Luxury Fish Pie

A layer of ready-made or leftover cooked mashed potato helps to seal in all the juices from the fish and prawns as they cook. The filling has the simplest of sauces, made by mixing herby cream cheese with milk.

Serves 1

150 g/5 oz fresh or smoked haddock fillet, skinned
50 g/2 oz shelled raw prawns (shrimp), halved if large
7.5 ml/1½ tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
25 g/1 oz/1 tbsp frozen sweetcorn
25 g/1 oz/1 tbsp frozen peas
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup full-fat plain cream cheese or cream cheese with garlic and herbs
45 ml/3 tbsp milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
225 g/8 oz cold mashed potato or ½ 400 g/14 oz packet of ready-made mashed potato

1. Cut the haddock into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl with the prawns. Sprinkle the cornflour over and toss to coat. Add the sweetcorn and peas.
2. Blend together the cream cheese and milk and a little salt and pepper. Pour over the fish and vegetables (this mixture will be very thick but will be diluted with the juices from the fish
   as it cooks) and gently mix together. Spoon into the ceramic cooking pot and switch on the slow cooker to High.
3. Give the mashed potatoes a brief stir to soften, then spoon on top of the fish mixture in an even layer. Cover with the lid and switch on to High. Cook for 1 hour or until the fish is cooked. Serve straight away with a mixed green salad.

Cook's tips
Brown the potato topping under a moderate grill (broiler) before serving, if liked.
Try hake, fresh tuna, salmon or cod instead of the haddock for a change.

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