty pattern on top and to help it become golden in the oven (or don’t – you’re eating it, not me). Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the mash is golden and slightly crispy.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle the parsley on top and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Tuck in!
Published in Ed#724